Hyundai Santa Fe 2.2  

           CRDI (Deisel)
 
A little background...
Formed in 1947, Hyundai established itself as a leading construction enterprise during the 1950s.Turning its attention to the car industry in the late 1960s it formed the Hyundai Motor Company. This company formed an early alliance with Ford and then later with Mitsubishi, using their technology in their first export vehicle in the mid 1970s.
 
While the company had established a reputation for affordability it didn't have a quality and reliability image associated with its products until quite recently. With heavy investment in production and quality going into the new millenium its products are now 'footing it' with other global manufacturers. Hyundai improved its economies of scale by acquiring fellow Korean manufacturer Kia in 1998. To help enhance its new reputation Hyundai offers one of the most generous warranty packages available.
 
Soft Roader SUV
 
The Santa Fe can most accurately be described as a soft roader, i.e. able to take you and your family from sealed roads on to metal roads and other slippery surfaces – boat ramps, skifields etc. It’s not a 'mudplugger' and in common with most vehicles in this sector won't handle serious off road terrain. Having said that, the combination of fulltime 4WD,rear limited slip differential and viscous coupling directing power front/rear to the wheels with the most traction, it will satisfy the vast majority of motorists' requirements for this sort of vehicle.
 
Driving It...
 
Here's another vehicle with a great little turbo deisel motor. Other than a slightly lumpy idle (typical of all deisel motors) the level of refinement on the move is entirely comparable with equivalent petrol motors. The torque characteristics of this motor make it ideal for the 'cut and thrust' of city driving with plenty of urge low down when needed. Nicely weighted steering and good brake feel combine with plenty of grip to make the Santa Fe a pleasant and easy drive .
The ride is on the comfortably firm side and might feel a little too firm on some rougher surface conditions (fairly indicative that the ride is biased towards predominantly sealed road use).
On the motorway the Santa Fe gets along with low levels of road and wind noise. However, a slightly annoying 'hunting between the gears' around the 80km/hr speed was apparent. I suspect this is noticeable because it has a 4-speed auto rather than the 6-speed autos found on some of the, admittedly more expensive, SUVs on the market. This can be obviated by using the sequential gear selection available. 
 
Interior
 
The first impressions of the interior in this 5 seater are good and this is borne  out as the drive continues with controls that are well positioned and clear, easy-to-read instruments. There is plenty of room in the back for the kids and the usual combinations of luggage stowage with the 1/3, 2/3 split rear seats. The tailgate, usefully, has a separately opening rear window to allow loading up the luggage space without items spilling out when you open the tailgate. There is also a 7-seat option for an extra $1500. One novel feature on this model was the transmission tunnel mounted, foot operated 'handbrake' – sounds odd but works very well and you get used to it quickly. Not a useable feature on manual models, unless you have three legs for hill starts!! The only jarring note in the cabin was the cheap plastic interior door handles at odds with an otherwise well-designed, good quality cabin.
 
Safety
 
Consumers have come to expect comprehensive safety features even in moderately priced vehicles and the Santa Fe doesn't disappoint:

-   NCAP Rating     Frontal ****  Side *****  (max 5 stars). Side impact beams and bars.
-   Airbags: Dual front, side and roof curtain airbags.
-   ABS brakes with electronic brake distribution
-   Full time 4WD 
-   Electronic stability program
-   Seatbelt pretensioners and load limiters(front). All rear seatbelts lap/diagonal.
 
Specifications:
-   Engine: 2.7 petrol or 2.2 turbo deisel (petrol specs in brackets)

          -   Power: 110kw (132kw)
          -   Transmission: Fulltime 4WD with L.S.D. rear and 4-speed auto with sequential shift
          -   Weight: 1693kg - 1705kg depending on model
          -   Fuel consumption: 7.2 litres/100km average
          -   Features: Climate controlled air conditioning, keyless entry, central locking with immobiliser,
               roof rails, front and rear fog lights, alloy wheels, leather – optional.
 
         Price:

         $54,990 - $56,990. As tested $49,990 + on road costs
 
         Warranty:

         5yr/ 160,000km anticorrosion warranty
         3yr/ 100,000km mechanical      
         3yr/ 100,000km roadside assistance package
 
Opinion...
 
A $50,000 price tag for a new car cannot be classed as cheap. This amount of money would buy a very well-equipped midsized luxury sedan and as we saw from last month’s column will get you into a prestige European car that's fully kitted out with extras. However, in the hugely popular SUV segment of the new car market the Santa Fe represents good value for money. It’s a well-equipped, pleasant drive and despite a couple of minor quibbles is a very competent package.