Large SUV's may be rooted in off-roading, but these days they have become the default choice for any family that needs more than 5 people to ferry around. And, if it’s maximum space you’re after, the Hyundai Santa Fe is one of your best options.
This year, the Santa Fe is taller and stiffer to convince more buyers of its SUV qualities. It’s roughly three inches longer than the outgoing version, which is mostly a benefit to rear seat riders. The new body is squarer and aggressive, punctuated at the nose and tail with bolder features. Inside, the Santa Fe is more styled than the outgoing version—less “plain” and more “polish.”
Exterior
There's no denying that Hyundai created a pretty good-looking SUV. Riding on 17-inch alloy wheels, set with slim, sexy wheel arches, the slightly larger body of the redesigned Santa Fe now has appealing curves and sleek LED headlamps set beneath its sloping hood. The front grille is set low and juts out with bold attitude which gives the Santa Fe a really menacing and intimidating look. Especially if you see that large grille from your rear view mirror. My particular favourite is the 3D looking tail lamps, which I can't seem to get my eyes off them while driving behind the car.
Interior
Opening the large doors, a well-appointed and stylish interior greets you to hop in and feel the luxurious materials. While there is not a multitude of standard features, there is surely enough tech on board to keep the discerning buyer happy. The controls are intuitively laid out, you got 360 view cameras too which is fun to play with.
The seats I think are the best feature of this car. The contrast colour with quilted leather seats is just magnificent to be sat on, plus an 8-way power adjustment with 2 way lumbar controls keep you snugged in those amazing seats. The 8-inch infotainment screen is mounted high up on the dashboard, and it means you don’t need to divert your eyes far from the road to see it. The physical shortcut buttons that flank the display are useful, making it easy to switch between functions. You’ll also find the operating system user-friendly, although the screen can sometimes be a bit sluggish to respond when you play with it. Plus, AppleCarPlay and Android Auto are standard.
Engine
Powering the Santa Fe is a 2.2-liter R CRDi e-VGT. With 200 horsepower and 442 Nm of torque spinning the front wheels. You never get short on power. And with an eight-speed automatic transmission that will be choosing your gears for you, or opt to use the sport mode to shift. While shifts are smooth, they aren't eager, contributing to the Santa Fe's relatively laidback attitude to getting you around.
Drive
Unless you work in the forestry area, you will spend most of its time driving on tarmac, so on-road driving manners are clearly the priority here. The Santa Fe handles neatly enough. There is, unsurprisingly, quite a body roll through tight corners, but despite being a tall, heavy car it never lurches around in an uncontrolled fashion.
The only big disappointment is the steering, which is too heavy and feels very unnatural, and ride comfort; both things conspire to make positioning the car on the road more of a chore than it should be. Though the Santa Fe is by no means a potent or agile SUV, it is a capable driver with a structured profile. While the steering wheel does not concentrate well enough to inspire confidence at higher speeds, it receives some input from the wheels to give you a sense of what's going on below you. The brakes are a responsive, you can expect the Santa Fe to come to a halt quicker than your average midsize SUV.
Verdict These days, affordable SUVs are a hot commodity, so it's no easy feat to stand out in the market. Hyundai Santa Fe may be an attractive car but its subtle styling doesn't do much to recommend it at first glance. Also, the price. Starting at Php 2,158,000 for the "Mid Variant" and Php 2,538,000 for the top spec model, it is quite ridiculous. Nonetheless, as you look closer, the appeal of the mid-size SUV becomes evident.
In conjunction with an easy-to-use and up-to-date infotainment system, a robust protection kit that comes standard with advanced features that you often have to pay extra for provides prospective buyers with a enticing complete package. Add the large trunk and exemplary passenger space to this and it's not difficult to see why the Santa Fe scores so well with critics. It's true that many competitors offer better features, space, and cargo capacity, but few can claim to do all of that, and those that usually come with a much higher price tag. If you're searching for a well-balanced family SUV that can still make most heavier-duty shopping around the city or up and down the highway, then the Hyundai Santa Fe is worthy of your consideration.
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