SA-bound Hyundai Santa Fe wins Women’s Car of Year

The Hyundai Santa Fe has been declared the overall winner of the 2025 Women’s Worldwide Car of the Year.

A panel of female motoring journalists from 55 countries voted for the Korean vehicle, which also won the large SUV category.

The other category winners were the MINI Cooper (Urban Car), Kia EV3 (Compact SUV), Audi A6 e-tron (Large Car), Toyota Land Cruiser (4x4) and Porsche Panamera (Performance Car).

The Hyundai Santa Fe can accommodate up to seven passengers, and has a bold and boxy design that impressed the judges.

“The Santa Fe was dramatically restyled both inside and out to include many ‘wow’ features like a wider lift gate opening and spacious interior,” one of the judges said.

“Hyundai has reimagined the Santa Fe with a more rugged and boxy aesthetic, maximising space, versatility and comfort — qualities that modern buyers seek in an SUV,” said another.

Women’s Worldwide Car of the Year is the only car awards group in the world exclusively comprising female motoring journalists. It was created by New Zealand motoring journalist Sandy Myhre in 2009, who is honorary president.

The latest, fifth-generation Santa Fe was launched in 2023 with a striking design featuring front and rear lights shaped like the brand’s “H” emblem. It is larger and more spacious than the outgoing Santa Fe, with Bauhaus-inspired styling that emphasises simple geometric shapes.

In the first full model change since 2018, the seven-seater SUV has a versatile interior that flows from the openness of its enlarged tailgate, providing users with a terrace-like space.

It will be launched in SA in June. Hyundai has not confirmed the local specifications but overseas it is powered by a choice of two engines: a 205kW 2.5l naturally aspirated petrol unit and a 132kW 1.6l turbo-petrol hybrid.

The current Santa Fe is available in SA as a 2.2l turbo diesel.

This article originally appeared in Business Day.