2019 Hyundai Santa Fe Ultimate: Could this be the best mid-size CUV on the Market?
A few weeks ago, I did an April Fools article about Hyundai Australia, who converted an open-top one-off Santa Fe concept. While this sounds a little insane, Hyundai realized it was just for promotion, and not to be marketed for retail sales. I think Hyundai believed that the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet and Range Rover Evoque Convertible was enough to supply the few people that wanted one. But the thing that Hyundai scored on, was the fact it was the very first 7-passenger open-top vehicle. Think about it, you could carry the whole family in style.
In the meantime, I was given this Santa Fe Ultimate 2.0T AWD as a review vehicle. The reports I’d been hearing stated that most journalist thought it’s the absolute last word. While I believe that has some merit, I’m not exactly on the same page.
First, I can speak volumes for the Santa Fe’s packaging and build quality, but the first thing I noted was that the leather seats weren’t all that comfortable; in fact, the farthest thing from, say Nissan’s NASA’s developed Zero-Gravity seats. Besides, I felt that the driving dynamics weren’t all that gratifyng, considering the various competition I’ve has a chance to sample. And lastly, I got extremely irritated of the audible sound that the Santa Fe made when crossing a painted striped lane, which so far has been the norm instead of the exception for Hyundias. I know there’s got to be a way to turn this sucker off; I just haven’t been able to find it.
At the time I had the Santa Fe I had already driven the Kia Telluride, and knowing that the upcoming cloned Hyundai Palisade would virtually have the same dynamics, I was hoping this would be true for the larger three row seating ‘Ute. We’ll have to see when I have the opportunity the test that model later.
In the meantime, Hyundai will have to rely on the Santa Fe XL, which is considered the elongated ‘Ute with three row seating. On Kia’s side of the South Korean fence, besides the new Telluride, that brand has the Sorento, which has an option for the third seat.
When the fourth generation went on sale at the end of 2018, the brand was well on its way to completely relaunch its entire SUV lineup - although the revamp comes with a little confusion. This new Santa Fe we tested is effectively a replacement for the outgoing Santa Fe Sport. Today’s longer-wheelbase Santa Fe continues for one more model year, rechristened the Santa Fe XL, until the all-new Palisade debuts for the 2019. Along with the Kona and fuel-cell Nexo, there will be a new Tucson and a smaller-than-Kona crossover, the Venue, by 2021, too. If you’re counting, that’s six new or redesigned Hyundai SUVs in half as many years.
For now, the subject is the new Santa Fe, no-longer considered the Sport, and judging by our drive of South Korea–spec vehicles, Hyundai is on a good track. For starters, the new ‘Ute looks more grown-up than ever, as well as good looking. The rear glass is more vertical, a boon to headroom for the sort-of-optional third-row seats (more on that later) and cargo space. With shorter overhangs, a longer wheelbase, greater length, and slightly more girth than last year’s model Santa Fe Sport, interior space is up, too. Hyundai increased visibility by employing what it claims is 41 percent more glass area than in the outgoing Santa Fe to nurture the target markets of empty nesters and families moving up from a sedan.
Hyundai calls its new grille motif “cascading,”. The polygonal design is available in black or bright finishes, and its design theme carries over to the interior, echoed in elements like the seat pattern and the speaker covers. It’s a nice design touch that partially makes up for some hard-looking and - feeling plastics, particularly on the seldom-touched trim pieces on the lower instrument panel.
One should love the dashboard’s simple, straightforward layout, complete with a standard 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment display (8.0 inches if you opt for navigation). Initially we feared that the volume and tuning knobs, positioned in the lower corners of the infotainment display on the dash, would require a long reach, but both are easily accessed from the front seats.
Base models have an instrument panel with a 3.5-inch LCD screen between a conventional tach and speedometer. In upper trim levels, such as our Limited, has an analog tachometer and fuel and coolant-temperature gauges flank an optional 7.0-inch “virtual cluster” in the instrument binnacle. Depending on the driving mode, this display changes its color theme - blue for Normal, red for Sport, green for Eco - and it can display a digital readout or a facsimile of an analog speedometer. Throttle and transmission calibrations change with these modes, although we found little reason to divert from Normal.
The Santa Fe comes with two familiar inline-four engines: a 185-hp 2.4-liter and the 235-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter found throughout Hyundai’s lineup; paired with an unfamiliar and new eight-speed automatic transaxle of Hyundai’s own design. All-wheel drive is available across the board.
A steering-column-mounted electric motor aids and keeps feedback from the 19-inch tires (17s are standard, 18s are also available) largely at bay. Despite the big wheels, ride comfort is exceptional from the strut front and multilink rear suspension. Tire and road noise are kept at a minimum.
As suspected, there are a litany of standard and optional active-safety features. The Santa Fe can be had with six airbags, forward-collision warning with automated emergency braking, lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist, driver-attention warning, automatic high-beams, rear cross-traffic alert, and blind-spot monitoring with avoidance assist. That’s a pretty standard package of safety features these days.
Two that are less common are Hyundai’s new Safe Exit Assist and Rear Occupants Alert. Safe Exit warns of a car, motorcycle, or bicycle approaching from the rear and will keep the doors locked if there is potential for stepping into traffic, an accidental door removal, or a bike-messenger clothesline.
