SUV improves in all key areas
Big steps to stay top contender in a hot segment
Through four generations, it has been a strong contender in the hot crossover market — and now, for 2019, the Hyundai Santa Fe has been completely reworked. The introduction is set to change the lineup significantly.
The next-gen Santa Fe shares its platform with the Kia Sorento and its 2,765-millimetre wheelbase, which is up 65 from outgoing Sport model. This brings more room and better driving characteristics. Down the road, the new model will be offered as a sevenseat version, but for now the Santa Fe XL soldiers on as a three-row ride for 2019, until the flagship Palisade rolls out next year as a 2020 model.
At first blush, the Santa Fe’s reworked exterior has an unusual look. What appear to be the headlights are, in fact, the daytime running lights; the headlights sit lower and look more like oversized fog lights. The issue is that when the lights are mounted so low, they’re prone to collecting debris and both required a wipe after the first dalliance with snow. That aside, the Santa Fe is a good looker. Yes, it’s still a two-box design, but it does have a more modern look than many of its peers.
Beneath the brightwork, there is a better set of mechanicals — well, for the most part, anyway. The Santa Fe’s engines remain pretty much unchanged. The starting point is a 2.4-litre four-cylinder that pushes 185 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque through a new eightspeed automatic transmission, to either the front or all four wheels.
The better choice, however, is the 2.0-L turbocharged four-cylinder. It fires a healthy 235 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque through the same slick-shifting eightspeed automatic transmission and a decent all-wheeldrive system.
Hyundai’s HTRAC system changes its operating strategy, according to the drive mode selected. In Comfort mode, it’s pretty much a front-driver for fuel economy reasons. The best mode is Sport; under normal driving, it splits the power 63 front/37 rear, but can send up to 50 per cent of the power rearward when needed, giving the Santa Fe a sportier feel when pushed. Smart mode picks the best split according to the conditions and sensor input. It’s a little too conservative when it comes to being aggressive, though.
The powertrain combinations bring vastly different levels of performance. It takes the base engine 10 seconds to get the Santa Fe to 100 km/h, which is not going to make your pulse quicken. The turbo-four gets the riders to the same speed in 7.8 seconds. The difference is larger than it appears on paper because the base engine begins to struggle in the upper mid-range, while the turbo is paying its biggest dividend. The penalty for the better performance is extra fuel economy; just about an additional one litre per every 100 km driven. That said, the one thing both engines have in common is so-so fuel economy.
The Santa Fe’s ride quality is very good, without impinging on the handling characteristics. Large road imperfections are dealt with in stride, yet a fast run down a looping on-ramp saw the amount of roll limited to a few degrees. Steering feel was crisp, and when in Sport mode, the all-wheel drive gave the Santa Fe a substantial feel. No, this isn’t a sports car, but it does have noticeably better on-road comportment and sharper responses than the outgoing Santa Fe.
Inside, the rework puts quality materials and lots of functionality at the driver’s disposal. The instrumentation is clean and customizable to a degree, while the eight-inch infotainment touch screen — the lesser models get a seven-inch display — gives easy access to Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and on this particular tester, a solid GPS navigation system. The days of dull are finally fading, at least when it comes to Hyundai’s interior design and execution.
Of course, there is the right sort of utility. This five-seat version has enough rear-seat space to accommodate two adults in comfort, and a third person should the need arise. It also has plenty of room for luggage: Cargo capacity measures 1,016 L with the seats upright and 2,019 with them folded flat. The area is accessed through a power liftgate, but the real plus is the privacy cover, which has its home spot beneath the trunk floor, so it can be stowed onboard when not needed, rather than being left in the garage to collect dust.
One of the better moves is found in the allotment of safety equipment. Forwardcollision alert with automatic braking, blind-spot monitoring with rear crosstraffic alert, adaptive cruise control, automatic highbeams and a drowsy-driver detector are standard on all models, save for the base. Many other manufacturers might be wise to follow suit.
The latest Hyundai Santa Fe takes some big steps forward in all key areas. It has more space, better functionality, a solid turbocharged engine and decent driving dynamics. The sum of the improvements means it will be a top contender in a hotly contested segment.