Santa Fe ups the ante in SUV stakes
 In the highly crowded and competitive SUV market, Hyundai have come up trumps with their new Santa Fe R models.
Choosing the engine for your new Hyundai Santa Fe is easy - you can have any engine you like as long as it's the new R 2.2litre CRDi Diesel – standard across the range, as is all wheel drive, with no 2 wheel drive model in the range. The base model SLX has the option of a 6 speed manual or a 6 speed auto transmission. The more luxurious Elite and the top of the range Highlander only come with the latter. Santa Fe provides All Wheel Drive "on demand" with drive normally delivered to the front wheels but shared with the rear wheels when traction loss is detected. A dashboard switch allows the driver to lock the centre diff to give 50:50 drive front to rear.
 The R 2.2 litre CRDi diesel engine has an intercooled turbocharger featuring Variable Geometry to minimise turbo lag and provide increased efficiency at speed. The R diesel produces 436Nm of torque from 1,800-2,500rpm and 145kw of power @ 3800rpm. During our test drive it was an absolute delight to drive - quick, smooth and lively with minimal turbo-lag from a standing start.
Our test vehicle was the top of the range Highlander which has leather faced seats, glass sunroof, premium sound system, electrically adjustable front seats, dual zone climate control including outlets for both rear rows, auto-headlights, auto wipers, 18" alloys, keyless entry with push button start and a rear view camera with its display neatly contained in the rear view mirror.
The exterior is stylish and seemingly compact so it may surprise to discover the entire range is equipped as a 7 seater. Reasonable leg room and personal ventilation from the dual zone air con keep back seat passengers pretty comfortable but the downside is the lack of 'boot' space with the third row of seats deployed.
The Santa Fe's array of primary and secondary safety features is impressive, as is it's 5 Star ANCAP Rating. ESP with Traction Control, 4 wheel discs with ABS, EBD and Brake Assist are standard. The complement of 6 airbags includes side curtains which extend to cover the third row of seats. A rollover sensor deploys the side curtains and activates the front seat belt pre-tensioners when a rollover is imminent. Unfortunately Bluetooth is still considered a luxury option in Santa Fe – we reckon it's a safety feature and should be offered as standard.
.jpg "Hyundai Santa Fe") We drove out of Melbourne and headed east for some 150kms into the dairying country of South Gippsland. The start of this trip is freeway and the Santa Fe proved a quiet, comfortable cruiser, packed with creature comforts - great sound system, cup and bottle holders front and rear, bins for sunglasses, map pockets and a central cool box.
Santa Fe's performance on South Gippsland's winding gravel roads was also good – but better with the AWD system locked. The new 6 speed auto – Hyundai's own – was smooth and never confused. Hyundai quote 7.5litres/100kms (combined average city & highway cycle) and we averaged precisely 9.0litres.
Santa Fe prices (plus on-roads) start from $37,990/$39,990 for the manual/auto SLX. The auto Elite and Highlanders are $43,990 & $48,490 respectively.
Santa Fe is stacked with features, it's safe, it's reasonably priced, but most importantly, it's a car we actually enjoyed driving!
Test vehicle provided by Hyundai Motor Company Australia Pty Ltd
Test Conducted February 2010
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.jpg "Hyundai Santa Fe")