Hyundai Santa Fe (2017)

It has been two years since Hyundai launched Santa Fe into the Indian automobile market in order to tackle Renault which had launched Koleos. There were pros and cons attached to both the cars but eventually both established themselves in the arena, though only for a short while. If one fared well in case of exteriors and interiors, then the other one took the lead when it came to ergonomics and safety features. Hyundai presently has only two SUVs here in India one of which is Terracan (now out of production) which also received a warm response from SUV aficionados here. There are various SUVs which fall in the range of Hyundai Santa Fe but what is it that makes it distinct from its counterparts? That is for us to say. Hyundai has launched automatic variant of Santa Fe which comes with host of new features like push button start feature, smart Key for secure entry to the SUV and new supervision cluster in the instrument panel.

Exterior

The first thing that one would notice on seeing Santa Fe is the height that it boasts of. Hyundai Santa Fe has been designed in a very elegant manner and the car has a very considerable ground clearance. The car was designed way back in 2007 and the designers felt that there should be a wide gap between both of the headlights as it would look good on the overall structure of the car. Thus, both the headlights are separated by a narrow but wide grille which makes the front fascia of the car look macho and stylish. When it comes to overall weight, Hyundai Santa Fe weighs somewhat more than most of its contenders which is the reason why it has large wheels and wider tires. The side profile as well as the rear fascia has been designed in sync with the front fascia. Thus, on the whole, Santa Fe scores well when it comes to the exteriors of the car. Monocoque chassis has been used to design the exoskeleton of the car.

Interior

When it comes to interiors, Santa Fe is no less as Hyundai has equipped the cabin with one of the most urbane set of features from the dashboard till the rear boot space. When it comes to space, Santa Fe has enough to accommodate 6-7 people comfortably. The front and the second row of seats can accommodate 5 people easily whereas the last section is for kids. Adding to this, there is enough boot space for luggage and leg space has also been considered by Hyundai which is the reason why Hyundai Santa Fe is large in size when it comes to comparing it with its compatriots. The seats have been covered with high-quality leather which does not heat up easily and maintains a temperature which is comfortable for the passengers. The dashboard as well as the contours of the car has been designed to suit the mood of the passengers and the air conditioner comes with climate control which automatically adjusts the temperature inside the cabin as per the passengers.

Engine and Gearbox

Hyundai Santa Fe is powered by a 2199cc Common Rail Diesel Engine which generates maximum power of 197 Bhp at 4000 rpm with maximum torque of 420 Nm at 1800 rpm. For better torque and clear emission, the engine of Hyundai Santa Fe is Euro 5 ready and features 4 cylinders, 16 valves with DOHC.

Mileage

It is expected that Hyundai Santa Fe will return fuel economy of around 10 kmpl in city driving conditions and around 14 kmpl on highway. The ARAI mileage claimed by Hyundai is 14.66 kmpl and with Hyundai’s history of producing some excellent and efficient CRDi engines, we have no reason to doubt this.

Safety Features

Hyundai has left no stones unturned regarding safety features of Santa Fe and thus has equipped the car with the most upmarket safety features that are available. From ABS to EBD, all the safety features can be found in the car and now let us move over to the wheels. Owing to the huge size of the car as well as the height, Hyundai has fitted large diameter tires to Santa Fe in order to help it maintain a hold over the road. These tires are of optimum durability and traction control which ensures that the car does not swerve off the road. Additionally, Santa Fe is equipped with an option of four-wheel drive as well as four-wheel lock. This in turn ensures that the car maintains its grip on its path even in the most unfavourable conditions of road. The outer body of the car has been made of refined metal which is strong enough to neutralize the impact in case if the car enters into a collision course with another car.

Variants

Hyundai Santa Fe is available in three variants, one features 2 wheel drive system, second features 4 wheel drive system and third is 4WD variant with automatic transmission.

Shades

Hyundai Santa Fe is available in four shades: Phantom Black, Sleek Silver, Vanilla White and Steel Blue.

Verdict

On the whole, the car score well when it comes to the exteriors as well as the interior design but when it comes to ergonomics, it somewhat does not stand up to its competitors which is the reason why the car could not fare well on the Indian circuit.

Toyota Fortuner vs. Hyundai Santa Fe