Review of the new Hyundai Santa Fe Range

The writing was on the wall as soon as Hyundai launched the Tucson compact 4x4. Put bluntly, their existing Santa Fe model had lost its reason to live. Marginalised by its better looking, younger and more affordable sibling, Hyundai did everything they could to keep the Santa Fe on life support, throwing a whole bunch of extra equipment into the deal but its days were numbered. What was really needed was a bigger, smarter and altogether more imposing Santa Fe that could take the Korean company into new territory. Something like the vehicle we have before us here then.

Hyundai are nothing if not sensitive to the current limitations of their badge equity. Although they could build a car that went head to head with a Range Rover, they're smart enough to realise that a label-conscious public would thumb its nose up at it. That may well change in future. Twenty years ago nobody would have countenanced a Japanese luxury saloon and been able to keep a straight face but all that has changed. Korean cars are the next to make that switch in perception but it needs time and for the moment, the current Santa Fe represents a manageable aspiration for Hyundai.

Bigger than its predecessor, it also tones down that car's rather controversial styling with more conventional, but still distinctively Hyundai, lines. The rising waistline is the most obvious change, giving the Santa Fe a more athletic stance, and the rear end is particularly shapely for a vehicle of this type, with well integrated tail lights and a deep rear window. There is still some evidence of the sculpted flanks that proved so controversial on the original Santa Fe, but this design feature is now integrated far more elegantly into the wheel arches and the swage line that runs from the top of the tail lamps to form a distinct 'shoulder'. The front lights are significantly larger and more rakishly swept back onto the front wing and bonnet while the grille is narrower and deeper, giving the Santa Fe a more imperious - and expensive - look.

"Hyundai have diligently chipped away at the impediments that prevented you buying a Santa Fe"

Although we've highlighted the improvements in exterior design over the original car, it's worth a short pause to consider the success that car enjoyed. Launched at the Detroit Show in 1999, the original Santa Fe provided a cost-effective alternative to a cast of usual suspects that were rapidly growing both in terms of size and price. Back in 1999, the range-topping Toyota RAV4, for instance, would have set you back £20,345. Now the RAV4 flagship model commands well over £27,000. Small wonder that Hyundai saw an opportunity and was rewarded with over 100,000 cars sold. As with most sectors of the car market, successive generations of 'compact' 4x4s get bigger and pricier and the Tucson has slotted in beneath the Santa Fe, allowing it to push a little further upmarket.

These aspirations are all well and good, but unless you've got the hardware to cut it, sales can rapidly tail off. Hyundai has a pair of engines to give the Santa Fe's chances a power-up. The big seller will be the 2.2-litre CRDi diesel with 148bhp that has a good deal more about it than the 115bhp common-rail fitted to the old Santa Fe. Fitted with a variable geometry turbocharger, the diesel engine develops 335Nm between 1,800 and 2,500rpm and, like most modern engines, not only offers more power but also improves on the fuel consumption figures of its predecessor. This is due to a more efficient common-rail injection system that also reduces noise, vibration and harshness (NVH). The 2.7-litre petrol unit develops 186bhp and utilises Constantly Variable Valve Technology and a Variable Intake System which combine to offer excellent power and torque delivery across a wide range of engine speeds.

The MacPherson strut front suspension and multilink rear has been tuned to offer better driving dynamics on road and a self-levelling system helps cope when the car is heavily loaded. An electronic 'torque on demand' four wheel drive system directs drive to the rear wheels via a multi-plate clutch when slippage is detected at the front. It reacts a lot quicker than many similar systems, although in really slippery conditions the driver can engage a 4WD Lock facility which is especially useful when encountering terrain such as sand, standing water or in slippery bends.

One area where the Santa Fe was noticeably slipping behind the pack was in terms of interior build quality. Although everything seemed durable and customer satisfaction surveys have shown that little goes wrong, the perception of quality was an aspect that needed addressing. So it is that the latest Santa Fe now offers higher quality wood and metal detailing, mesh type upholstery fabrics and piped leathers. Features such as dual zone air-conditioning, ESP stability control, heated front seats and a multi-adjustable steering wheel are features buyers in this sector now demand rather than aspire to. One of the biggest material changes to the current Santa Fe is that there's now an option of seven 'full sized' seats, although adults may question that description if subjected to a lengthy spell in the back. The 175mm in extra length over the old model has been put to good use though and there's 84 litres more cargo space - the total rising to 774 litres.

There's little doubt that these changes lift the Santa Fe onto a whole different plane in terms of sophistication and desirability. Whether it'll be enough to make a splash in a market that's become a savage feeding frenzy amongst the major manufacturers remains to be seen but from here the omens look good.

TOP 5 SANTA FE DEALS

The results below show the top SANTA FE deals on buyacar

Hyundai Santa fe 2.2 CRDi Premium 5dr [7 Seats] diesel estate
Price £21,580 Read Santa fe Reviews	Save £5,150
Hyundai Santa fe 2.2 CRDi Premium 5dr Auto [7 Seats] diesel estate
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Hyundai Santa fe 2.2 CRDi Premium 5dr [5 Seats] diesel estate
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Hyundai Santa fe 2.2 CRDi Premium 5dr Auto [5 Seats] diesel estate
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Hyundai Santa fe 2.2 CRDi Premium 5dr Auto [Media Pack] [7 Seats] diesel estate
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