Hyundai Santa Fe 2012 Review - International

Hyundai Santa Fe

What we liked:
>> Smooth ride
>> Engine power
>> Primo interior

Not so much:
>> Woolly steering
>> Rearward vision
>> We didn't get to drive it much...

When the all-new Santa Fe seven-seater comes to Australia late in 2012, it has the potential to increase sales for brand in a big way. Based on a new platform, kitted out with loads of neat features and sporting an integrated exterior style that does away with the swollen design of its predecessor, the new Santa Fe looks set for a smooth landing Down Under.

If our brief first impression of the new SUV is anything to go by, it should be a lot quicker than the current model too. We drove the new 2.0-litre direct-injected four-cylinder turbo petrol model, hooked up to a six-speed automatic gearbox, and it went off like a frog in a sock!

Flex your right foot and you'll be rewarded with copious amounts of lag-free power, to the tune of roughly 200kW/360Nm. The only slight pause in power delivery came from the gearbox when it decided to drop a gear when gassed. Hyundai reckons this 'entry-level' Santa Fe will go from 0-100km/h in 8.2 seconds, which is pretty zippy for family hauler.

Even with five burly blokes on board, the Santa Fe's 2.0-litre turbo engine hauled hard.

The bad news is that this rip-snorting powertrain may not be coming to Oz. Hyundai Australia said that engine types, pricing, specifications and even colour options couldn't be talked about, as negotiations between the Korean factory and the local distributor were still ongoing.

What's likely is that we'll see a return of the 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine, which outputs a handy 145kW in its current form. There is also a 2.0-litre diesel engine that pumps out 110kW and a 3.3-litre direct-injected V6 petrol engine worth 216kW offered in the US, but it's not yet clear if we'll see either of them locally.

Other drive details we gleaned from our short but informative steer at Hyundai's Namyang R&D facility in Korea is that the vehicle has a very cushy ride. The ultra-supple suspension will be tweaked for Australian tastes and (thankfully) the steering will too, which was best described as light, direct, but ultimately woolly and bereft of any feedback.

We spent time in the driver's seat and also in the back seats and the news is positive on both fronts. Improvements to the interior design include a subtle push upmarket, thanks to higher quality plastics, a quieter cabin, and a contemporary dashboard design that integrates a massive eight-inch LCD screen.

The model on test was an American-spec Santa Fe and was fitted with a lot of cool stuff, such as a heated steering wheel, a giant panoramic glass roof with a rapidly retracting sun blind, leather seats, sat nav, Internet radio, the list goes on.

Comfort levels have improved ever so slightly with better contouring on the front seats making for a snug fit, and they featured both heating and cooling functions. Even the rear seats had two heating settings.

Rear seat passengers also benefitted from window blinds and B-pillar mounted ventilation ducts, and the rear seats were comfortable, save for the middle one whose back rest was compromised by its part time job as an armrest.

Leg room aft was also pretty good and with four adults in the SUV there was room to stretch out. When we loaded it up with three guys across the rear seat, shoulder room was tight but leg room still ample.

Big D-pillars hamper rearward vision when head checking, but the upshot is that the car looks sharper than before.

The reversing camera worked well but the boot didn't appear as large as some of its rivals, with the high floor eating into precious boot space. By the same token, more boot space was effortlessly liberated thanks to intuitive levers on the sides of rear seat cushions, which saw the seats fold flat into the floor in about 1.5 seconds. It's a much better solution compared to the previous setup.

The only Santa Fe model confirmed for the Australian market at this stage is the short wheel base seven-seat variant, but no prices, trim levels or engine types have been locked in. Currently the most affordable Santa Fe costs $36,990, so expect a similar pricing pattern.

Hyundai Australia told motoring.com.au there's a chance the launch of the Santa Fe may be delayed beyond its vague launch date of “late 2012”. The manufacturer said supply could become an issue: More than 10,000 customers had pre-ordered the Santa Fe in Korea in less than two weeks -- and Aussie versions are coming from that country.

The first taste of the new Santa Fe has left us wanting more. Decked out with a snappy interior, more features and a new turbo petrol engine that left us agog, this is one vehicle we hope doesn't get delayed.

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