Hyundai packs loads of value into its entry-level Santa Fe seven-seat family SUV
The seven seat suv segment is bustling with fresh competitors at the moment each introducing new engine technology safety and plenty of in-car creature comforts to match but as a result prices are quickly extending beyond the reach of many ordinary aussie families so my question is what does a fifty thousand dollar seven seat suv get you we’ve got the entry model
Hyundai santa fe in diesel form let’s find out the santa fe received a major refresh in 2021 switching to a new platform and integrating more technology and a fresh design inside and out now the korean suv has come in for another mild update for 2022 introducing a new center airbag additional safety technology and other small updates depending on variant prices
Have risen between eight hundred and fifty dollars and seventeen hundred dollars pushing our test vehicle to just under fifty thousand dollars before on-road costs in entry form the santa fe wears 17-inch wheels with a full-size spare led headlights daytime running lights and a black grille one thing that is shared across all hyundai santa fe models is what’s in
The engine bay in this case a 2.2 liter four-cylinder turbo diesel engine that outputs 148 kilowatts and 440 newton meters it shuffles drive to all four wheels via an eight-speed dual clutch automatic diesel models impose a three and a half thousand dollar premium over the equivalent v6 petrol model in the coming months hyundai will also introduce a petrol electric
Hybrid option it’s easy to look at the absence of keyless entry or even a push button start you just get a bland little plastic button in its place but the base santa fe has all the basics covered comfortable seats plenty of storage and a great outward view to name a few when you take a closer look all the instrumentation while basic is really user friendly really
Legible and quite accessible on the go the interior components feel nicely put together using a combination of decent materials and harder wearing options in less visible areas storage options are likewise sound and there are ample power points up front for tech savvy travellers plus single zone climate control the base santa fe gets a slightly smaller eight
Inch center touch screen and a four inch digital instrument display between two analog dials now again while there is nothing really groundbreaking about the infotainment system the truth is it is functional it is easy to use on the go and it works really well which really there’s a lot to be said for that the entry santa fe covers most of our basic infotainment
Checklist with the exception of digital radio sat nav and a head up display safety is likewise strong in the santa fe range the second row is big enough for a couple of adults or child seats second row occupants get access to two usb ports a center arm rest door pocket storage and air vents while those in the third row only get air vents and a cup holder in this
Base trim when used as a five-seater the santa fe’s cargo capacity stretches to a huge 571 liters it’s a spacious family hauler that’s equipped with child seat iso fixed points in the second rows outboard seats but no fixings in the third row if the idea of a seven seat suv is a little bit off-putting to you simply because of their sheer size well good news with
The santa fe it’s not as big dimensionally as a nissan pathfinder or as a toyota kluger and for that reason it does feel quite approachable and nippy on the road you’ve got a great open field of vision to the front and rear and it’s a vehicle you just kind of jump into and feel at ease with the placement of the controls the placement of the steering wheel the seat
And everything else i kind of jumped in it and it’s kind of like reacquainting yourself with an old friend it is very very user friendly the diesel drive train combination in particular is a known prospect yet it continues to deliver on merit in terms of performance and efficiency matching its official fuel claim on test and providing adequate shove around town
Together with excellent open road passage idling along at about 1 500 rpm at highway speed when called upon the diesel engine makes plenty of mumbo as well it’ll drop down a couple of gears build effortlessly to highway speeds and there’s also more than enough power for overtaking maneuvers before the overtaking lane ends which is probably one of the most important
Traits with this vehicle we haven’t really towed with the santa fe on this occasion it will tow up to two and a half tons but even with a family and all their luggage the engine has no trouble carrying the santa fe’s curb weight and all its passengers on board while the rod and handling mix is strong i’m going to say it’s probably not quite as well-rounded as this
Car’s twin under the skin the kia sorento which has kind of undergone a more extensive ride and handling tune here in australia that said though santa fe on 17 inch wheels in stock trim shakes off most bumps it feels well controlled through the corners and even in sharp changes in direction this is still a really enjoyable suv noise is well insulated inside the
Cabin you’ll occasionally get a little bit of flooding over extensive patchwork sections of road but all in all feels like a really comfortable really well controlled suv and one that you’ll happily spend long amounts of time in the santa fe cements itself with strong after-sales prospects including a five-year unlimited kilometre warranty 12 months roadside assist
And cap price servicing that will set you back just under 500 annually car manufacturers make a living out of getting people to climb the model food chain upon purchasing but in this instance i reckon the 50 000 diesel entry santa fe is as good a pick as any in hyundai’s seven seat lineup smart efficient and cleverly packaged it ticks all the important family boxes
Without blowing out the budget you
Transcribed from video
Hyundai Santa Fe 2.2D 2022 Review By carsales.com.au
