The fifth generation Hyundai Santa Fe: now with that 'want one' feeling fitted as standard. Jonathan Crouch drives it.

Ten Second Review

Hyundai has radically reimagined its largest SUV, the Santa Fe. The looks are divisive but you can't argue with the improvements in space and practicality. And if you're having second thoughts about that family EV, you'll appreciate the frugal Hybrid engines. It's a decent step forward.

Background

How does a car maker progress in such a short time from design that's mundanely derivative to a continual stream of stylistically cutting-edge models? That's exactly what Hyundai has done. You might not like everything the brand does these days, but every new model it makes demands a second look, including this one, the fifth generation Santa Fe family SUV. In its lifetime over nearly a quarter of a century, the Santa Fe model line has progressed from budget brand 'Qashqai'-class SUV to something altogether far bigger and grander, equipped in most generations with seven seats. This latest 'MX5'-series version has higher aspirations still, up towards the premium brands, substituting their badge equity for an arresting boxy, futuristic look that will certainly turn heads on the school run. But is there substance to match the style being offered here? Let's take a closer look.

Driving Experience

If you're expecting a big family SUV that looks like this to handle like a bus, then you might be pleasantly surprised by this Santa Fe. Yes of course you'd be unwise to start throwing the thing about - the light steering doesn't encourage that anyway; nor does the level of body roll you'll experience when pressing on through tighter turns. But the steering weights up quite progressively, there's plenty of traction and the square shape and tall driving position make this Hyundai easier to place on narrow lanes and through city streets than you'd think it would be with over 2.2-metres of body width between the mirrors. Unlike with the Sorento, there a 2WD option for the core powertrain most customers will choose, the 215PS self-charging HEV Hybrid. This base variant makes 0-62mph in 9.6s (0.2s quicker than the 4WD version) en route to the 112mph top speed that all Santa Fes share. In HEV form, the car always tries to set off just using its electric motor, but because that motor is energised by a battery just 1.49kW in size (and has to tug along 1.9-tonnes of SUV), silent running of that sort lasts hardly any time at all. Obviously, the PHEV version serves you much better in that regard - though nothing like as well as its rivals because, unlike with most more recently-introduced Plug-in Hybrid competitors, Hyundai (rather disappointingly) hasn't taken the opportunity to increase the size of the drive system's battery. Not many PHEVs these days (except this model's near identically-engineered Sorento cousin) still retain a battery just 13.8kWh in size: and that really hurts this Hyundai when it comes to EV range - AER-rated at just 33.6 miles. Which is about half what you'd get from the VW Group models in this segment (though admittedly, they can't be had with seven seats). The PHEV comes with mandatory 4WD and gets a power hike over the Hybrid (to 253PS) to compensate for its extra weight, though because the 265Nm torque figure remains the same as the HEV, there's no real performance benefit - rest to 62mph takes 9.3s. With both powertrains, brake regen paddles are provided behind the steering wheel, though the stronger settings aren't that strong. And there's a fascia button to switch between EV and HEV drive for when the battery will stand it (though no option to save EV range until later in your trip).

Design and Build

Hyundai's Chief Designer SangYup Lee clearly wanted a complete departure from the previous generation model, which had a conservative visual vibe the brand has now abandoned. The squarical, rugged practical look of its replacement certainly won't be to everyone's taste, but it's a look that is very much 'in', a trend started by the current Land Rover Defender. There are further shades of that car with the panel on this Santa Fe's upper flank behind the rear door, which here pops open as a grab handle so you can reach things on the roof rack. The squared-off edges make the car appear even bigger than its 4.8m length suggests and it rides on large wheels of 20-inches in size. Inside, it's the usual screen fest, with gently curved joined 12.3-inch displays for the infotainment and instruments, plus a further 6.6-inch climate control screen with physical dials. It's all very avant-garde and there's some nice metal-effect trimming and plenty of storage space, including a deep central cubby. The second row is spacious (legroom is improved by 35mm), with a sliding bench too; and there are plenty of cupholders and USB ports to go round. As is also the case with the third row, where that boxy shape means more headroom than is usually the case with an SUV of this class - 69mm more of it than before. Legroom at the very back is still more suited to those of school age though, despite a 15mm improvement this time round. The seating height is up by 30mm, so there's a better view forwards; and the third row backrest can recline by 10-degrees. As an option, Hyundai's offering a six-seat cabin format with top-spec trim. The square shape obviously helps boot space too: there's even a reasonable amount with the third seating row in place. And Hyundai's particularly proud of the fact that the boot opening is exceptionally wide. There's 628-litres of space with the third seating row folded (621 with the PHEV) and 1,949-litres with the second row folded (1,942 with the PHEV).

