A Texas couple’s tight parking situation turned into a viral demonstration of a Hyundai feature many owners didn’t even know about. They found themselves boxed into a parking spot with virtually no room to squeeze through on either side—so they let their Santa Fe do the work for them. The TikTok has racked up over 2.8 million views as viewers discovered Hyundai’s hidden superpower. Carter and Alex (@itscarterandalex), a married couple who relocated to Austin, Texas, from Florida late last year, return to their Hyundai Santa Fe in an outdoor parking lot where another vehicle has parked extremely close on one side, leaving barely any space to access the driver’s door. How Do You Get A Santa Fe Out Of A Tight Spot? "What are we supposed to do?" Carter asks as they assess the situation. "What we got going on here?" Alex responds. Carter tries to wedge himself through the gap. "What the hell?" he says, clearly frustrated by the lack of space. "Are you too fat to fit in there?" Alex jokes. "Let’s see," Carter says, still trying to find a way in. "Yeah you’re not gonna fit unless you want to scratch the car," Alex confirms. How Does Hyundai’s Remote Smart Parking Assist Work? Rather than climbing through the trunk or waiting for the neighboring vehicle to leave, Carter decides to deploy a feature they haven’t needed until now. "You want to try? Well, apparently we have this feature, but sometimes it doesn’t work," Carter explains, referencing the vehicle’s remote parking capability. After some back and forth, Alex says, "All right let’s see it. Work your magic." The feature Carter activates is Hyundai’s Remote Smart Parking Assist, which allows the driver to move the vehicle forward or backward from outside the car using the key fob. The system is designed precisely for situations like this—when the parking space is too tight to comfortably enter or exit the vehicle. Using ultrasonic sensors and cameras, the system controls acceleration, braking, and steering while the driver stands outside with the smart key, ideally within 13 feet of the vehicle. "Oh are you gonna drive it?" Alex asks as the car begins to move. "Don’t know if it’s gonna work," Carter says. The feature works as intended, successfully extracting the Santa Fe from the cramped parking spot. "I guess Hyundais can be useful," Alex quips as the video ends. Community Response: Surprise and Interest The comment section revealed that many Hyundai owners were unaware that their vehicles have this capability. "Are u telling me my Hyundai can do this and I’m learning about it in Tiktok?" wrote Mafity. Even Hyundai USA joined the conversation, commenting "we got you" with a handshake emoji—a response that garnered over 15,000 likes. Other owners confirmed they love the feature. "My 2025 Hyundai Tucson ultimate has it and I’ve used it quite a few times because people don’t know how to park their cars lol," shared Yves Van Der Auwera. User AngieH, who owns a 2024 model, called it "such a cool feature," while another commenter noted, "Yes the new cars have it! It’s super cool." Several viewers inquired about which models include the Remote Smart Parking Assist. "I have a 2026 Kona. What is this sorcery," wrote Laura F, while Lizeth Mza asked, "How can be done? I have also a Santa Fe 2026." One user provided helpful details: "You have to remote start the car, then there’s a button for the car to go forward or backward. It has camera all around for sensing obstacles to stop." For Hyundai owners curious about whether their vehicle has Remote Smart Parking Assist, the feature is available on the Limited and Calligraphy trims of the 2025 Santa Fe, as well as higher trim levels of recent model years of the Tucson, Palisade (Calligraphy and Limited trims), Sonata (Limited trim), and other models in the lineup including the IONIQ 5 and IONIQ 6. The Parking Debate While the remote parking feature impressed viewers, the video also sparked a spirited debate about the parking situation itself. Many commenters pointed out that all three vehicles in frame appeared to be poorly parked. "I mean all three y’all parked like [expletive]," wrote Randilious. Carter and Alex responded to defend themselves, noting "That combined with tiny spots lol." "What in the name of sam hell is up with those friggin parking spots? Were they made for friggin scooters?!" David asked. "Wtf are these parking spaces huh?!!! They tiny as [expletive]," CassieSassy commented. The video prompted viewers to share their own experiences dealing with tight parking situations. "I have literally climbed through the trunk of my car to get to the driver’s seat," Heather Brown shared. Carter and Alex responded that they had considered doing exactly that. The remote parking feature clearly resonated with viewers who’ve found themselves in similar predicaments. The video’s caption—"Yay we finally got to use this feature on our Hyundai"—perfectly captured the satisfaction of finally deploying a technological solution that had been waiting for its moment. Motor1 reached out to Carter and Alex via TikTok direct message. We’ll be sure to update this if they respond. We want your opinion! What would you like to see on Motor1.com? Take our 3 minute survey. - The Motor1.com Team
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