Hyundai Santa Fe review (16/01/2013)
For each and every one of these, the Korean machine provided exactly what they needed in terms of practicality, value for money and economy. It has to be admitted too that latterly Hyundai’s five year warranty has also played a big part in its popularity.
In many ways the Santa Fe represented an all-things-to-all-men buying experience without having to delve into the premium end of the market. And, by and large, it also represented a decent residual prospect as well, fetching good second-hand prices no matter how hard working it had been in any previous life.
Although the first generation version, which we first saw back in 2000, could be criticised for having staid looks and little off-road ability, it nevertheless worked its way into the consciousness of several generations of Irish buyers. The second generation was a much more appealing looker, although still no match for anything with serious all-terrain capabilities.
And now it has gestated into a third generation and once more Hyundai has upped the ante on the looks front, making the new machine as much of a head-turner as the rest of the company’s range. This time around, though, they have given the car much more of a 4x4 demeanour and although the single front-drive version will still be the sales mainstay, the three all-wheel drive versions are now expected to take up a larger percentage of sales.
Priced from under 40,000 here in Ireland and absolutely packed with the sort of specification it would cost a fortune to install in anything made by a German company, the new Santa Fe is intended to expand and enlarge its customer base. Wisely, it has to be said, the Irish distributor has focussed on the long wheelbase version which gives us a full seven seat car and all four available models here in Ireland will come in this specification.
So, for all the improvements, has the Santa Fe retained the sort of essential characteristics which have made the vehicle such a winner with the buying public?
Well, on the evidence I witnessed during my week with the car, the answer has to be a resounding “yes”.
While the Korean manufacturer has raised the bar in so many ways with its SUV, it has also been very sensible in not losing the run of themselves and trying to make the thing into something it is not.
It might very well have bright new clothes and a host of extra standard kit, but it still remains true to itself as the ownership experience will essentially be painless (although Hyundai’s performance in JD Power surveys in recent year has not exactly been stellar) thanks largely to a bulletproof engine and running gear. People are also offered plentiful amounts of peace of mind thanks to that five year warranty.
There is only one engine choice on offer here and that is the 198 bhp 2.2 litre CRDi four pot turbo diesel engine which is a lusty enough driving companion. Keep it in its sweet-spot between about 2,000 and 3,500 rpm and not only will it deliver decent wedges of power, but it will do so without demur. The near 50 mpg economy level is fairly eye-catching too, although the automatic version is not nearly as efficient in this regard.
The thing about this machine is that it does everything very easily — and that means it copes with everything from shopping trips to towing sizeable trailers around the place — and that makes it more of an all-rounder. It has an across-the-board appeal for both family and other purposes which is hard to knock. The standard six speed gearbox is light and easy to use and again that reflects the sort of driver-friendliness which so many other SUVs lack.
On the road it does roll a bit more than I personally would like, but the reality for most drivers is that the Santa Fe will be a perfectly acceptable form of transport.
Generally, be it over smooth motorway or patchy B-road surfaces, it holds its own well and it truly is very hard to pick holes in its on-road performance. Wherever you want it to go, it goes and the standard on-demand 4x4 system on the Executive model we tried works seamlessly.
Interior space is excellent and the inherent practicality of the Santa Fe — that thing which made it so popular in the first place — immediately stand out. It is simply a car which is very easy to live with, very easy to drive and is without doubt one of the most practical in its class.
It might not be the first choice of those with brand snobbery problems, but it will be the first choice of many who are a lot smarter than those caught up with that sort of ridiculous silliness.
