Standard all-wheel drive, all-terrain tires, new Mud, Snow and Sand modes, and the highest tow rating in the Santa Fe lineup. Here is what it actually does around Durham, and what it does not.
What's on this page
Every brand sells a rugged-looking trim now. Black wheels, chunky cladding, a badge with an X in it. Plenty of them are an appearance package and nothing more, with no mechanical change underneath the styling.
The Santa Fe XRT is not quite that, and it is also not a Wrangler. It sits in a specific, useful middle: standard all-wheel drive, all-terrain tires, terrain-specific drive modes, and a tow rating a full 1,000 lbs above every other Santa Fe. This page is about what that combination is genuinely good for around here.
What the XRT Actually Is, Honestly
The Santa Fe XRT is a unibody crossover. It has no low range and no locking differentials. If your weekend involves the OHV trails at Uwharrie National Forest, this is not the vehicle, and we would rather tell you that now than after you have signed something.
What it does have is the stuff that matters for about ninety percent of what people around here actually drive on. HTRAC all-wheel drive comes standard, not optional. All-terrain tires come from the factory instead of as an aftermarket afterthought. And the boxy fifth-generation body has short overhangs that do not scrape on a rutted parking area.
That combination handles graded forest service roads, wet clay boat ramps, flooded trailhead lots in March, and the two ice days a year when Durham forgets how to drive. Which, if you are honest about your weekends, is the actual list.
All-terrain tires are factory equipment on the XRT, not an add-on.
The honest line
Buy the XRT if your weekends end at a trailhead, a boat ramp or a campsite reached by gravel. Buy something body-on-frame if they end past the gate marked "high clearance vehicles only."
Mud, Snow and Sand: What Changed for 2026
Two MY2026 updates are worth knowing before you shop a leftover 2025.
First, the XRT picked up Mud, Snow and Sand drive modes. These retune throttle response, how the transmission holds gears, and how HTRAC splits torque front to rear for each surface. Sand is the one people around here underuse. It is genuinely useful on the drive out to Emerald Isle and the Crystal Coast, where soft-surface parking is a real thing.
Second, and this one matters more, the entire Santa Fe lineup moved from a dual-clutch transmission to an 8-speed torque-converter automatic. Dual-clutch gearboxes are efficient but they get indecisive at very low speeds, exactly where you are backing a trailer down a ramp or crawling over roots into a campsite. A torque-converter automatic is smoother in that job. If you have driven an older Santa Fe and found it hesitant off the line, drive this one before you write it off.
Also standard
Hyundai SmartSense is standard on the XRT, same as every other Santa Fe trim. Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, Blind-Spot Collision Warning and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist are not held back for the expensive trims.
Where It Goes Around the Triangle
The good news about living in Durham is that a genuinely useful weekend is thirty minutes away in three directions. The XRT is sized right for all of them, which is the argument for a midsize SUV over a full-size one in a region where the parking lots were laid out in 1974.
Weekends this trim is built for
- Eno River State Park, minutes north of the dealership. Multiple access areas, several with unpaved approach roads and lots that turn to soup after a wet week.
- William B. Umstead State Park, between Raleigh and Cary. Bridle and hike trails, and gravel access that is easy work for all-terrain tires.
- Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area in Hillsborough, a short run up I-85 and the closest thing to real elevation in the county.
- Jordan Lake and Falls Lake recreation areas, where the boat ramps get slick and all-wheel drive stops being theoretical.
- The American Tobacco Trail, 22-plus miles from Durham down toward New Hope, with trailhead lots at both the paved and unpaved ends.
- Hanging Rock and Pilot Mountain, roughly two hours west, where the weather at the top is genuinely not the weather in the parking lot.
Short overhangs and a boxy body help on rutted trailhead approaches.
Cargo is the other half of the weekend equation. With the second row up you have 40.5 cu ft, which swallows two mountain bikes with the front wheels off, a cooler and a tent. Fold the row and it opens to 79.6 cu ft.
Worth noting: the XRT is a five-seat SUV. Every gas Santa Fe is two-row. Three-row seating on the Santa Fe is hybrid-only, and there is no XRT Hybrid. If the weekend crew is six people, read our Santa Fe third row breakdown before you commit to this trim.
Towing the Boat, the Camper, the Bikes
This is where the XRT separates itself from the rest of the lineup in a way you can measure. It is rated at 4,500 lbs with trailer brakes. Every other Santa Fe, gas or hybrid, tops out at 3,500 or 2,000. That 1,000 lb gap is the single biggest mechanical reason to choose this trim.
In practice, 4,500 lbs opens up a small hard-side travel trailer, a two-place enclosed cargo trailer, or a bass boat that a 3,500 lb rating would leave sitting in the driveway. It does not open up a full travel trailer, and anyone telling you a midsize crossover will pull one is selling something.
The number that actually matters is your trailer loaded, not the dry weight on the sticker. Fuel, water, gear and the cooler routinely add 400 to 700 lbs. Weigh it once and you will know for the life of the trailer. Our Santa Fe towing capacity page breaks down every trim's rating side by side.
Before your first tow
Hitch class, wiring and trailer brakes all have to match. Bring the trailer to our service department on Durham Chapel Hill Blvd and we will confirm the setup against your rig rather than against a spec sheet.
Living With It Monday Through Friday
H-Tex seating on the XRT, built for wet gear and muddy boots.
