this car seat check was written in september 2017 about the 2017 hyundai santa fe sport. little of substance has changed with this year's model. to see what's new for 2018, click here, or check out a side-by-side comparison of the two model years.
for 2017, the hyundai santa fe sport gets a mild update that focuses on advanced safety features and new multimedia features. families will appreciate that this midsize suv has rear sunshades to keep the sun out of kids' eyes and a backseat that slides forward and back. we tested the 2017 santa fe sport 2.0t with all-wheel drive and leather seats.
how many car seats fit in the second row? two
related: more car seat checks
solid
rear-facing convertible, grade a: the rear-facing convertible seat fit well.
forward-facing convertible, grade a: the forward-facing convertible seat fit well.
so-so
latch, grade b: there are two sets of lower latch anchors in this five-passenger suv. they sit about an inch into the seat cushions, and we had to muscle our car seats' latch connectors past the stiff, leather seat cushions. the santa fe sport's three top tether anchors, which sit under flip-up plastic covers, are midway down the seatback; they're easy to find and use.
infant seat, grade b: we had to move the front passenger seat forward to accommodate our rear-facing infant seat. the infant seat, however, installed easily, thanks to its thin, hooklike latch connectors.
booster, second row, grade b: our high-back booster seat fit well, but the seat belt buckles are on floppy bases, making them difficult for kids to use independently.
skip it
none
grading scale
solid indicates an a grade for optimum ease of use and fit. so-so indicates b or c grades for one to two ease-of-use or fit issues. skip it indicates d or f grades.
a: plenty of room for the car seat and the child; doesn't impact driver or front-passenger legroom. easy to find and connect to latch and tether anchors. no fit issues involving head restraint or seat contouring. easy access to the third row.
b: one room, fit or connection issue. some problems accessing third row when available.
c: marginal room plus one fit or connection issue. difficult to access third row when available.
d: insufficient room, plus multiple fit or connection issues.
f: does not fit or is unsafe.
about 's car seat checks
editors jennifer geiger, jennifer newman and matt schmitz are certified child safety seat installation technicians.
for the car seat check, we use a graco snugride classic connect 30 infant-safety seat, a britax marathon convertible seat and graco turbobooster seat. the front seats are adjusted for a 6-foot driver and a shorter passenger. the three child seats are installed in the second row. the booster seat sits behind the driver's seat, and the infant and convertible seats are installed behind the front passenger seat.
we also install the forward-facing convertible in the second row's middle seat with the booster and infant seat in the outboard seats to see if three car seats will fit; a child sitting in the booster seat must be able to reach the seat belt buckle. if there's a third row, we install the booster seat and a forward-facing convertible. learn more about how we conduct our car seat checks.
parents should also remember that they can use the latch system or a seat belt to install a car seat, and that latch anchors have a weight limit of 65 pounds, including the weight of the child and the weight of the seat itself.
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