The first Hyundai Santa Fe was presented back in 2000, and despite the fact that it looked a tad weird, it was one of the first affordable SUV's.
Also, it was one of the first Hyundai's people didn't mind to be seen in. Becasue of that, it was quite a popular car. The second generation...
was even more popular, partly because it was available as a seven-seater. Today however, things aren't positive for the Santa Fe.
This fourth-gen Santa Fe was presented in 2018, but chances you've seen one driving around, are very slim.
Not a strange thing, because the only engine available from the start was a 2.2-litre diesel producing 200 horsepower.
Also, it started at €60.000. This four-wheel drive top-of-the-range version with automatic gearbox, will set you back €73.000.
€24.000 of which being additional taxes.
Over €70.000 really is a lot of money for a regular brand like Hyundai, but you do get a lot of car for your money.
And it feels like that as well, the moment you drive off. When you look at the measurements, it's more of a BMW X3 than an X5, to name a few.
However, it feels much more like an X5 on the inside. You're much higher up than the other road users and other crossovers like the...
Toyota C-HR or a Hyundai Kona. That gives you a feeling you're driving quite the substantial car. Just the feeling you want from such a big SUV.
You kind of feel invincible. The drive truly suits that feeling. It's a very comfortable, even though that won't sound as a surprise.
It's too heavy to be dynamic, but it doesn't have to be dynamic at all. That's not the reason you buy a Santa Fe.
It's a quiet, peaceful car which does its absolute best to make its inhabitants as comfortable as possible.
The drivetrain suits the car as well. There's only one engine available, like I already mentioned, which is the 200 horsepower diesel engine.
It produces enough power to make everything feel smooth. It's quick enough. Not fast, but quick enough indeed.
It's pretty quiet as well. You can hear it's a diesel, but it won't become annoying. It's always connected to an 8-speed automatic gearbox.
Only the entry level version comes with a manual gearbox, but I wouldn't get that if I were you. It's totally out of sync with the car.
Anyway, the automatic gearbox does what it needs to do in a very neat manner. Changing gears goes pretty much without notice.
Sure, it's not the fastest, but it doesn't have to be. In this case, the power is distributed across four wheels.
For most people, that won't be mandatory if you're not pulling horse boxes from mud everyday, but it's still a cool option.
Also, handy for your annual winter sports trip.
If you're in a wild mood, there's a Sport-mode, but I wouldn't recommend it. Next to Sport-mode you also have Comfort- and Eco-mode.
What I do like however, is the automatic mode, which Hyundai calls Smart-mode. If you select that, the car will adapt the drive-mode...
which is most suited for its current situation. So when I put my foot down, this red light switches on and you're in Sport-mode.
When I release the throttle again, it decides it can drive in Eco-mode too. So it'll go into Eco-mode. You'll never have to touch this button again.
And that's exactly what happens.
No legroom, legroom. The rear seat is very adjustable, and the same goes for your back rest. You can tilt it pretty far which is very comfortable.
A very comfortable car to take on your winter holiday with four adults. You get an arm rest, sun screens, heated seats back here...
In short, it's very good back here. The only thing you don't get is a separate climate control. On the other hand, you do get two vents...
and some sockets. Even a regular one, if you want to charge your laptop. If you're on the right, you can even move the seat in front...
of you by pushing these buttons. That'll give you the true limousine- with-a-driver-feeling.
No lack of comfort, so no lack of luxury in here. We've got electrically adjustable, heated and vented seats with seat extensions. Very important.
A heated steering wheel, comprehensive climate control, a head up display, an extensive audio system. You really get pampered in this version.
The same goes for the rest in the interior. It has good finishing, except for one little detail. This hard piece of plastic over here.
On top of the dashboard however, and everywhere around it, the used materials won't disappoint you.
At the same time however, the car doesn't distinguish itself as much from other Hyundai's. Even though you'd expect that from this price.
If you get an i30 or a Tucson with lots of trim, it'll be at around the same trim level. The same goes for the infotainment system.
It works well, it's quick, it's logical to operate, but it's the same as every other Hyundai or Kia. It's not even the newest version available,
because the newest Hyundai's come with a 10-inch screen. This is only an 8-inch screen. That's not a bad thing, but it's something worth noticing.
Then, a few Santa Fe-gimmicks. The pattern of the seats is the same as the fabric over the speakers, there's a compass in the rear view mirror,
for the real off-road feeling. Also, the roof fabric deserves an honorable mention, because I haven't seen anything as festive as this.
Normally, I'd mention the third seating row if it had one, but this particular Santa Fe doesn't hasn't got one. The Santa Fe is...
available as a 7-seater though, but the 5-seat configuration does grant you a very big boot.
The bootlid opens automatically if you keep standing behind it with the key. Behind the rear seat, you can fit 625 litres of luggage,
and if we fold down the seats with these buttons, it fits 1.695 litres of luggage. Very impressive, but not groundbreaking.
A car like the Skoda Kodiaq fits even more. A fun detail, because of the lack of seats, there's quite a lot of room for miscellaneous stuff.
The seven seater probably has this space as well, but it won't have this. This would be the place you'd tuck away the seats.
In there, you can fits lots of things now. On the outside, the Santa Fe doesn't take a lot of effort to hide the fact that it's big.
It's very impressive to look at, partly because of the nose with low headlights. Just like the old days, it's a Hyundai you want to be seen in.
If that's enough to rectify this price... I don't think so. With €70.000 this Santa Fe gets into range of the premium brands like BMW and...
Mercedes-Benz. If it can compete in that segment, you'll find out in the magazine, when we put it against the new Land Rover Discovery Sport.