Hyundai is justifiably proud of its new mid-size Santa Fe SUV. Larger, better equipped and easier on the eye than its predecessor, the new Santa Fe also boasts a brand new, very handy 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine.
In a tough market segment dominated by the Toyota duo (Kluger and Prado) plus the Ford Territory and Holden Captiva, launch of the new Santa Fe late last year brought immediate results for Hyundai with December sales almost 90 per cent up.
What You Get
Car Showroom tested the Santa Fe in range-topping mode with a Highlander model. With seats for seven, lots of kit – including sunroof, leather interior and a rear parking camera – and priced at $48,490, Hyundai’s stylish newcomer demands consideration by mid-size SUV buyers.
Family buyers will also appreciate Santa Fe’s five-star ANCAP safety rating.
Under The Hood
Our Santa Fe Highlander was powered by Hyundai’s excellent new 2.2-litre R-2.2 turbo-diesel engine driving all four wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission (the manual version is also a six-speeder).
In automatic form, it delivers 145kW/436Nm (421Nm for the manual). Fuel consumption is 7.5l/100km (6.7l/100kms for the manual) and CO2 exhaust emissions are 197g/km (176g/km for the manual).
The culmination of $227 million in development, this engine is part of a series of turbo-diesel engines for Hyundai and is right up to date in its technology. A 16-valve DOHC design, it features the third generation of Bosch’s common rail direct injection system and exhaust gas recirculation – that means maximum efficiency and clean exhaust emissions.
On the road and even during cold starts, this engine is impressively quiet – even better than some rivals from Japan.
The Interior
The new Santa Fe surprises with its interior space and in Highlander delivers nice leather seats with electric adjustment for the driver and front passenger.
Equipment levels are high with a nice leather-wrapped steering wheel, climate control air-conditioning (including the third row seats), smart key and push button start, a rear parking camera, in-dash six stacker CD sound with MP3, iPod and USB connectivity and rain sensing wipers. Carbon graphite and aluminium trim touches add to the contemporary and up-market look/feel.
Instrumentation is conventional with steering wheel controls for the audio system. We liked the rear view camera with its image displayed in the rear-view mirror…somehow it’s more intuitive to look in the mirror when reversing rather than a center console screen.
We tried the second row seat and, like most mid-size SUVs, legroom is not in the league of LandCruiser and Patrol, but the Santa Fe is better than some. Same in the third row – best for toddlers or in-laws – however with the kerbside second row seat able to tumble forward, access to the Santa Fe’s third row is much easier than for some rival vehicles.
Good news for families - child seats for the Car Showroom juniors were easily installed into the Santa Fe and they liked the visibility provided by its relatively low waistline and the electric glass sunroof.
The second row seat split folds 60:40 and the row 50:50. When not in use and folded, the third row seats provide a flat luggage area.
Exterior & Styling
You can file the Santa Fe’s styling in the ‘much improved’ category. Like its ix35 SUV sibling and the i30 hatchback, the new Santa Fe points to the incredible advancement of Hyundai styling.
In fact the Santa Fe’s chrome wing front grille looks as if it came directly from the i30. New headlights, fog lights and nicely-styled rear lights soften and modernize the look.
Highlander models gain 18-inch alloy wheels (17-inch for the SLX and Elite), which do add significantly to the total exterior package.
On The Road
The overriding impression of the new Santa Fe was certainly its low noise levels (NVH, engine, suspension and wind) at all speeds. The Europeans certainly know a thing or two about building diesel-powered cars and SUVs that are impressively quite, but with the Santa Fe, Hyundai has matched them.
Around town the Santa Fe was very pleasant – nicely weighted power steering and the rear view camera made parking a breeze. First time SUV buyers need not be intimated by this one.
Over our mountain roads high-speed test route, the 2.2-litre turbo-diesel proved to be a handy performer and the ratios of the six-speed automatic were nicely spaced. ESP Stability Control with Traction Control is standard and we did give it a test in some tight corners – cut-in was not overly intrusive.
For those who tow, the Santa Fe has a capacity of 2,000kgs – competitive with most rivals.
Challenges
While the Santa Fe was easy to drive around town, we would have liked a bit more feel from the power steering when tackling our high-speed mountain roads test route. The European SUVs still have a bit of an edge in the driving dynamics department, however the Santa Fe is competitive with its rivals from Japan and Korea – in fact it’s a lot more dynamic than some better-selling names.
Verdict
Santa Fe starts at $37,990 for the SLX model ($48,490 for the Highlander we tested). It’s not the least expensive vehicle in the segment, but you really must compare specification levels closely as this Hyundai is very well kitted.
The 2.2-litre turbo-diesel is a beauty, providing the Santa Fe with refinement levels that will surprise.
The Competition
Really boils down to your priority for seven seats and your styling tastes.
Toyota dominates sales for mid-size SUVs, but the Kluger doesn’t have a diesel option and the Prado is priced beyond the Santa Fe.
We’re big fans of the new Kia Sorento – drives well, nicely equipped and very handsomely styled.
Holden’s Captiva also comes from Korea, looks nice and is well equipped, but its 2.0-litre diesel is a long way short of the Santa Fe for performance.
Likes:
Great diesel, high equipment levels, now looks the part
Dislike
Steering a bit disconnected at speed
