The Santa Fe tested here is powered by the new 2.2 litre CRDi R-Series four cylinder turbodiesel engine, a powerplant that Hyundai has spent millions of dollars on development.
Other engines in the Santa Fe range include the 2.4 four cylinder petrol and the 3.5 litre V6 petrol.
Hyundai R-Series Diesel Engine
The R-Series diesel engine has a third generation Bosch common rail fuel injection system and produces an impressive 145kW (195hp) and 436Nm (321lb ft) of torque and is connected to a six speed automatic gearbox.
The engine is responsive, propelling the Santa Fe from a standing start with impressive performance, and refinement is good for a diesel engine. The high torque level, which reaches maximum output over the 1800rpm to 2500rpm range means that at any speed acceleration is always available. But the rest of the vehicle has also been changed markedly, with a new flowing shape.
Safety Specifications of New Santa Fe
Safety specifications are good, with a 5-star Australian NCAP safety rating, ABS braking with Electronic Brake-Force Distribution and Brake Assist, as well as an Electronic Stability Programme. There are dual front and side airbags as well as curtain airbags that protect both front and rear seats.
On the entertainment side there is full iPod compatibility and an impressive sounding seven speaker sound system that includes an eight inch subwoofer.
Santa Fe Elite top Spec Model
The CRDi Elite model tested is the top spec, with full leather upholstery and seven seats. The rearmost row of seats has three point seatbelts and the seats are simple to deploy and stow away, with only one movement needed. The third row of seats also has separate climate control system vents.
Another sign that Hyundai is thinking about practicality for families is the extra mirror that swings down above the centre driving mirror. The extra mirror is convex, so that all the rear passengers can be monitored without the driver or front seat passenger to move their heads.
Ride and Handling of new Santa Fe
Ride and handling is about average for this class of SUV, although the ride is slightly harsher than it could be, with the vehicle juddering over rough roads. If the driver does feel the need to go off road the all wheel drive system has a ‘lock’ button that locks front and rear wheels together. In all honesty this class of SUV hardly ever goes off road, but it is nice to know the feature is there.
The new Santa Fe is an impressive improvement over the last, but the smaller changes tend to be overridden by the extremely impressive diesel engine. It has also been announced that the smaller Hyundai ix35 (or Tucson in some markets) will be equipped with a smaller displacement 2.0 litre engine that will likely be just as impressive as its larger sibling.
Ref: Hyundai press material and press car drive
Sam Domett - I have been a motoring journalist for over 15 years, beginning with my own website. I then moved on to the Manukau Daily News. My next job ...
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