if you're not sure exactly what the 2019 hyundai santa fe is, you're not alone. the automaker changed its vehicle naming structure, and its two-row suv is now called simply the santa fe instead of the previous santa fe sport name. for 2019, three-row santa fes are now called santa fe xl. continuing the confusion, for 2020, the santa fe xl is being redesigned with a new name: the hyundai palisade.
hyundai has a lot of suvs on offer, and families considering the two-row santa fe will find a lot to like about its backseat; ample room and easy-access latch anchors helped the santa fe score high in our car seat check.
two
related: more car seat checks
solid
- latch, grade a: two sets of anchors sit just within the seat bight, where the back and bottom cushions meet. they're easy to access, especially once you recline the seats. three top tethers sit halfway down the seatback. they're clearly marked with good clearance around the anchors for connection.
- infant seat, grade a: the seat was easy to install and there was ample legroom for our 5-foot, 6-inch-tall front passenger.
- rear-facing convertible, grade a: again, this seat went in easily and had plenty of room.
- forward-facing convertible, grade a: this seat, too, was easy to install and fit well once we raised the head restraint.
- booster, grade a: after raising the head restraint, the booster fit well. while the buckles wiggle, the majority of the buckle is stable, so i think kids should have an easy time buckling up by themselves.
so-so
- none
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.
's editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. in line with 's long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don't accept gifts or free trips from automakers. the editorial department is independent of 's advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.