|
Who's Online |
|
We have 7 guests online |
|
|
Home
|
Road Test: Hyundai Santa Fe (2006-) |
|
|
|
|
Written by http://www.channel4.com/4ca
|
by: Farah Alkhalisi
Hyundai - the world's seventh-largest car maker - has come a long way
since the days of the godawful Pony and reliable but laughable Stellar.
It may not quite have the brand-image of Lexus -
or even Toyota, Honda and Nissan - as yet, but the Korean firm is
highly ambitious, increasingly delivering products that are desirable
in their own right rather than selling simply because they're cheap.
It's moving into new market sectors, with a large crossover and a
coupe-cabriolet on the way and this Mk2 Santa Fe takes it into the
large SUV market for the first time.
Larger all-round than both its predecessor and the recently launched
entry-level Tucson soft-roader, this Santa Fe isn't an all-out
off-roader, nor is it particularly rugged: it's pitched more at the
family market, for leisure users and caravan-towers (the old-school
Terracan remains on sale as Hyundai's no-nonsense agricultural
alternative). It has a part-time torque-on-demand four-wheel-drive
system, meaning that it runs in front-wheel-drive mode most of the
time, with up to half of the power diverted to the rear axle if
slippage is sensed up front. This isn't going to take it too far off
the tarmac, but will give it more than enough grip for most buyers'
needs; it'll easily cope with slippery roads, damp fields and gravel
tracks, if not climbing rocks or trail-blazing. Cut-price front-wheel
drive-only models will be offered elsewhere in the world, but these are
unlikely to come to the UK unless dealers report demand.
There's really only one engine on offer in the
UK: the 2.2-litre, 148bhp four-cylinder diesel. Well, there's also the
2.7 V6 petrol, but that's weedy, thirsty and comes only with a
dull-witted four-speed automatic gearbox. Hyundai predicts up to 90% of
Santa Fe buyers will opt for the diesel, and we'd advise the other 10%
to revise their decision, as the diesel model is better in every way. A
better five-speed auto 'box is optional with the diesel engine, too.
Coming in five-seat configuration as standard,
but with an optional fold-flat third row of seats for just £600, the
Santa Fe's cabin is well-finished to a good quality standard. UK buyers
can choose from three specification levels, with top-spec CDX+ versions
having full leather upholstery, heated seats, DVD players, a six-CD
autochanger, satellite navigation and rain-sensing wipers. Prices start
from £20,995, with the most expensive versions, the 2.7 V6 and the 2.2
diesel auto CDX+, at just £25,195. Deliveries start in April 2006,
though bear in mind that diesels equipped with particulate filters will
not be available until September.
| RELIABILITY AND QUALITY RATING: |
 |
Hyundai
has a good reputation for reliability and generally scores well in
customer satisfaction surveys. When things do go wrong, its cars are
cheap to repair and, importantly, many of its dealerships are still
family-owned standalone businesses rather than units in multi-brand
franchises, meaning a better chance of one-to-one service and good
relationships with customers.
The four-wheel-drive system is similar to that used in the smaller
Tucson and Kia Sportage, and most of the Santa Fe's mechanicals have
been well-tested in earlier vehicles: there's not that much new here
and it's not overloaded with complex electronics or cutting-edge
trickery.
There were a few glitches with the manual
gearboxes of a few of the launch cars, but this is by no means a rare
occurrence on a car launch: we'd expect the engines and transmissions
of the production vehicles to prove as durable as most other Hyundais
have been so far. Remember, the Sonata is very popular with
high-mileage mini-cabbers, who don't buy unreliable cars.
But if you're still unconvinced, take note of
this: Hyundai UK sells all its cars with a five-year, unlimited mileage
warranty, transferable to subsequent owners.
Quality is much-improved over the earlier Santa
Fe and, indeed, the cheaper-feeling Tucson. We haven't checked out the
entry-level GSI models yet, but the CDX and CDX+ are finished to a good
standard, with decent cabin plastics, nice leather upholstery and even
paint finishes and panel gaps; even the strip of matt-finish wood trim
across the fascia is pleasant to the eye. You wouldn't mistake the
interior for a Range Rover/Cayenne cabin, but it's thoroughly pleasant
and very good indeed for a car of this price.
| IMAGE RATING: |
 |
Hyundai's designers have clearly been studying the opposition. Very closely.
