IN such a highly competitive class with a plethora of top quality vehicles from Europe, Japan and Australia, the Korean-built Hyundai Santa Fe has taken the crown for the second consecutive year. It has been named Best Cars Australia’s Car of the Year in the mid-sized SUV segment.
The key to Santa Fe’s appeal is that it’s consistently good in almost every aspect of the buying process, long-term ownership and general driving ability, which is what buyers are looking for in an SUV. It doesn’t just excel in one or two areas and fall short in others as found with some vehicles.
Santa Fe is an attractively styled, practical medium-size seven-seat SUV that is well suited to normal family duties. It is bigger than the increasingly popular compact SUVs, but unlike many of the larger all-terrain wagons, it isn’t cumbersome or intimidating to drive.
Astute buyers have realised they can get a fully equipped, top-of-the-range Santa Fe Highlander for around the same money as a similar-sized base or mid-spec model in many other brands. The Highlander 2.2 litre turbo-diesel is now the top-selling variant in the Santa Fe range. Adding to the attraction is a high standard of build quality and finish.
The Highlander’s long list of standard and optional luxury features include leather trim with heated front and centre row seats, dual-zone air-conditioning with rear vents and separate fan-speed control for the third row. Seating up to seven, there is plenty of versatility with a myriad of seat folding and sliding combinations. The simplicity of the third-row seat folding at the pull of a lever is impressive, as it stows flat to extend the useful cargo space.
Eighteen-inch alloy wheels are standard and Nineteen-inch alloy wheels with low-profile tyres are an optional part of the Highlander package. In terms of overall ownership costs, Santa Fe is still one of the best value-for-money propositions in the class. Seven airbags head a long list of safety features which have helped the Santa Fe achieve a 5-star ANCAP rating.
The 2.2 litre turbo-diesel engine pumps out a useful 145kW of power at 3000 rpm but even more importantly it develops a hearty 436 Nm of torque at a relatively low 1800 rpm. Coupled with an efficient 6-speed automatic transmission, Santa Fe pulls strongly from low speeds for smooth and progressive operation around town, while it cruises comfortably on the highway and does a good job off-road. At the same time it’s still relatively fuel efficient.
Hyundai employs a host of electronic aids to help maintain vehicle stability and one of the more sophisticated versions of an on-demand 4WD system. When the going gets tough, a 4WD Lock mode provides a 50/50 front-to-rear drive split up to speeds of 40km/h, simply at the push of a button.