- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 7 seats
- Engine
2.2DT, 4 cyl.
- Engine Power
145kW, 436Nm
- Fuel
Diesel 7.3L/100KM
- Manufacturer
4WD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
5 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Elite CRDi Off-road Review
2013 HYUNDAI SANTA FE REVIEW
Vehicle Style: Seven-seat SUV
Price: $45,990 (plus on-roads)
Fuel Economy claimed: 7.3L/100km | tested: 12.5L/100km
OVERVIEW
Santa Fe, in Spanish, means “holy faith”.
Faith in Hyundai’s ability to build a decent SUV was in our minds when we decided to saddle up the Santa Fe for a soft beach-sand excursion.
But the Santa Fe isn’t really marketed to beachgoers. Sure, it’s for active types - those with a big family who want to go places - but isn't it really just a wagon with a bit of AWD versatility? After all, it’s a seven-seat SUV with all-wheel-drive, a raised ride height and plenty of space.
But here at TMR, we like to push things. And if Hyundai is going to build an all-wheel-drive wagon, we want to find out how well "all wheels drive it".
INTERIOR | RATING: 4/5
Quality: The Santa Fe is without a doubt the best-built Hyundai of the moment.
There’s nothing in the way of squeaks or rattles and the interior materials really appeal. Throughout, there's a good blend of textures and finishes across the car (although we found a mismatch in the leather in the front seats).
Comfort: Plenty of space means passengers in the first two rows will be happy on a long trips out to the local fishing spot. The third row is quite claustrophobic, but as a five-seater and occasional seven, the Santa Fe works well.
The leather seats are comfortable; electric adjustment for the driver, and equally comfortable for the passenger (who does without the electrics, but doesn’t seem to suffer) with excellent lower back support.
Equipment: On test was the Elite model. It's stocked with all the mod-cons you’d want.
Beautiful, clear satnav, dual-zone climate control, second-row vents with third row air-con, self-dimming rear view mirror, reversing camera and parking sensors, electric park brake with auto hold, phone and media Bluetooth, rain-sensing wipers, auto headlights, cruise control and rear passenger privacy blinds – phew. It really is a well-kitted vehicle.
Storage: There’s plenty of storage in here. Apart from the glovebox, there’s a space under the dash, huge door pockets shaped for a water bottle, under-armrest storage and heaps of cupholders.
The boot is a helpful 516 litres with the third row folded with 1615 litres available when the second row is flipped forward.
ON AND OFF THE ROAD | RATING: 4.5/5
With ground clearance at 185mm, and no low range, rock-climbing was out of the question. Most owners, afterall, would rarely venture past a dirt trail.
But sand, that's loosely at the edge of the Santa Fe's remit. So, how does it go when faced with loose beach sand?
That's what we wanted to find out. It would be a challenge of the all-wheel-drive system. As a front-driver (essentially), with power sent rearward when required, the Santa Fe would need to be quick in ascertaining slip before the front wheels tried to dig their way to the earth’s core.
The AWD system of the last-gen Santa Fe was mediocre in this environment, and, even with the AWD lock engaged, it would overheat and revert back to FWD.
Heading to our "beach test", on the highway out of town the Santa Fe shone. Excellent handling for its size and shape, and a firm but comfortable ride.
Then, after turning off the highway onto a corrugated track to the coast, it was time to “air down”.
Tyre pressures for the test were set at 15psi. Any lower and a tyre could roll off the rim. Any higher and there was a risk of getting stuck.
After an hour of negotiating rocks, bushes and tracks, we hit the dunes.