Santa Fe hitting all the high notes
SUV: Hyundai offers solid combination of high quality and luxury features at affordable prices
Boy, do I feel silly for arriving so late to the Santa Fe party. More common than migrating geese in October, Hyundai’s Santa Fe has, more or less, flown completely under my automotive radar for a long time. But having been updated for 2017, and having just spent six days with the 2.4-L SE AWD trim, it’s easy to see why so many are clinking glasses over this mid-size SUV.
First is the build quality, which domestic automakers might do well to heed. Fit-and-finish isn’t quite Audi or Lexus-like, but it’s not far behind, with nary a squeak, rattle, ticking noise or poor-fitting trim bit discovered during the week I actively monitored the cabin for some sense of poor workmanship. Even the floor mats were of higher quality than anything else on the market south of $100,000.
The seats never felt uncomfortable and their heat was prodigious. The steering wheel was wrapped in proper top-grain leather, backed with heat and adorned with simple controls. The rear seats are also heated on the SE trim, which is probably the best value in the Santa Fe set, with a sticker price of $34,899.
That price includes automatic allwheel drive and Hyundai’s drive mode selector that adjusts throttle and transmission responses for sportier or “Eco” driving, whatever that might be. At this price, items such as panoramic roof, blind spot detection with cross-traffic alert, heated leather seats, fog lamps, rearview camera and that lovely heated steering wheel would be optional, costly extras with most other automakers. Not so with the SE Sport.
That means, of course, your Santa Fe doesn’t come with an 8.0-inch touch screen infotainment system, a 12-speaker Infinity sound system or push-button ignition. You need to step up to the 2.4 Luxury at $37,899 for that.
But really, there’s no need. The 5.0inch screen on the SE is easy to live with when your navigation comes from your phone anyway. Using a key is no less taxing than pushing a button to start the engine, and the six-speaker audio is laudable for the sound it creates. For under $35K, the SE is more SUV for the money than you would expect, enough to satisfy even those who savour all the bells and whistles.
Instrumentation and layout is clear and business-like, perhaps bordering on plain. Most controls are activated by a button or knob, all of which work on the first try, and they’re decently illuminated in blue or white at night. The only thing that seemed odd was the enormous knob to control fan speed.
This, and the fact the white gear selector light is overly bright at night, are the only things about the Santa Fe Sport I can honestly bicker about.
Back seat room is decent, the cargo space has a nifty underfloor storage area, the panoramic roof let in whatever was left of the late fall sun and the space didn’t feel confined at all. Everything is easy and effortless to operate. Impressed? Hell, yes.
Fuel economy was admirable, hitting a low of 7.9 L/100 km on a flat stretch of 100 km/h highway cruising. City consumption hovered just above the 11.0-L mark. So if you’re thinking of going with something smaller to save money on fuel, or not choosing AWD, you’d be foolish to forego the Santa Fe and all the extra space and capability it affords.
Obviously, such fuel economy comes at the expense of performance. The Santa Fe’s 2.4-L direct-injection four cylinder delivering only 185 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque. While that pales next to the SE Turbo, which returns a robust 240 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque from its 2.0-L four-cylinder, the base 2.4-L gas engine isn’t inadequate.
More important, the AWD system can lock the centre differential to split the torque evenly between the front and rear wheels, which is ideal for deep snow. Active Cornering Control, part of the stability-management system, helps traction and cornering by braking an inside rear wheel when accelerating through a turn.
Around town acceleration is decent, and most passing situations don’t end up scary because the six-speed automatic makes short and efficient work of its tasks, shifting cleanly and with purpose at all times.
A manual mode brings more control. Besides, going turbo raises the cost of the SE to $37,299 and will require more fill ups.
While the turbo will be more entertaining, the 2.4 is pleasantly suitable for everyday driving. Even the wheeze and vibration that normally comes with a four cylinder have been tamed, thanks in part to hydraulic engine mounts. Road and wind noise are contained, too.
Handling and braking is respectable.
The Santa Fe has come a long way since its introduction in 2000. While the third generation brings design tweaks that include LED running lights, new headlights and tail lights, as well as other trim and mechanical revisions, the real bonus is the level of quality combined with luxury features not normally found in this price range.