Market and Model

Expect prices to start from around £47,000 - which gets you an awful lot more metal for your money then you would be given with a similarly priced mid-sized EV. The PHEV version will cost about £5,000 more. There are three trim levels, 'Premium', 'Ultimate' and 'Caligraphy'. Of course with all variants, Hyundai loads in plenty of kit. Even 'Premium'-spec gets you 20-inch alloy wheels, electrically operated and folding door mirrors, privacy glass, front and rear LED lighting, a Smart Power Tailgate and roof rails. Cabin features including a dual curved 12.3-inch display set-up, integrating the cluster and infotainment which incorporates Touchscreen Satellite Navigation and a Media Centre with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Mid-range 'Ultimate' trim introduces the BOSE Premium Sound System, plus there's a Dual Glass Sunroof, an electrically adjustable Steering Column and Driver's memory seat function, heated and ventilated front and heated rear seats, dual wireless phone charging, a Digital Centre Mirror, a Head Up Display. Drive tech includes Hyundai's semi-autonomous 'Highway Drive Assist 2' set-up, plus Remote Smart Park Assist, a Blind Spot View Monitor and a Surround View Monitor. At the top of the line-up is 'Calligraphy' trim. That gets you 20-inch black alloy wheels, Premium Relaxation front seats and Nappa Leather seat trim, as well as black finish styling elements. At this level in the range, the cabin can be ordered with an optional six-seat configuration for £1,000 more.

Cost of Ownership

The HEV self-charging unit fitted to the Hybrid petrol model Hyundai expects most Santa Fe customers to choose can run independently on battery power, though not for very long. Let's give you the efficiency stats: for the 2WD Hybrid, you're looking at up to 40.4mpg on the combined cycle and up to 158g/km of CO2. For the 4WD Hybrid, it'd be up to 38.2mpg and up to 168g/km. A large 67-litre fuel tank provides for a generous 554-mile cruising range. For real frugality in a Santa Fe, you'll need the Plug-in Hybrid variant, but it's not quite as efficient as its obvious segment competitors because, unlike most of them, Hyundai hasn't dramatically increased the size of the PHEV system battery - it's just 13.8kWh in size. That's why this car can only travel up to 33.6 AER-rated miles on battery power alone - around half the mileage you'd get from, say, a Skoda Kodiaq iV (though that car has only five seats). That restricted battery size also tells with the efficiency stats - 166mpg on the combined cycle and 38g/km of CO2, which sound good but are nowhere near the level boasted by most obvious rivals. Which in turn means you'll be paying a higher level of Benefit-in-Kind taxation (12%) than you might expect to with a car of this kind. As usual with a PHEV, what you'll actually get in day-to-day use won't be far off what you would have got from a decent diesel SUV of this sort in the past; we've been getting figures in the mid-40mpg range on this test, falling to the mid-30s with motorway use. Unfortunately, this Plug-in Hybrid gets a much smaller 47-litre fuel tank too. Once the battery gets down below 15% of capacity, the PHEV system draws on the engine a lot more and efficiency suffers. So you'll want to keep that battery topped up as much as possible. In that regard, it's worth pointing out that the plug-in Santa Fe's onboard charger has just 3.6kW of output, so a full charge from a typical 7.4kW AC home wallbox will take four hours - which is quite a long time for a PHEV wallbox charge.

Summary

This fifth generation Santa Fe isn't actually quite as revolutionary as its futuristic styling suggests, but it's still a big step forward from its forgettable predecessor. Not everyone's going to like the radically changed look but at least it will now be difficult for prospective segment customers to ignore it. If you like the visual statement this car makes, you'll really like it - which is not something you could have said about any of this model's predecessors. It manages to be a lot more practical this time round too; there's apparently a trend in South Korea for campers to sleep in their cars rather than in a tent and you almost could in this one. So it's an adventurous SUV, a family wagon and a school run statement, all rolled into one. And it will attract a whole new breed of buyer who previously would never have considered a Santa Fe.