Hyundai Santa Fe

Hyundai Santa Fe

After twenty-one years the Hyundai Santa Fe is now the Korean brand’s longest serving model: It’s also the biggest, being a full seven seat sport utility vehicle (SUV) that gets better with every new model release. The Santa Fe garners praise for its comfort and roominess, comprehensive standard features and family-sized cabin design.

The Exterior

The latest model is new for 2021 with a bold and distinctive design and, as would be expected, it is now a hybrid. The car may be big but the range is small but perfectly formed as it covers all the bases for economy and emissions.

The latest Santa Fe has a redesigned front end with a new cascading grille, T-shaped headlamps and a sculpted front bumper. Rear design changes include new connected tail lamps, full length lower reflector and a redesigned bumper. A large vehicle the profile is subtle with interesting detail around the wheel arches. As with most models, there’s a range of accessories, including roof rails and boxes, optionally.

The Interior

The dashboard has been redesigned with a standard 10.25” infotainment system and an optional (at worthwhile extra cost) 12.3” super-vision instrument cluster. Cabin space has been increased all around over the previous model and there is no longer a five-seat configuration available. For that, the previous model may suit, which still has plenty to offer. New car buyers who are interested in importing from the UK to Kenya or New Zealand may like the Luxury Pack which includes Nappa leather interior trim, suede headliner, brushed aluminium centre console accents and a faux-leather wrapped dashboard.

Dominating the road, the Santa Fe is easy to see out of. Forwards visibility is largely unrestricted and the view out at junctions and roundabouts is good by any standards. All that space means there are no issues getting comfortable behind the wheel thanks to plenty of steering wheel and seat adjustment. All versions come with adjustable lumbar support, and the driver's seat is fully electric, too, with a memory function; provided that is the buyer goes for the Ultimate trim level. Angled for the driver there are many buttons of different shapes and sizes which might take a while to get used to, but it is preferable to having all the important functions buried in the touchscreen menus. A little old school that many may well like.

There are two model levels; Premium which includes adaptive cruise control with stop/go function, smart key entry and start/stop button and a smart electric tailgate with hands free operation. Add to this, a rear parking system with rear camera and guidance system, a premium sound system with the usual apps and this model is good to go. Better yet is the flagship Ultimate version which adds, among other items, a surround view monitor parking system with parking collision avoidance assist, remote smart parking assist, and a heads-up display. It’s comprehensive.

Driving The Hyundai Santa Fe

The outgoing model featured a popular and modern 2.2 litre diesel engine mated to either a manual or automatic gearbox. The new car comes with Hyundai’s 1.6 litre T-GDi petrol engine combined with either a 226bhp (230PS) Hybrid or a 261bhp (265PS) Plug-in Hybrid option (with up to 36 miles on electric alone) with emissions of just 37g/km. A six-speed fully automatic gearbox is standard on all models with buyers able to choose between two-wheel drive or Hyundai’s HTRAC 4WD system, a highly regarded system that features intelligent torque distribution and 4-drive modes.

For such a big car handling is good. The Santa Fe has multiple off-road modes, but since it will likely spend most time on metalled roads it is largely set up for on-road driving manners. Unsurprisingly, some body lean is felt through tight turns, but despite being a tall, heavy car, it never lurches around in an uncontrolled fashion. The steering is precise enough to allow for accurate placement on the road at all speeds.

Should You Buy One?

Certainly. The Santa Fe has been well regarded for many years and the latest models, while complying with the latest regulations, maintain that reputation for a go-anywhere family vehicle. If a big vehicle is needed the Hyundai Santa Fe is well worth considering. Contact us here at MHH International for more details about a new or used Santa Fe.