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Hyundai Santa Fe
Answered prayer
Dinzo Tabamo drives the hottest SUV in town and finds that a leap of faith is no longer necessary in trusting a Korean Brand
Photography by Jaykee Evangelista
For decades, the Koreans have wandered in the desert of the automobile industry, searching for the vehicle that would propel them into becoming a major player in the global car market. For the longest time, they have pursued their automotive oasis built on their perseverance and hard work. Still, it hardly translated into Japanese-like quality, resulting in a stigma that wasn't easy to shake off.
Finally, the skills they have learned from their mistakes are beginning to show. Not only have they created a good vehicle, they've actually created a desirable one. No longer content to play the reliability card, they want the full house of customer aspiration, a hand usually dealt to the Japanese big boys and the German marques. And judging by the Santa Fe, it looks like the Koreans now have the upper hand.
Okay, enough with the introduction. Normally, a proper review would have the conclusion and the recommendation at the end. But we'll make an exception this time. Bottom line is we love it. If you have a million-and-a-half pesos and you're looking for a car, don't bother calling Botchi Santos for a “Wrong Car, Right Car” assessment. Just head over to the nearest Hyundai dealer and get one of the sweetest SUVs on sale right now.
Our unit comes in what looks like metallic maroon, but according to Hyundai, the color is Superior Red. The Santa Fe is handsome, muscular and proportionate. Its stance is SUV-macho, yet not hardcore testosterone-y. This car is calculated to appeal to the growing fun, fearless female demographic as well. A wise move by Hyundai.
There's the big grille, the sleek, swept-back headlights, the flush fog lamps, twin exhausts, a bulging feature line snaking its way across the sides. All these little details come together and succeed in making the Santa Fe one of the most visually arresting SUVs to come in recent years not just from Hyundai, but from any carmaker.
Sometimes, a good-looking car is let down by its interiors. No matter how impressed the people are outside ogling its appearance, it has to please its master first. Not just through a handsome interior, but a very functional one. On these two counts, the Santa Fe passes with flying colors.
Leather seating is nothing new in today's market. Even the SUV sales champ, the Toyota Fortuner, now sports leather seats. Interesting timing, too: The Fortuner's leather seats came just a few months after the Santa Fe had been launched. Even Toyota must be somewhat threatened.
Instead of the usual beige, the Hyundai's leather upholstery is black with red piping. It gives off a very racy and sleek look.
The sound system is also topnotch, more than enough for most people. It's an OEM integrated system with an MP3-capable CD and cassette player (we wonder who still uses these) that pumps out driving music through six speakers. According to Hyundai, another reason for the good sound is the internal amplifier, a very rare feature in a stock vehicle.
Air-conditioning is very good. Put on “Boogie Wonderland” and you can start tapping like the emperor penguins in Happy Feet. It doesn't go full-arctic blast right away, but five minutes with the thermostat turned all the way to blue, and all the heat in the car is dissipated. After ten minutes, those with weak resistance to cold will start looking for winter clothing. Rear vents ensure fair distribution of hypothermia.
Ergonomics is great. Cupholders abound (the center console in the second row reveals a surprise); a conversation mirror allows you to make eye contact with your passengers (and see who among the kids really started it); there are audio control buttons on the steering wheel; and the center console has a working cooler for drinks à la Nissan X-Trail.
The Santa Fe is a seven-seater. When the third row is folded, the rear space is enough to swallow two medium-sized balikbayan boxes. Great for airport duty. In a move that emulates upscale brands, the tools are located in a recessed bin on the edge of the cargo area, just above the bumper. It's not a deal-breaker, but it shows that Hyundai put a lot of thought into the details.
Hyundai's PR guy asks me if the test-drive period (a long weekend) is sufficient. I honestly tell him that for a car like this, it is never enough. I know it sounds a bit selfish, but it is just a damn good car. And the main reason for that is the engine. It only has 2.2 liters of displacement, a modest number for an SUV, but the four-cylinder CRDi (common-rail direct-injection) diesel power plant with variable geometry turbo puts out more than 330Nm of torque. This is more torque than what some other 3.0-liter diesel engines generate.
| Hyundai Santa Fe |
| We say: Still biased against Korean cars? The Santa Fe is the perfect vehicle with which to take that leap of faith. |
Price: P1,528,000
Engine: 2.2-liter CRDi with VGT
Power: 148hp
Torque: 335Nm
Transmission: 5-speed A/T (CRDi)
Layout/Seating: FWD/7
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The five-speed automatic transmission lets you feel it, too. You step on the accelerator, and immediately you feel the rich power available. You apply more pressure on the pedal and the turbo kicks in. At this point, the Santa Fe gets shoved by a tsunami of torque, and your hands tighten on the steering wheel, hanging on for dear life. The torque is so great it will cause your mouth to widen from end to end, and you find yourself grinning.
In fact, this leads to the only caveat about the Santa Fe. It's so fast, you'd wish it had wider tires for better handling and grip. But that can easily be remedied by a trip to Concept One or your favorite aftermarket tire shop.
If you're in the market for a car and the Santa Fe is in your price range—or even a little above—we highly recommend this SUV. The Koreans have rightly put their faith in Santa Fe, but the doubting Thomases stand to lose a whole lot.
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Top Gear Philippines - January-February 2007
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