The Korean manufacturer has reinvented itself over the past few years. Moving from an econo-box – read: Hyundai Pony – manufacturer to become one of the most accomplished and credible carmakers, and with accolades that stretch from Johannesburg to Seoul, it takes some stern grit and determination. In Mzansi’s product offering, and sitting at the top of the totem pole of the Korean marque’s range, is the impressive Palisade SUV, which initially launched locally in 2022.
A new chapter for Hyundai's Santa Fe
That model - the Palisade - received an update in 2023 and will remain on sale at local dealerships until October this year before it is discontinued as an offering here. And this is where the recently launched Santa Fe comes to the fore. Offering seven seats, as has been the tradition with the variant, I am also privileged to have driven all generations of the model; thus, I have seen the progression instituted with each new generation.
Offering a very upright and squared-off design, it looks sturdy for the most part, with just the right quotas of modernity thrown in for good measure. There are signature H-patterned head and rear LED lights that look rather cool, and dimensionally, the Santa Fe comes in at an overall length of 4,830mm, a 2,815mm wheelbase, and a width of 1,900mm, making it quite a commodious vehicle with genuine space for seven passengers. Sure, the rearmost seats will appeal more to children than adults, but it remains a boon having seven seats at your disposal.
The cabin architecture borrows inspiration from the Land Rover Discovery 4, which is not a bad thing, and from there on takes its unique flavour of the 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen replete with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, while the Bose sound system offers good tonal levels to keep you adequately entertained. Boot space measures 414-litres in standard guise, but this can be expanded to 1148 and 2253-litres with third and second row seats folded forward, respectively.
On the safety front, the Santa Fe comes as standard with six airbags and a suite of safety equipment that includes: a 360-View Monitor, Driver Attention Warning, Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist, Blind-Spot View Monitor, Rear-Occupant Alert, Forward-Collision Avoidance Junction, as well as the Lane-Follow Assist.
The hybrid replaces diesel in the 2025 Santa Fe
A great departure in the Santa Fe story is the exclusion of a diesel powertrain in favour of a hybrid setup. Being the first hybrid-equipped Hyundai model, it comes with a 1.6-litre turbocharged, four-pot turbo petrol engine with 132kW and 265Nm that is augmented by a 44kW and 264Nm electric motor. This brings the total system output to 175kW and 367Nm. Fuel consumption, meanwhile, is claimed to be 7.5 litres per 100km, though we managed to achieve around 7.8 at the model’s launch. Then again, we weren’t particularly driving with economy in mind.
Shuffling the power onto the road, via the all-wheel drive system, is a 6-speed automatic transmission that is deft enough to tackle daily trudges with ease. It is a fairly responsive engine that manages to pull the big SUV with sufficient conviction, although it must be said that a turbodiesel would suit the model’s character better, but alas, this hybrid drivetrain is the only one on offer. That said, the model rides exceptionally well on its 255/45 R20 tyres as it managed to cope with undulations and dips in the road with little in the way of suspension thumps that would otherwise unsettle the vehicle.
Ground clearance concerns
A great concern for me, however, is the ride height of 177mm, which is decidedly low and will compromise the model’s potential to tackle some off-road excursions. This is also exacerbated by the protruding spare wheel located below the rear of the vehicle, which is likely to scrape against some speed bumps and steep driveways due to the compromised departure angle. While the Santa Fe is more of a city slicker, I feel that a higher ground clearance would greatly add to its versatility.
Is it competitively priced?
All things considered, the new Hyundai Santa Fe feels accomplished in the build quality department, drive polish, and technological fronts. At a price point of R1,249,900, it plays in quite a competitive market where the likes of the accomplished Kia Sorento and BMW X3 also have a stake in the segment, and both come with frugal and torquey diesel engines on offer. However, in isolation, the Hyundai Santa Fe makes a compelling argument in the SUV segment.
*Included in the pricing is the standard 7-year/200 000km mechanical warranty, while the battery pack is covered by a separate 8-year/160 000km
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