The very well established Hyundai Santa Fe sport utility vehicle (SUV) has been elevated to new heights with this latest and all-new model. From its more humble beginnings, this is now a fine quality premium car with, perhaps, just a touch of Range Rover about it, dare we say. It’s looks great. By maintaining that crucial balance between style and dimensions, the model speaks to a harmonious blend of prestige aesthetics mixed with superb practicality, eminently suitable for a family SUV.
On The Outside
Overall, the Santa Fe’s design can be described as refined and solid, characterised by its substantial proportions. The exterior exudes a unique solidity. The model boasts a larger cabin thanks to its longer wheelbase and wider tailgate space (with a smart power lift as standard).
The bold front exudes a commanding presence. The H-shaped design elements blend to create visual modernity, exemplified by the chrome radiator grill pattern and a horizontal layout that projects a wide and stable image. The high bonnet (hood) and sharp bumpers (fenders) underscore the car’s presence. The LED headlight present a sleek and unified line. The hybrid-electric variant offers a dual sunroof as standard (optional on other versions) which adds an extra layer of luxury.
The side profile combines a clean and powerful sense of volume with solid body proportions, resulting in a unique and sleek side style. Redefined by spacious elements, such as extended overall length, increased width, longer wheelbase, and shortened front overhang, the Santa Fe’s unique style is further enhanced by a roof line and belt line that harmoniously complement the car’s powerful body volume, creating a simple yet solid image. The robust wheel arches and fine 18 or 20 inch alloy wheel design contribute to an overall sophisticated, yet tough, appearance. The inclusion of a bridge-type roof rack enhances this solid impression, complemented by optimised aerodynamic outside mirror shapes that deliver a perfect blend of strength and elegance.
At the back, the design blends understated aesthetics with solid style, crafted to complement the extended tailgate. The clean and refined rear profile emphasises the car’s subtle good looks, contrasting with the front and side elements. The unique lighting signature is extended to the rear, featuring the same concept as the front, contributing to a distinctive and future-oriented lighting signature.
The clean exterior design is further accentuated by the hidden-type rear wiper, discreetly tucked away when not in use, maintaining that sleek appearance. The rear bumper integrates turn signals and backup lamps, presenting a refined image of sophistication. Overall, this car exudes a truly premium feel making ordinary mainstream SUV’s look pale in comparison.
On The Inside
The interior blends innovation and comfort within its spacious passenger cabin. Designed with attention to detail, the model prioritises passenger convenience by offering a multitude of storage options and amenities across its interior including full connectivity and the latest technology for safety and infotainment.
From the first to the third-row seats (depending upon which variant is chosen), passengers are treated to a thoughtfully crafted environment, providing a very comfortable balance between style and functionality. With, as mentioned, multiple storage spaces and convenience features strategically integrated, the Hyundai Santa Fe ensures a comfortable and user-friendly journey for all occupants, setting a new standard for interior excellence on the way.
A dual panoramic curved display features, integrating a 12.3 inch cluster and a 12.3 inch navigation screen, offering exceptional ease of operation, while the 6.6 inch climate control brings various climate functions to the forefront through a large touchscreen with animation effects. The electronic shift lever, now mounted on the steering column, an unusual and strangely effective throw-back from times gone by, ensures intuitive and rapid shifting operations while driving. Enhancing convenience, the bi-directional multi-console facilitates shared storage space even in the second-row seats, featuring a detachable tray and a sliding tray for maximum space utilisation.
There’s dual wireless smartphone charging pad, equipped with a built-in cooling fan to prevent overheating, allowing the simultaneous charging of two smartphones. Additionally, the centre console cup holders accommodate large-capacity cups, completing the drive space with thoughtful details that prioritise both style and functionality.
Available in five-seater, six-seater, and seven-seater arrangements, occupants will experience unparalleled comfort with the Santa Fe’s redesigned seat system. Crafted with a focus on ergonomics, the seat system caters to the highest levels of passenger comfort. The ‘Integrated Memory Seat’ (IMS) feature takes customisation to the next level, memorising and recalling individual seat positioning settings for each driver, including sliding, reclining, and leg rest adjustments. The first-row relaxation comfort seat with an integrated leg rest ensures optimal resting posture by optimising a weightless position and body pressure distribution, doubling the comfort level.
In the six-seater model, powered and independent second-row seats offer a luxurious and spacious cabin environment with individual reclining capabilities. The one-touch relaxation mode introduces a cushion tilting function to the fold and dive seats, promoting a more comfortable posture while ensuring easy access to luggage. Convenience is at its peak with the second-row seat remote folding, providing easy access to cargo space. Meanwhile, the third-row seat’s adjustable reclining feature ensures comfortable seating posture, and the inclusion of ISOFIX adds an extra layer of convenience and safety, ensuring a secure fastening for child car seats.
On The Road
Driving safety features are numerous and include among others the ‘Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist 2’, which not only warns of potential collisions but also automatically assists with braking. The system incorporates ‘Driver Steering Assist’, ‘Auto Evasive Steering Assist’ and ‘Evasive Steering Assist’ to manage various scenarios, such as junction turning and crossing, ‘Lane-Change Oncoming’, ‘Direct Oncoming’, and ‘Lane-Change Side’. The ‘Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist’ automatically engages braking when the risk of a collision with vehicles in the blind spot is detected during lane changes or forward driving.
This latest Santa Fe blends comfort and stability for an unparalleled driving experience. The chassis performance is finely tuned to provide a comfortable yet stable ride, ensuring a premium feel for families on the go. One of the standout features contributing to this performance is the application of ‘Frequency Sensitive Control’ dampers, improving ride comfort while keeping body control at a higher level.
The front bump stopper plays a crucial role in improving pitching characteristics on bumps and rough roads, as well as enhancing handling performance by increasing its length to allow for more body control and prevent abrupt reactions in the case of long wheel travel events, for example, speed bumps. The commitment to ride comfort by this popular Korean brand continues with the implementation of hydro bushes at the front and rear subframes. These bushes effectively reduce road noise and improve overall ride comfort.
The Power
The Santa Fe is available in two powerful engine options, each designed to cater to different preferences and driving needs.
The 1.6 Turbo Hybrid variant boasts a maximum engine output of 212 bhp (215 PS) and 367 Nm of torque. With this power-train, the Santa Fe can accelerate from 0-60mph (100 km/h) in just 9.6 seconds; not bad for a large vehicle. The alternative is a 1.6 Turbo Plug-in Hybrid model offers a maximum engine output of 249 bhp (253 PS) and the same amount of torque as the hybrid variant, accelerating to 60 (100kph) in an impressive 9.3 seconds.
Hyundai’s commitment to hybrid technology is evident in the Santa Fe’s advanced features. The Hybrid Starter Generator incorporates a new cooling design and a high-efficiency permanent magnet to enhance overall performance. The Traction Motor is designed to maximise efficiency and performance, ensuring a smooth driving experience. Furthermore, this car introduces ‘Regenerative Braking with Paddle’, allowing drivers in ECO or SMART mode to adjust regenerative braking in three steps through the paddle shift. The ‘Regenerative Stability Control’ function ensures regenerative braking is maintained even in low-friction sections with wheel slip. This terrific SUV will offer an exceptional driving experience for this type of big family car and drivers seeking performance, efficiency and eco-conscious design won’t be disappointed. Ask us about current stock and find out how MHH International’s straightforward and comprehensive service provides an export service from the UK to global destinations, notably Kenya, Ireland and New Zealand.
