SANTA FE SURGES FORWARD
Hyundai’s redesigned crossover roomier while boasting improved style and functionality
Hyundai now has two versions of the Santa Fe — the smaller, five-seat Sport and the larger, seven-seat XL — but the introduction of the fourth-generation Santa Fe will change things radically. It uses the Kia Sorento’s platform and its 2,765-millimetre wheelbase, which is up 65 from the Sport, and it will also be offered in both five- and seven-seat derivatives.
For now, the current Santa Fe XL will soldier on as a three-row ride, but will make way for a new crossover in 2019.
The new Santa Fe marks a big shift in style and functionality. When it’s launched later this year, the Santa Fe will be offered with five seats and two engines. In early 2019, the three-row model will be added.
One problem with the current Sport model is rearward visibility. To solve this, the new model has 41 per cent larger rear-quarter windows. The size increase not only improves visibility, it will open up the third row and give it an airier feel. The five-seater boasts lots of cargo space; the volume is up by 33 litres, to 1,036, which is larger than the Ford Edge and its 927 L, and it’s accessed through a power liftgate. Up front, the rework adds quality materials, an attractive twotone finish with leather-wrapped parts of the instrument panel, and lots of functionality at the driver’s disposal. The instrumentation is clean and offers different looks; choosing Eco, Comfort or Sport allows the driver to pick the information displayed in the centre screen, including how the all-wheel-drive system is divvying up the power.
To the right is the infotainment screen; the tester featured the top-of-the-line eight-inch touch screen with Apple CarPlay and a good navigation system. New is an available head-up display that includes the usual info, plus directions when a destination is set in the navigation system. It proved invaluable when negotiating the hustle and bustle of downtown Seoul. Naturally, the new Santa Fe will be offered with all the desirable safety equipment. Along with blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning with keep assist and automatic high beams, comes forward-collision assist with automatic braking and a system that monitors the driver for the first signs of drowsy driving. When the crossover is parked, there are two other safety systems: if a car or cyclist approaches from the rear, the Santa Fe will warn and can lock the doors to prevent them from being opened into the car or cyclist. It also scans the rear seats to make sure there are no children left in the car.
The Santa Fe’s basic engines remain pretty much unchanged. The starting point is a 2.4-L four-cylinder, pushing out 185 horsepower and 178 poundfeet of torque to all four wheels through a new eight-speed automatic transmission. Next up is the 2.0-L turbo-four with 235 hp — down by five
— and 260 lb-ft of torque, paired to the same eight-speed automatic and all-wheel-drive system. The intriguing engine is the 2.2-L turbodiesel that will power the three-row model arriving in 2019, making 197 hp and a healthy 322 lb-ft of torque. The Santa Fe tested featured the smaller 2.0-L turbodiesel fourcylinder that will be offered in other parts of the world, but not Canada. It pushed 182 hp and 293 lb-ft of torque.
On the drive route, it proved to be a willing motivator that remained quiet, even when worked at the top end of the powerband, and it worked well with the new eight-speed automatic. There was the slightest hint of turbo lag off the line, but once moving, the Santa Fe pulled nicely through the mid-range and on up to speed. The unspoken plus was the average fuel economy generated over the test route: 7.4 L/100 kilometres.
That, given the take-no-prisoners tone of the drive and the fact the new Santa Fe is a substantial piece, came as a very pleasant surprise. The larger 2.2-L turbodiesel, which we sampled in a Kia Sorento, pulls strongly from the get-go and maintains its early work ethic through the midrange and on to serious highway speeds. It also returns a run from rest to 100 km/ h of 9.4 seconds, more than a second faster than the base 2.4-L gas engine, and it has better economy. It was also quiet.
All of this should hold true when the three-row 2019 Santa Fe arrives with the same engine. The power reaches the road through Hyundai’s HTRAC allwheel-drive system.
It’s a good system, changing its operating strategy according to the drive mode selected. Ride quality is very good without impinging on the handling characteristics.
Large road imperfections were dealt with in stride, yet a fast corner saw the amount of roll limited to a few degrees. This and the all-wheel-drive system made the Santa Fe feel more substantial, with better on-road comportment and sharper responses than the current Sport model.
The fourth-generation Santa Fe takes some large steps forward in all key areas. It has more space, better functionality, a choice of powertrains and the right driving dynamics.