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A test drive through the plains and hills of Valencia with orange groves on either side leaves us wanting more of the Santa Fe
Mohana Prabhakar

‘Experience beautility’ said all the signs at the Hotel Las Arenas in Valencia, Spain. More than 80 journalists from all over the world had gathered to test drive Hyundai’s new D-segment Santa Fe in this beautiful country. A vehicle that Hyundai bosses said combined styling with versatility. Developed at a cost of US$155mn over a period of 26 months, while the ‘beautility’ phrase may not have caught one’s fancy, in terms of reliability, quality, safety and design as promised by its makers, the Santa Fe did not disappoint. Unlike most of old Valencia town, which reverberates with past grandeur and each colourful, intricate but decrepit building exterior seems to tell a tale of glory gone by, the all new Santa Fe is undoubtedly bigger, better and more good-looking than its predecessor.

One of the factors that have distinguished Hyundai over the years is its ability to design attractive exteriors and the new Santa Fe is no exception to this rule. First launched in 1999, the Santa Fe established Hyundai’s reputation for manufacturing top class SUVs and the new model is intended to make further inroads into the very vibrant but also very crowded, lifestyle SUVs category.

It offers some obvious benefits over the previous model. It is slightly larger, 175mm longer, 45mm wider, and 65mm higher with the wheelbase extended by 80mm. It also offers greater comfort and more car-like driving characteristics. There is also more interior space, more luxury and increased convenience. It is immediately evident that the Santa Fe is great value for money, going by the indicative pricing offered by its Oman dealers, OTE. To be available in Oman from August this year, company officials are confident of its success.

Representatives from the Korean head office of Hyundai further added that the Santa Fe represents three Hyundais in one. It combines a reassuring off-road capability with the comfort and driveability of a large passenger car and the practicality of a people-carrier for up to seven people.

From the outside
It was early on a Friday morning, that the whole day test drive was scheduled to begin from Hotel Las Arenas. Each Santa Fe had two journalists who would share the four-part detailed test drive plotted by the event managers. Though we had caught a glimpse of the car the previous evening at the press conference, it was now time for a closer look. The big wheels and high ground clearance are classic design elements of a SUV. The new grille unifies the upper body with the purposeful grey lower body protection. Horizontally aligned pod-type front light clusters feature projection type headlights, clear glass and black bezels.

In profile the Santa Fe is compelling: it’s all about smooth flowing curves. Clear side repeaters and smoothly faired wrap around headlights add to the overall sophistication. The lower body cladding is in matt-grey, matching the lower front panel. Eighteen inch wheels, beneath purposeful wheel arches, give impressive ground clearance and stance.

From the rear, the view is equally impressive. The LED high mounted stop light is integrated into the rear spoiler, while the rear fog lamps are recessed into the rear bumper valence. The practical, deep opening, rear hatch neatly rounds off the flowing style.

On the inside
As we set off on the first lap of the journey with me as passenger, it was time to check out the interior. Roomy, this SUV also offers an option of seven seats. The new centre console has been redesigned to allow increased ease of use and storage access for both driver and front passenger. The increased length and width has been translated directly into interior comfort and convenience.

For the driver, this means 25mm extra leg space. More importantly, the new size offers great ease of access. Wide doors, higher roof line and increased space between the front and rear seats, mean that getting in and out of the Santa Fe is very comfortable.

Modern blue instrument lighting is easy on the eye and the restrained use of high-lustre wood and machined metal, combined with duo-tone colour options emphasises the relaxed ambience. Hyundai claims of a ‘superbly comfortable, supportive and elegant seating, with added practical refinements in the form of dual power seats, integrated headrests, adjustable lumbar support and pump action height adjustment’, is not unjustified.

The new Santa Fe offers both dual zone automatic air conditioning and manual. For the seven-seat variant the third row of seats are fitted with their own AC unit and ducting.

Road feel
When it was my turn to test the SUV, the first feeling was one of this being an easy car to drive and even easier to get used to. As long as you are not looking to floor the pedal on the automatic 2.7l petrol engine (our test car) and zoom off from a stop position, you won’t be disappointed. This Santa Fe automatic version we were testing was more about smooth reliability and once you reach a steady speed of about 100km/hr, you will find the vehicle cruising along nicely.

The V6 2.7 24-valve petrol engine (139kW @ 6000rpm / 248Nm @ 4000rpm) uses state-of-the-art Constantly Variable Valve Technology and the makers comment that the result is a marked improvement in both fuel efficiency and power delivery.

The suspension in this model has also been developed for a better ride, handling and
all-round suspension performance. The MacPherson strut front suspension features optimally positioned, reverse L-shaped lower arms. This provides superior steering wheel sensitivity and improved dynamic control. While the standard rear suspension is a sophisticated and well proven 5-link system, there is also a multi-link option which dynamically increases the car-like performance. By lowering the location and increasing the rigidity of the rear shock absorbers, both driving feel as well as the cornering stability have been improved.

The new electronic ‘torque on demand’ 4WD system uses sensors to monitor road and driving conditions. This allows it to sense when and where more torque is needed and automatically engage 4WD whenever it is needed. Drive is then transmitted to the rear wheels through the multi-plate clutch. In this way the system improves efficiency in relation to permanent 4WD, with no increase in driver effort or input. In adverse weather or margi-nally slippery conditions the driver can also engage 4WD whenever he wishes through the 4WD lock facility.

Safety first
By combining various technologies, Hyundai says it has improved the dynamic safety performance of the Santa Fe. For example, by enlarging the tandem brake boosters from nine to ten inches, then combining ABS with EBD (Electronic Brake force Distribution), and 16 inch ventilated discs, braking performance has been massively upgraded. Elsewhere, ESP ensures a secure ride through indifferent conditions, especially when combined with Electronic 4WD. Protective measures include the all-round protection of six airbags as standard. Every seat has a 3-point mounted seatbelt, in addition active headrests is now available.

Driving through the winding roads outside Valencia with orange groves on either side is not an experience you will be able to replicate in Muscat. But if it’s a good-looking, spacious, comfortable and reliable SUV you are hanke-ring for without having to sell the shirt of your back for it, make sure you go try this one out. We think it’s worth it.