Hyundai Santa Fe Video Reviews

We compare the Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy Hybrid with the Kia Sorento GT-Line Hybrid to find out which of these closely related SUVs is the safest, most practical, most fuel efficient and best to drive.

Hyundai have launched the new Santa Fe and it's new alright. It's been redesigned with new technology, styling, shape and a hybrid powertrain across all its variants. It's bound to gain new fans but will old fans still like it?

The new Santa Fe has a cool new look and other improvements including the size of the multimedia screen. Is it enough to stay competitive in this category?

Malcolm Flynn is spending six months with the new Hyundai Santa Fe Elite, to see how well it fits his family's needs.

There are large seven seaters. Cars like the Mazda CX-9, Toyota Kluger and Kia Sorento. Then there are five seaters with two extra seats in the back like the Honda CR-V and Mitsubishi Outlander. Then there is the Hyundai Santa Fe.

Malcolm Flynn road tests and reviews the updated Hyundai Santa Fe Highlander and SR, with specs, fuel consumption and verdict at their Australian launch.

Hyundai’s third generation Santa Fe has brought a big dose of design appeal over the dowdy earlier models, building on the large SUV’s existing credentials to theoretically tackle segment leaders Ford Territory, Holden Captiva 7, and Toyota Kluger.However, despite serving equal parts family practicality and value with its fresh looks, sales of the Santa Fe continue to trail those three main rivals  by about 2:1.VALUEThe Santa Fe Elite tested here includes pretty much every modern family ‘must-have’ feature for a relatively slim $46,490.You get quite a bit for your dollar, including: leather seats and steering wheel, dual zone climate control with ducts for both rear rows, an excellent SUNA-updating satnav and 7-inch multimedia interface, six-speaker audio with subwoofer and amplifier, Bluetooth audio and telephony, reversing camera and rear sensors, auto headlights and wipers, auto-dimming interior mirror, heated exterior mirrors, proximity keys, a chilled glovebox, plenty of bottle and cupholders and an impressive four 12-volt power sockets.Although asking slightly more money, both the Territory and Kluger lack key spec details found on the Santa Fe. The $50,240 Territory TS TDCi is rear-wheel drive – you have to shell out another $5000 to get the all-wheel drive option -- makes do with a cloth interior, and lacks satnav.The $47,690 all-wheel-drive Toyota Kluger KX-R is paired exclusively with the thirstier --if more powerful-- 3.5 litre petrol V6, and also lacks leather and satnav.The top-level $43,490 Captiva 7 LX diesel sits close to the the Santa Fe on spec, but its tighter dimensions and ageing design outweigh the $3000 it will leave in your pocket. The $43,990 Kia Sorento SLi (Santa Fe’s mechanical twin) is perhaps the Elite’s nearest rival. But it misses out on satnav, and its body – while facelifted -- now looks a generation behind the Hyundai.DESIGNThe Santa Fe Elite benefits from Hyundai’s ‘fluidic sculpture’ design principle, now shared with the majority of the Korean brand’s local lineup, and can be identified over lesser Active variants by its 18 inch alloys and extra chrome body detailing.Impressively, the Santa Fe’s fresh exterior design is emulated on the inside, with appealing shapes and contours continuing through the dash, door trims and console. Material quality is also a great balance of comfort and family ruggedness.But the Santa Fe’s attractive rising beltline comes at the expense of driver visibility, resulting in thick D-pillars that mandate meticulous mirror adjustment to keep an eye on your flanks.The Elite offers similar 7-seat capability to the Territory and Kluger, and legroom in the third row can be managed via the second row’s slide adjustment. There’s not much space behind the third row with the seats up though, so the dog (or luggage) will have to stay at home with seven aboard.ENGINE AND GEARBOXThe Elite’s 2.2 litre turbodiesel four has carried over from the previous model, with the same 145kW/436Nm outputs. The Elite’s sole transmission choice is a 6-speed automatic, which helps deliver a combined fuel consumption of 7.3L/100km.Like all Santa Fe variants, the Elite uses an on-demand all-wheel drive system without the low-range transfer case of hardcore 4x4 wagons, but it does come with hill-descent control and a centre diff lock to keep both axles working on slippery terrain.         SAFETYThe Santa Fe carries a maximum five star ANCAP rating, thanks to driver’s knee, dual front and side thorax airbags, plus curtain airbags for the first two rows (seven in total), ABS, stability and traction control, and hill-assist.DRIVINGOn the road, the Elite’s turbodiesel is the clear pick of the Santa Fe’s trio of engines. Developing its peak torque from just 1800rpm, the 2.2 has no trouble hauling the circa-1900kg Elite off the mark, up hills, or when overtaking.The 6-speed torque converter auto is delightfully well matched to the engine, delivering intuitive and near undetectable shifts throughout our test. The diesel makes its presence know with typical clatter about town, but it’s hardly noticeable at highway speeds, and overall road noise is also impressive.Hyundai’s local tuning of the Santa Fe’s suspension is immediately evident -- with well-controlled damping doing a good job of ironing out Sydney’s broken concrete pavement -- and is no doubt aided by the Elite’s tall 60 series tyres. Toss it into some bends though, and the Elite tends to sway more than a Territory, with steering that also lacks the sports sedan feedback of the Ford. For safe family hauling though, the Santa Fe does not disappoint.VERDICTThe Hyundai Santa Fe deserves a higher ranking in the large SUV sales charts. In Elite guise, it presents a well-rounded seven seat solution that is equally happy on bush fire trails, long highway trips, and the clichéd shopping centre carpark. If your budget stretches to $46,490, the Elite comes with all the toys needed to satisfy the hordes, and is head and shoulders above its rivals for styling panache.Hyundai Santa Fe ElitePrice: from $46,490Warranty:  5 years/unlimited kmCapped servicing: Yes (3 years)Service Interval: 12 months/15,000kmResale: 55 per centSafety: 5 starsEngine: 145kW/436Nm 2.2-litre 4-cyl turbodieselTransmission: 6-sp auto, all-wheel-driveThirst: 7.3L/100km; CO2 192g/kmDimensions: 4.7m (L); 1.9m (w); 1.7m (H)Weight: approx. 1900kg (2600kg GVM)Spare: full-size

