2020 Hyundai Santa Fe Towing Capacities

The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe is still a popular SUV and doesn't really differ from the later model years, aside from the engine options you have for the vehicle. The towing capacity attached to these smaller SUVs was quite impressive, considering their size and they were able to achieve a 3,500 lb rating, if you had the right equipment installed on your vehicle and your trailer.

I dive into all of the information you need to know about your 2020 Santa Fe when it comes to your maximum trailer weight rating and laid everything out in an easy-to-read type of resource guide. Let's Dive In!

Be sure you read through your owner's manual to get familiar with your vehicle and always follow Hyundai's recommendations when it comes to anything regarding your vehicle.

2020 Santa Fe Overview


Overall Capacity: The overall towing capacity for the 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe ranged from 1,653-3,501 pounds, and this was for all models and trim levels. The main determining factors for your trailer weight rating was dependent upon which engine you had equipped, whether your trailer was equipped with its own braking system and if you had the optional ATF cooler installed.


Capacity By Trim Level and Engine Option: I always like to break down the data a little bit further, in order to make it easier to read and to better understand the data.


Below, I have the trim levels listed, along with the engine option that was available for each trim level and the capacity range that you can expect with these two variables.

  • SE 2.4L - 1,653-2,800 lbs.
  • SEL 2.4L- 1,653-2,800 lbs.
  • SEL 2.0L (Turbo)- 1,653-3,501 lbs.
  • Limited 2.4L- 1,653-2,800 lbs.
  • Limited 2.0L (Turbo)- 1,653-3,501 lbs.

Engine Options: There were two different engine options for the 2020 models and these were either a standard 2.4 L engine or the upgraded 2.0 L turbo engine that was available for select trim levels. The 2.0 liter engine was the stronger out of the two options and was able to achieve a 3,501 pound rating, while the 2.4 L engine was only able to achieve a 2,800 pound rating.


Trim Levels: There were three different trim levels available for these SUVs and the trim level you had did not directly impact your maximum trailer weight rating, but there were limitations when it came to the optional equipment that was available for some trim levels, which indirectly could affect your maximum trailer weight rating.

Assumed Weight: I was not able to find any information in any of the literature this stated any occupants in the vehicle with the specified trailer weight ratings. Typically, manufacturers will list a driver at minimum and sometimes a driver and one passenger as an assumed weight in the vehicle in order to achieve the specified weight ratings that were listed in the chart.

The Tow Chart:

The chart for the 2020 model year Hyundai Santa Fe's had two different engines, unlike the 2021 and 2022 model years and these two engine options were the 2.4 L standard engine and then a more powerful 2.0 L turbo powered engine.

If we look at the data in the chart, we can see that models that had the 2.0 L engine equipped had a slight advantage when it came to overall maximum trailer weight ratings, as they were able to achieve a 3,501 pound rating, while models that had the 2.4 L engine equipped were only able to achieve a maximum weight capacity of 2,800 pounds.

There were also specs listed with and without brake systems, which is referring to your trailer and whether your trailer had brakes equipped. We can also see that there was a standard package and a trailer package available, and the trailer package is really what allowed these vehicles to achieve the highest ratings possible.

2020 Hyundai Santa Fe Tow Chart

The Tongue Load Weight Rating...

The tongue load weight rating for the 2020 models was listed as the same percentage as the later model years, which Hyundai specs as 10% of the trailers overall weight. For example, if you are pulling a load that weighs 2,100 pounds, then you would aim for a tongue load weight rating of 10% or around 210 lbs.

I do also want to point out that in the above chart, the maximum tongue load weight ratings are listed for each engine at the bottom row of the chart but Hyundai words that a little bit differently and uses "static vertical load" instead of tongue load. Remember, these are the maximum limits, which coincide with the maximum trailer weight ratings listed in the chart.

2022 Santa Fe Tongue Load Weight Rating

On To The Trailer Brakes:

There was no clear answer when it came to how much weight you could pull in your trailer before you would need trailer brakes installed, other than the information we found in the chart above. According to the chart, Hyundai specifies that if your trailer and its cargo weighs 1,653 pounds or more, then you will need to have trailer brakes installed, in order to achieve those higher ratings.

It is important to point out that you will need to check with your local law enforcement agency to see what they require as far as trailer brakes and trailer load requirements to see if that 1,653 pound rating will satisfy their requirements. Each state has their own set of laws when it comes to trailers and trailer brakes, so you will need to do research to see what your specific state's laws specify.

Hyundai Santa Fe Trailer Brakes Notes

The Different Trim Level Options Available:

There were only three different trim levels available for the 2020 Santa Fe's and these three trim levels were referred to as: SE, SEL, and Limited. I was able to find an image in the brochure that I have listed at the bottom of this article that shows us a couple of different pieces of information regarding the three different trim levels and what options were offered for these trim levels.


First off, the 2.4 L engine was a standard option for all three trim levels and the 2.0 L turbo engine was available as an optional accessory for the SEL and Limited trim levels only. If we look further down in the image, we can also see that the trailer package that has the optional transmission oil cooler installed was also only available for these two trim levels and not for the SE trim level.

This could impact your maximum trailer weight rating, based on the trim level you had equipped on your vehicle, as the SE trim levels did not have the option of having the 2.0 L engine equipped, therefore were only able to achieve a maximum weight rating of 2,800 pounds.

2020 Santa Fe Trim Level Options
• Standard    Optional    — No

How About The GVWR, GCWR and GAWR Figures...

Hyundai Certification Label For GVWR and GAWRs

GVWR & GAWRs: The gross vehicle weight rating and gross axle weight ratings were not listed anywhere in the owner's manual or the brochure, but instead are listed on the certification label, that can be found if you open your driver side door and look on the door pillar or the door itself. 

This label will look like the label I have shown in the image above and will have the gross vehicle weight rating, along with both of the gross axle weight ratings for the front and rear axles listed, towards the top of the label.

GCWR: I had a hard time finding the gross combined weight rating for these vehicles, which was the case for all other model years as well, and could not find it anywhere online. As soon as I find this figure, I will update this post in order to keep it as accurate and up-to-date as possible.

Standard Package Versus Trailer Package...

In the chart I have posted at the top of this article, there were two different figures that listed a standard package, along with a trailer package that was available for certain trim levels. I wasn't able to find any information on what comes with the trailer package, other than the transmission cooler.

We can see that all three trim levels did have pre-wiring installed as a standard option, so I am going to assume that this was not part of the trailer package, but I am pretty certain that a trailer hitch probably would be.

If I had to guess, I would assume that a trailer hitch and the transmission cooler were part of the package, but I would not know if anything else was included in the package, as there were no details listed on the specifics of the package.

2020 Santa Fe Trim Level Options

Additional Notes:

There were also additional notes that I found in the owner's manual that talk about a few different things like the recommended driving speed when pulling a trailer behind you, the break-in period and about using a sway control device with these vehicles. This is why I always recommend you read through your owner's manual yourself because there are tons of information in there that you really need to know.

Additional Notes
Additional Notes 2

Some Helpful Links:

All of the information in this article came directly from two main resources, which were the owner's manual and the brochure for the 2020 Santa Fe's. Most of the information was gathered directly from the owner's manual, including most of the images, but the brochure came in handy when looking at the different trim levels and comparing the different options for each trim level.

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