NEW CAR BUYER | 73T
he Hyundai Santa Fe features
seven seats in all models.
The lineup opens with the
all-wheel-drive 138kW 2.4-litre
petrol/six-speed automatic
Active, at $43,000.
The 147kW 2.2-litre turbodiesel/
eight-speed automatic/all-wheel
drive Active is $46,000.
Elite 2.2 turbodiesel automatic is
$54,000 and Highlander is $60,500.
The 2.2 turbodiesel produces
hefty outputs for its size,
especially its impressive 440Nm
of torque from 1750–2750rpm.
The same engine is also used
in the Santa Fe’s twin under the
skin, the Kia Sorento. Its numbers
are superior to any Japanese
rival, including Toyota’s 2.8-litre
turbodiesel in the LandCruiser,
Prado and Fortuner.
The Hyundai pulls easily from
low revs, is exceptionally smooth
and strong in the midrange and
pulls hard across the top end to
well past 4500rpm.
Eco, Comfort, Sport and
Smart (adaptive) drivetrain
modes can be selected, and auto
stop/start is fi tted.
The eight-speed automatic
is a seamless fi t with the
engine, and shifts are quick
and smooth. It can shuffl e
between seventh and eighth at
100km/h, though, especially on
hills, where cruise control won’t
accurately hold a set speed.
Santa Fe packs some
sophisticated chassis
technology, including an all-
wheel drive system that varies
the torque split according to
drive mode and traction..
Dynamics are much improved
thanks to a stiffer body on this
model, plus local suspension
tuning that’s fi rmer than
previous models. Santa Fe is
controlled, secure and well-
balanced at highway speeds and
on poor road surfaces. The ride
is comfortable and compliant.
Santa Fe’s cabin is bright,
open, spacious and nicely
fi nished in quality plastics.
Infotainment includes
Apple CarPlay and Android
Auto compatibility across therange. Elite and Highlander
have navigation and a larger
touchscreen.
A-grade safety tech is standard
across the Santa Fe range.
Hyundai’s Smart Sense
safety system includes radar/
camera cruise, forward collision
warning, automatic emergency
braking, automatic traffi c
crawling, blind spot detection,
lane change assist and rear
cross-traffi c alert. Automatic
reverse and parallel parking are
also standard on Highlander.
The middle row is wide enough
for three, split 60/40 and has
plenty of legroom.
Two individual row-three
seats are easily raised into
position, but rear-seat access
is diffi cult.
A new one touch mechanism
makes the kerbside row two
seat easy to fold, but the
resulting gap for access into the
rear seats is very narrow.
In fi ve-seat mode the fl oor is
long, low and easy to load.A full-size spare on an alloy
wheel is included.
The Santa Fe 2.2 turbodiesel
is one of the best seven-seater
SUVs on the market. Compare
with the Skoda Kodiaq, Mazda’s
CX-8/CX-9, the Kia Sorento and
VW’s Tiguan Allspace.THINGS WE LIKE
The 2.2 turbodiesel is one of the
best engines in this class
A grade safety across the range
Loaded with equipment
Excellent quality
Long warranty and high resale
values
THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT LIKE
Diffi cult access to the back seats
No stand alone voice controlSPEX (Elite auto)
Made in South Korea
2.2-litre four-cylinder
turbodiesel/eight-speed
automatic/all-wheel drive
147kW of power at 3800rpm/440Nm
of torque from 1800–2500rpm
0–100km/h N/A
Warranty: Five years/unlimited
kilometres
6.2L/100km highway; 9.9L/100km
city. CO 2 emissions are 198g/km.
Fuel tank: 71 litres
Max towing weight: 2000kg
Standard: Stability control,
six airbags, autonomous
emergency braking, blind spot
monitoring, rear cross traffi c alert,
adaptive cruise control,18-inch
alloys, Apple CarPlay, Android
Auto, navigation, leather, dual zone
air, rear window sunblinds, rear
camera, power tailgate
Redbook future values: 3yr: 58%;
5yr: 43%Safety
ANCAP
PerformanceHandlingQuality and reliabilityComfort and refi nementValue for money
Overall
STARS
HYUNDAI SANTA FE FROM $43,000
compare with ...
Kia Sorento, Mazda CX-8/CX-9,
Nissan Pathfi nder, Skoda KodiaqS