Hyundai Santa Fe Tested
Is it a SUV? Is it an MPV? No! it’s the Santa Fe
When the term SUV is mentioned, we immediately think of a ‘mild’ 4WD vehicle with some creature comfort features. Talk about an MPV, and we start to think of vehicles like the Ssangyong Stavic, the Naza Ria, or the Chevrolet Nabira. Take one look at the Hyundai Santa Fe, and you won’t be blamed if you thought it was a SUV. If you went by shape, it certainly does look like a SUV, but under the ‘common’ definition that we know SUV’s by, it is not. Not the 2.4 litre engined model, at least.
The main difference is that the Santa Fe is a front-wheel drive vehicle, and not a 4WD like other SUV’s. It looks like it had 4WD, as indeed it does, when the very same body comes with a 2.7 litre engine. Hyundai has, in a bold and unprecedented move, taken the automotive SUV/MPV game one step further by offering a body/drive-train combination that no other manufacturer has, at least for the moment.
The mechanicals under the hood and floorpan are very close to that which is found on the Sonata; in fact the two share the very same DOHC fuel injected 2.4 litre engine, and the gearbox feels like it is the same 4-speed automatic, except perhaps for slightly different final drive gear ratios.
If you took a really close look, you will find many similarities in the design and lines around the bodywork. What this means is that you are basically getting a beefed up Sonata. What makes perfect sense is that the Santa Fe is priced at under RM141k (price on-the-road without insurance), making it a very good buy.
For this price, you get a robust, yet attractive piece of machinery that delivers 144ps at 5,500 rpm, and develops 20.4 Nm of torque at 4000 rpm. The 4-speed automatic transmission is complete with a manual shift option. 15-inch alloy wheels with 215/70 R 15 tyres transfer the power to the road through the front wheels. In this cconfiguration, the Santa Fe is capable of a top speed of just under 180 kph, and acceleration from zero to 100 kph is achieved in just under 14 seconds. Not awe-inspiring figures, but quite usable. (You can always opt for the 2.7 litre model which has a host of other goodies and 172ps to boot).
Goodies that come with the 2.4 litre Santa Fe include dual airbags, belt pretensioners and load limiters. For reassurance, standard equipment includes traction control, ABS, an underbody skid plate and cruise control, not a bad considering the price you pay.
Configured as a 5-seater, the Santa Fe is very roomy inside, and all seats recline fully to make a makeshift bed should you be caught without a place to stay. Boot space, or rather the area behind the rear seat is generous, and it will take full-sized golf bags without any problem. The rear glass in the tailgate can be opened for putting in or retrieving small articles, a thoughtful feature. Our test car rode well, being firm in ride, leaning a little towards the soft side. Naturally we did not take it off-road, it being only front wheel drive, but the ground clearance is good, and the driver has a commanding view over the roofs of other cars in heavy traffic. If you had to take it off the road for small forays into the vegetation, as long as the ground is not soft, or is deep mud, you should be all right. The high ground clearance will clear most obstacles and potholes or undulations, and the heavy-duty tyres and suspension are tough enough for the job.
We took the Santa Fe to Melaka and back for our test, and covered a mixture of highway and B-roads. On the highway, the Santa Fe is extremely well behaved, and is a pleasure to drive and ride in. At the legal speed limit, the engine is pulling at around 3000 rpm; the cabin noise is low, thanks to good sound insulation materials. Road noise is unobtrusive. Handling during lane change is excellent, and on the stretch of highway near Ayer Keroh well known for cross winds, the Santa Fe had no problems. The Santa Fe will cruise comfortably at 150 to 160 kph all day without any fuss.
On the B-roads, overall handling is good, and cornering performance is acceptable, bearing in mind the bulk and the height. There is a tendency for the front to ‘push’ a little when driven aggressively into corners, but I suppose the average buyer or user of such a vehicle would never encounter this.
Fuel consumption is a little on the heavy side. A full tank took us a little over 380 km, and the cost per kilometre is 22 sen, although we must qualify that on some of the stretches, we were pushing the vehicle a little. A user who keeps to the low side of the rpm meter is likely to see 18 to 20 sen a kilometre.
If you are a person looking for a rugged vehicle for your daily use and don’t really require a 4WD drive-train, then the Hyundai Santa Fe might be worth investigating.
