If you want flash SUV style, saloon-like luxury and 4x4 practicality – something like the
Hyundai Santa Fe might be right up your street. But just because it marries all of these qualities
together, don’t be fooled into thinking models like this are niche – the Santa Fe
is by no means short of competition, with rivalling models from BMW and VW as well as
neighbouring brand Kia with its Sorento. When it comes to the interior I want to start
with my favourite feature; the infotainment system – because not only does it offer
oodles of useful kit, like Bluetooth and DAB radio, but the system itself is just incredibly
responsive – so much so that you can zoom all the way in and out on the sat-nav and
you don’t get dreadful lag. Other tech-savvy features of this flagship
Premium SE model include a long list of safety and convenience kit, like lane departure warning,
heated and cooled front seats, an autonomous parking feature and a bird’s eye view camera
to help with parking. You can even manipulate individual cameras on either side of the car
for added peace of mind. Materials in the cabin are half and half,
being a mix of both good quality soft touch materials and robust plastics, which to be
honest, for a family car of this size is probably what you want. There’s also a proper sized
glovebox, hooray for that, a button layout that doesn’t take too long getting used
to, and a very comfortable driving position, with a convenient arm rest on the door.
…And that arm rest from the front is here in the back as well, which makes it very easy
to get comfy, combine that with its easy to operate reclining seat feature, funky cup
holders and an all-round spacious feel and you have one of the best rears in class.
And looking at the amount of space back here, you may not have guessed that it’s got another
two seats behind it. Now, these seats are optional and intended for children, but they
are quite flexible in terms of seating positions, so you should be able to squeeze in two relatively
small adults. Going for the seven seat option will shrink
the boot size a bit though, but you’ll still get over 500 litres, which is on par with
rivals, but not as roomy as the Sorento. Still, you get a handy loading bed when you fold
the seats down and over 1,600 litres of storage space.
The best thing about the six-speed automatic is that it doesn’t have the usual nuisances
associated with an auto. For example, you can move off smoothly, it’s easy to cruise
at low speeds and the brakes aren’t too grabby. And if you did need a bit of oomph
then its 197bhp 2.2-litre diesel will happily oblige – with a benchmark sprint of under
10 seconds. As well as a smooth automatic gearbox, other
features that help create a sense of luxury include a competent suspension that slurps
up bumps with ease and impressive road and wind insulation. The diesel itself is pretty
quiet as well, especially when sitting in traffic.
One of the big questions with big SUVs is whether they are fun to drive. Well, usually
I’m not a fan of variable weighting with steering as it’s very hard to get right,
but the Santa Fe manages to offer lighter steering when it comes to minor manoeuvres
around town, but then at around a three-quarter turn the steering weights up and yet feedback
is strong. So, you actually get the ‘best of both worlds’, sort of. Certainly beats
the experience of the Sport mode offered in other Hyundai models.
All this aside though, if you are after efficiency and low running costs, then the Santa Fe – or
any large 4x4 for that matter - is not the best way to go, as it emits 177g/km and realistically
you’ll probably get around 30mpg, less than it claimed 42mpg.
To really make the most of the Santa Fe, you’ll want to go for one of the higher trims, with
the auto’ box and maybe even the seven seats. If that’s the case then you’re looking
at upwards of £35,000. But let’s put that in perspective. The Santa
Fe is in the same segment as the Volkswagen Touareg and BMW X5, two models that start
from around £45,000. So the Santa Fe is better thought of as a cheaper alternative to the
uber luxurious 4x4s out there. But is it better than the Kia Sorento? Well, the main distinguishing
factors are going to be the Hyundai’s style and the fact that Kia offers a slightly better
warranty and bigger boot. If you ask me, I think the Sorento has just got the edge overall,
but they are both still great SUV’s. But what do you think? Let us know in the
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