By Ian Strachan.
Hyundai’s Santa Fe has become one of the most head-turning off-roaders on the market. Last year’s restyle gave the Santa Fe a striking, distinctly upmarket look. It’s now a match for more traditional large SUVs for a fraction of the price.
This capable SUV was always a good looker. But now its angular re-style makes it one of the best looking large SUVs on the market, including the much more expensive Range Rover and Discovery. AND you get six seats which can comfortably seat six grown-ups and a clever H motif in the headlights and tail lights.
Hybrid technology enhances the Santa Fe’s green credentials and gives added economy and range. The 1.6 petrol engine married to a smooth six-speed automatic gearbox is a great combination. I test drove the Santa Fe in Calligraphy spec with two wheel drive and a hybrid set up which gives you a 0-60 mph time of less than nine seconds. My test car came in an authoritative Abyss Black.(£750 extra).
The impressively large Santa Fe is Hyundai’s biggest offering by some margin, and it is certainly a cut above compared to earlier versions. This is no longer the low-cost option of SUVs, but it has all the refinement, practicality and style of its European competitors.
The Santa Fe is wider and longer than most offerings in the sector, with capacious load space and great towing capability. With the extra seats it’s an obvious choice for families. With the third row of seats folded flat you get an enormous 628 litres of luggage space.
As you’d expect from a Korean-made vehicle, levels of equipment are very high. Even the lowest spec Santa Fe comes with a comprehensive specification.
The Santa Fe Calligraphy comes with a 239 horsepower 1.6 direct injection engine assisted by an electric motor. The power plant has both guts and refinement.
The six-speed automatic transmission is smooth and stepless. You get a stable and sure footed ride.
The Santa Fe certainly looks the part, with a muscular front end with a huge grille. Inside, the Santa Fe feels as big as it looks, with a comfortable, commanding driving position and excellent all-round visibility. There is plenty of stowage space around the cabin with a large central cubby box accessible from the front and second row of seats. A central 12.3-inch touchscreen controls most of the car’s functions with a lower screen for most heating and ventilation controls.
Safety is a high priority for this vehicle, and it rates highly in the Euro NCAP crash impact tests. Blind spot camera monitor and collision avoidance assist, driver attention alert, lane keeping assist and forward collision assist are all there to keep driver and passengers safe. It also has parking collision avoidance technology and remote park assist to help safe manoeuvring, and a driver status monitor.
Equipment levels on this specification are high. You get 20 inch black alloy wheels, electric heated or ventilated front seats, dual zone climate control, smart adaptive cruise control, heated steering wheel, Bluetooth connectivity with voice recognition, rear privacy glass,, head up display, drive mode selector, surround view monitor, powered tailgate and roof rails.
You also get heated 60-40 split rear seats, automatic headlights and wipers, front fog lights, front and rear parking sensors with rear camera,, a Bose premium audio system and satellite navigation.
One of the biggest selling points of this vehicle for me is Hyundai’s five year unlimited mileage warranty with five-year annual health checks. The day will surely come when all manufacturers will have to offer a headache-free warranty like this just to stay competitive.
The Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy 1.6T Hybrid six-seater comes in at £56,090 on the road. No longer a cheap option but still less expensive than most of its equivalent European competitors, plus it’s a great looker.