The Rear Occupants Alert uses an ultrasonic sensor in the headliner to detect and then warn the driver, with either the horn or through an app on a connected smartphone, when there is movement in the rear of the car by either a child or a pet.
Hyundai anticipates an increase in the 3-to-4-percent range. That would put the combined EPA number at about 24 mpg for the roughly $26,000 base, front-drive, 2.4-liter model and 22 mpg for an all-wheel-drive 2.0T. When the Santa Fe hits dealers in the fourth quarter of this year, a loaded 2.0T AWD will cost nearly $40K.
Hyundai is in the process of expanding its entire SUV lineup, which soon will stretch from the compact Kona (including Hybrid and EV), through the freshened Tucson and new Santa Fe, to the all-new, larger three-row CUV, which will be called the Palisade.
The Santa Fe’s price straddles the small SUV and midsize two-row SUV segments. It's a rival for well-equipped versions of the Honda CR-V, Subaru Forrester, and Toyota RAV-4, and, and even Hyundai’s own Tucson. At a $39,905 price point it's also a worthy competitor to the two-row seating Chevrolet Blazer, Ford Edge, Jeep Cherokee, Honda Passport, Mazda CX-5 and Nissan Murano, especially when packaged with the optional turbocharged engine. Because of that, we opted for the turbo. Hyundai Santa Fe Limited tester came with the turbo four-cylinder and all-wheel drive.
How It Drives
The turbocharged engine has power on tap, but its delivery is not always predictable. The Santa Fe tends to hesitate when accelerating in stop-and-go traffic or from mild cruising speed, a trait that's common among four-cylinder turbo engines. This effect is exaggerated when the eight-speed automatic transmission fails to shift smoothly as it tries to keep up with the demand for power. Drivers may see this most often during suburban driving and around town. Our Santa Fe is EPA-rated at 21 mpg overall.
We have also extensively driven a 2.4-liter Santa Fe that we rented from Hyundai. We liked this less-expensive, non-turbo version for its smooth powertrain. The 185 horsepower it creates moves the Santa Fe smartly, and the engine works better with the transmission than the turbocharged engine. Overall, this combination is more refined than the turbo is, and we didn’t miss the 50 hp difference in the real world. As a bonus, the 2.4L engine is EPA-rated at 23 mpg overall, making it more affordable to buy - and drive.
The handling is quite responsive; the Santa Fe feels taut and agile, something not often said about SUVs. There's limited body roll when it's pushed through turns, and the steering response is prompt, which gave our drivers confidence. The ride is a touch firm, though it absorbs impacts well and the vehicle remains planted.
Safety and Driver-Assist Systems
All Santa Fe’s are equipped with forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic warning, and lane-keeping assist.
Hyundai has added two clever features that are new to the Santa Fe. Driver-attention warning looks for signs of drowsy or distracted driving by analyzing vehicle data, such as steering input and the vehicle's position in a lane. If the driver's behavior suggests a lack of focus, the SUV will issue an audible tone or visual alert. And a safe-exit assist feature warns occupants that a vehicle is approaching when they open a door. In addition, it keeps the rear doors locked until the car has passed.
The SEL Plus, Limited, and Ultimate trim levels come with Rear Occupant Alert, a system designed to prevent children or animals from being left behind. Drivers get a reminder when they exit the SUV if the rear doors had been opened at the beginning of that trip. If the vehicle is locked and an ultrasonic sensor detects movement in the rear seat, the horn will honk repeatedly. If the driver doesn't respond by opening the doors, the system will send a text message or an email to the owner via Hyundai’s Blue Link telematics system.
The redesigned Hyundai Santa Fe could be the sensible choice for many SUV buyers or even defectors from large sedans. It's capable and pleasant with lots of usable interior space, good visibility, and easy controls. For many shoppers, the comprehensive suite of safety systems and competitive price may seal the deal.
The turbo is the only overt shortcoming, although this can be overcome by sticking with the base engine. And you can save money in the process.
In our week with the Santa Fe Ultimate 2.0T we found it pleasant, easy to live with, and comfortable (as far as ample room, not comfortable seats) for driver and passengers. These are our first impressions, before our testing was completed:
The large doors and a hip-height seat help drivers and passengers get in. There's plenty of space for the driver and the wide seats are comfortable, though back support could be better. Our model has just two-way lumbar adjustments.
As for the interior, it's modern, clean, and nicely finished with padded dash elements, brushed metal accents, and two-tone leather upholstery. Between the front seats are a couple of handy storage nooks, with the forward one gives occupants easy access to power, an AUX jack, and a USB port.
The controls are simple to interpret and use, a welcome break from the complexity we experienced in the recently tested Acura RDX and Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross. And the infotainment system is easy to learn; we like that it has volume and tuning knobs. The screen is quick to respond, though it may require tall drivers to stretch in order to reach it.
The backseat provides plenty of space for adults - practically worthy of a limousine - even as the panoramic moonroof shaves some off the headroom.
Cargo space is decent, and the vehicle's square body shape and significant underfloor storage make it even more functional. We were disappointed it didn’t come with a cargo cover, which is a dealer-installed accessory. We found the cabin to be quiet with engine, road, and wind noise all well-muted.