Weekends are two days. The commute is five. Any honest write-up of an adventure trim has to deal with that, so here is the number: the XRT is EPA-rated at 20 city, 28 highway and 23 combined. All-wheel drive is standard, so there is no thriftier front-drive version of this trim.
Set that against the Santa Fe Hybrid's EPA-estimated 36 mpg combined and the trade is stark. If your weekends genuinely involve a boat ramp or a gravel road most weeks, the XRT earns it. If they involve one camping trip a year, you are paying for capability in fuel fifty weeks out of fifty-two.
The interior helps the case. H-Tex seating surfaces wipe down after a muddy hike in a way cloth does not. The 12.3-inch touchscreen and 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster are standard across the lineup, as is wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
| If your weekends are | The Santa Fe to drive | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Boat ramps, gravel roads, a trailer over 3,500 lbs | XRT | Standard AWD, all-terrain tires, terrain modes, 4,500 lb rating. |
| Mostly commuting, occasional trailhead | Santa Fe Hybrid | Up to 36 mpg combined. AWD is available on SEL Hybrid and up. |
| Six or seven people, light towing | Santa Fe Hybrid | Third row is hybrid-only. No gas Santa Fe seats more than five. |
| Long highway trips in comfort | Limited or Calligraphy | Same 277 hp turbo, more sound insulation and better seats. |
Want the full lineup side by side? Read the 2026 Santa Fe trim comparison.
Back to topQuestions We Get About the XRT
Is the Santa Fe XRT a real off-road SUV?
It is a capable all-weather and gravel-road SUV, not a rock crawler. The XRT is a unibody crossover with standard HTRAC all-wheel drive, all-terrain tires and Mud, Snow and Sand drive modes. That covers forest service roads, wet clay boat ramps and rutted trailhead parking. It does not cover the Uwharrie OHV trails, which want a body-on-frame vehicle with a low range.
What is new on the 2026 Santa Fe XRT?
Two things matter. The XRT gained Mud, Snow and Sand drive modes for MY2026, and the whole Santa Fe lineup moved from a dual-clutch transmission to an 8-speed torque-converter automatic. The new gearbox is the bigger deal for towing and low-speed crawling, where torque-converter automatics behave more smoothly than a dual-clutch.
How much can the Santa Fe XRT tow?
Up to 4,500 lbs when properly equipped with trailer brakes. That is 1,000 lbs more than any other Santa Fe trim and the highest rating in the lineup. It puts a small hard-side travel trailer, a two-place enclosed cargo trailer or a heavier bass boat inside its range.
Does the Santa Fe XRT have a third row?
No. The XRT is a gas 2.5L turbo trim, and every gas Santa Fe is two-row, five-passenger. Three-row seating on the Santa Fe is hybrid-only, and there is no XRT Hybrid. If you need seven seats and the trail gear, that is a genuine fork in the road.
What gas mileage does the Santa Fe XRT get?
The XRT is all-wheel drive as standard, so the EPA estimate is 20 city, 28 highway and 23 combined. All-terrain tires and a roof load will pull real-world numbers below that. If most of your miles are the daily commute rather than the weekend, the Santa Fe Hybrid at up to 36 mpg combined is the smarter buy.
Can the Santa Fe XRT handle a gravel road to a trailhead?
Yes, comfortably. Graded gravel and forest service roads are exactly what this trim is built for, and the all-terrain tires make a real difference on loose surfaces. Drive to the trailheads at Eno River State Park or up toward Occoneechee Mountain and the XRT is well inside its comfort zone.
Do I need all-wheel drive in the Triangle?
For a normal Piedmont winter, no. We get a handful of genuinely bad days a year. All-wheel drive earns its keep in other ways here: wet clay boat ramps at Jordan Lake and Falls Lake, unpaved trailhead lots after a week of rain, and the drive west to Hanging Rock or Pilot Mountain when the elevation changes the weather.
Sources: Hyundai's official Santa Fe compare-specs page. EPA fuel economy estimates from fueleconomy.gov.
Come Drive One Before the Next Long Weekend
We are on Durham Chapel Hill Blvd, minutes from US 15-501 and a straight run from Chapel Hill, Cary, Hillsborough and west Raleigh. Bring the trailer, the bikes, or the roof box. It is a better test than a lap around the block.
Sport Durst Hyundai
4507 Durham Chapel Hill Blvd, Durham, NC 27707
Sales: (919) 873-4783
Sales hours: Monday through Saturday, 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Sunday, 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM.
Browse Santa Fe inventory, compare it against the Santa Fe Hybrid, or value your trade first. You can also get pre-approved online before you drive over.
The Trim That Earns Its Badge
Standard all-wheel drive, factory all-terrain tires, three terrain modes, and 1,000 lbs of towing the rest of the lineup does not have. Inventory changes weekly, so call ahead and we will tell you what XRTs are actually on the ground.
EPA-estimated fuel economy figures are for comparison purposes only. Your actual mileage will vary with how you drive and maintain your vehicle, driving conditions and other factors. Towing figures are maximum properly-equipped ratings with trailer brakes and are subject to change by the manufacturer. Actual capacity varies with configuration, options, passengers, cargo and tongue weight. Always consult the owner's manual and the vehicle door-jamb label before towing. Cargo and load capacity limited by weight and distribution. Off-road capability varies by conditions. Always drive responsibly and obey posted signage and trail regulations. See dealer for complete details.