A wallaby jumps in front of us on a dirt road, but the Santa Fe Trail comes to a controlled stop, keeping Skippy from ending up a horrid memory in the kids’ minds. That is, if the kids weren’t too engrossed in their Nintendo game on the rear entertainment screen to notice. And if the kids were actually children instead of my husband and his immature mates.For parents with a yen for adventure and an equal love of in-car peace, the Hyundai Santa Fe Trail may be the handiest new addition to the household. An affordable SUV that can handle city and off road driving, the Santa Fe Trail comes with extra perks to please the entire family.The automatic Santa Fe Trail diesel is priced at $41, 590 (the manual version is $2000 less) and shares many specs with the SLX spec – including front and rear fog lamps, and USB audio input with iPod compatibility. But the Trail comes with $4000 worth of extras, sporting an upgrade to 18-in alloy wheels, rear-view camera with electrochromatic mirror display, leather/leatherette seats, privacy glass, and roof-mounted entertainment system with DVD, Sony and Nintendo compatibility.145kW/436Nm gives this four cylinder, direct injection 2.2-litre CRDi diesel plenty of power and torque, delivered to the on-demand all-wheel drive system via a six-speed sports automatic. The Trail has a surprising amount of pick-up, so much you’ll forget you’re driving a seven-seater. The official fuel figure is 7.5L/100km, though our drive on bitumen and dirt roads found a surprisingly thirsty 10.6.From a distance the Santa Fe looks like your average family SUV, but it’s the little touches that move the Trail up a class. Chrome tailgate garnish and streamlined front and rear skid plates add a dash of glamour to the exterior, and internally you’ll find several up market features.The leather/leatherette seats are stylish, the dash is solid, and wheel mounted audio and cruise keep the driver at the control centre, though we were surprised Bluetooth didn’t come standard.The third row is similar to other seven-seaters: okay for short adults on a quick trip, but only kids could endure a long one. Take the Santa Fe off road with adults in back and they’re going to have some rather harsh headaches from the low ceiling.   Boot space is sacrificed when all seats are up, but it does let you take your extended family out on the town.The roof-mounted entertainment system in back is a glowing deity of sanity for parents taking the kids on a long trip. Cordless headsets let the kids enjoy Dora while you’re the explorer, tackling off road tracks with the confidence afforded by AWD. Those without kids will enjoy the Trail’s storage space, enough to swallow two surfboards or a bike with ease.Anti-lock brakes with electronic aids, stability and traction control systems and an array of airbags -- driver and front passenger, dual side front, and front and rear passenger side curtain SRS airbags that extend to the third row -- give the Santa Fe Trail ANCAP’s highest five-star  rating. Roll over sensors, child safety rear door locks, and side impact intrusion bars bring additional peace of mind.The best thing about the Santa Fe Trail is it’s fun to drive. Sure you get a bit of body roll and feel back heavy on braking, but it’s not much considering the size of the vehicle. There was a slight spin on the front right wheel when we were going up a rough patch in the bush, but the Trail quickly corrected itself and gave an otherwise sturdy ride.With large windows you get great visibility, and the rear-view camera makes sure you don’t miss anything when parking, while privacy glass in back keeps you from feeling exposed.Off road the MacPherson strut and multi-link suspension keeps you from getting rattled and the 18-in alloy wheels give good clearance and grip. The six-speed sports automatic transmission is smooth and swift-changing, and the engine gives decent acceleration response.Hyundai’s Santa Fe Trail is a package of attractive features in an affordable diesel SUV.