From
the rear, it's a direct rip-off of the Volkswagen Touareg - especially
when the circular LED taillamps light up - and there's shades of Q7 up
front - the dimensions and side profile are similar, if not the
detailing. Debadge it, tart it up with tinted windows and aftermarket
alloy wheels, and it could pass for something altogether more
expensive, if that's what you're into.
Even as it is, it looks smart and substantial and shouldn't prove to be
a fashion faux pas on the school run - after all, it's trendy to boast
that you shop in Primark these days and there's no shame in being a
canny bargain-hunter.
| DRIVING RATING: |
 |
This
is a large vehicle, and it feels it. It's not hugely heavy, however
(that four-wheel-drive system is relatively compact and lightweight);
all its four corners are clearly defined; and there's a good,
confidence-inspiring view of the road ahead. Parking sensors would be
handy, though.
The Mercedes-style foot-operated parking brake
may not appeal to everyone, but it's easy to get used to. The steering
is - rarely, these days - an old-fashioned hydraulic set-up and, as
such, it gives a bit more feedback than many over-assisted electrical
systems - though it is still sometimes overlight and lacks feel in
certain wheel positions.
Not that you're likely to want to drive this
like a sports car, anyway. The five-speed manual gearbox standard with
the diesel is a little sticky, though it should loosen up with mileage,
and the four-speed auto that comes with the 2.7 V6 is slow to respond,
constantly 'hunting' for gears and not always choosing the right ones.
The five-speed auto 'box optional with the diesel is better, though
still not as good as VW-Audi's Tiptronic or similar. Both autos have a
sequential-shift option to manually select 'gears' - you'll need to use
this, and keep dropping down a gear, to make progress on country roads.
Hyundai has done a good job to make sure the
Santa Fe's bulk stays under control when cornering hard; it takes a lot
to get it off-balance, though it can get a little wallowy if pushed and
gets floaty over sudden camber-changes.
The four-wheel-drive system is simple to operate
too - basically, you need do nothing, as the drive to the rear wheels
kicks in automatically if the front end loses grip. Up to 50% of the
torque can be directed to the rear axle and this split can be locked
via a button on the centre console for extra traction in the mud at
speeds of up to 25mph. It all works via an electrical multi-plate
clutch system, electronically controlled: no separate low-ratio
gearbox, no freewheeling hubs, no selectable modes.
| PERFORMANCE RATING: |
|
This
is no high-performance Range Rover Sport/ML 55 AMG rival, but the
2.2-litre diesel engine (148bhp, 225 lb-ft of torque) makes a good
workaday choice.
It might not win any prizes for straight-line
acceleration (0-60 in 11.6 secs with the manual gearbox, 12.9 secs for
the auto) but it's strong enough to cruise comfortably at motorway
speeds and should be well-suited to towing a good-sized caravan or
lighter-weight horse trailer: it can pull up to 4,850lbs with the
manual gearbox and 4,409lbs in automatic form.
We really can't see the appeal of the 2.7 V6
petrol version (186bhp, 183lb-ft). It's slower than the diesel (0-60 in
11.7 secs), largely due to that power-sapping four-speed auto gearbox,
and generally lacks flexibility and mid-range muscle. It really
struggles up steep hills unless you slot the gears down and rev it
right up and is no quieter or smoother than the diesel on the motorway
or when meandering round town.
UK buyers will not be offered the 3.3-litre
petrol engine available in the US, at least at first, though if enough
people ask for it, it could come here. If you've really got to have a
petrol engine then it might be worth waiting for that.
| SAFETY AND SECURITY RATING: |
|
We'd
recommend going for the CDX/CDX+ models, as they're equipped with ESP
(stability control) as standard; this has proved to be a life-saving
device in top-heavy, high-riding SUVs. Standard specification includes
ABS with electronic brakeforce distribution, six airbags and
three-point seatbelts for all seats. The roof-mounted head-protecting
airbags stretch right to the rear in seven-seat versions, and the front
passenger airbag can be deactivated if a child seat is fitted. CDX and
CDX+ models add active head restraints to protect against whiplash
injuries. Security-wise, there is an alarm and an immobiliser, and
further touches include a reassuring full-sized spare wheel.
This is a pretty good haul for a car of this
price, but a couple of notes of caution. Although the optional rearmost
seats, which fold up out of the boot floor, are well-designed, they are
right at the back end of the boot with very little space between them
and the rear tailgate glass. There's not much of a buffer zone there in
the event of a rear-end impact.
Also, the Santa Fe has not gone through the Euro
NCAP crash tests as yet, and Hyundai's own internal tests indicate only
a four-star score - mediocre, these days.
| RUNNING COSTS RATING: |
|
It's
cheap to buy and cheap to run, especially if you opt for the 32.2mpg
diesel. Emitting 193 g/km of carbon dioxide, it's also more
tax-effective than the petrol version, especially if you're running it
as a company car. The 2.7 V6 returns just 22.2mpg - and that's the
optimistic laboratory-conditions estimate: we'd suspect you'd be lucky
to see 20mpg in real-life driving, especially if you like to put your
right foot down - and shudder to think how much it'd drink if you were
towing. It emits 252g/km of carbon dioxide, too.
Just to underline that the diesel's the one to
go for (in case you hadn't got the message yet), this'll hold its value
much better than the 2.7 V6, too. Both versions, though, should hold
their value better than the previous Santa Fe, with its oddball styling
and rather limited abilities, though at least with small numbers
available second-hand, prices for this have remained reasonably firm.
| COMFORT AND EQUIPMENT RATING: |
|
This
Santa Fe is 50mm taller than its predecessor (1795mm, including the
roof rails), 45mm wider (1890mm) and 150mm longer (4650mm), which gives
it similar dimensions to the Touareg, X5, XC90 and so on. Legroom has
been increased all round and is good for rear-seat occupants. The
high-roofed cabin feels light and airy, especially with the sun-blind
pulled back to reveal the glass-panelled sunroof (optional). There
aren't as many storage/stowage boxes, cubby holes or pockets in which
to stash stuff as in some rivals, but there are plenty of compartments
for toting most of the family's toys and treasures.
The boot is large, too, and reasonably deep, as
the 4WD system does not intrude into loadspace. This creates room for
the seven-seat option: it's going to be tight in there for taller
adults, but most people would fit in there for a short journey - though
there's very little legroom, there's enough of a gap under the seats in
front to slide your feet, which makes it more viable. The middle seats
flip forward (in two sections) for access. This isn't a full
seven-seater in the same way as, say, the long-wheelbase Mercedes
R-Class, but it's good enough to fit a couple of extra people,
preferably kids, in occasionally, and at just £600, it's a useful
option well worth having.
Ride comfort has been much-improved over that of
the outgoing model, with the suspension smoothing out most lumps, bumps
and surface imperfections. It can wallow a bit on fast corners but, by
and large, it gives a smooth, quiet ride. Seven-seat versions have
self-levelling suspension, though you'd have to drive it very hard to
notice much of a difference. Noise levels are generally well-contained,
with little tyre or road noise and though the 2.7 V6 can get a bit
rough when revved, the engines intrude very little. There's
considerable wind noise at speed, though, probably from around the roof
rails and their crossbar.
Equipment levels are generous, though the GSI
(diesel engine only) lacks stability control, a very important safety
feature. Otherwise, it has 17" alloy wheels, front fog lights,
electrically-adjustable door mirrors, remote central locking, alarm,
air conditioning, CD player, electric windows and front, side and
roof-curtain airbags.
CDX models add dual-zone climate control, with
an extra set of controls for the rearmost passengers in seven-seat
versions, heated front seats, a full leather interior, windscreen
de-icer, an upgraded sound system with six-CD autochanger and steering
wheel-mounted controls, cruise control, an auto-dimming rear-view
mirror, 18" alloys, a rear spoiler - and active head restraints and ESP
stability control. The leather trim is good quality and tasteful, with
perforated panels and, in some colour-schemes, contrast-colour piping.
CDX+ models, at the top of the range have a
further-upgraded audio system with PlayStation/Xbox-compatible DVD
player, rear roof-mounted screen, in-dash autochanger, satellite
navigation, rain-sensing windscreen wipers, a centre console-mounted
coolbox and an electrically-adjustable passenger seat.
|
|
