Hyundai Santa Fe Elite Full Review

Engine

The new Santa Fe takes on the Hyundai 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine.

This is the only engine available with the Santa Fe and it puts out 147kW of power and 440Nm of torque, paired with an 8-speed auto gearbox.

Performance

The all-wheel-drive system that the Santa Fe has is impressive for the size and height of the car.

We actually had the chance to take this machine around a Supercars racetrack, and although no limits were pushed, it kept itself incredibly tight and quite enjoyable around the track in Sport Mode.

Enough grunt to give you a bit of kick.

Fuel Economy

Hyundai rates the diesel engine to consume 7.5L/100km. During our testing, we averaged easily around 6.0L/100km on the motorway and around 9.5L/100km in the city, with a total average of 8.1L/100km.

Interior & Technology

The cabin looks incredibly luxurious with its leather all round and fancy gadgets. Our test car also featured an optional ($265) “dark-beige” interior hue.

The Santa Fe Elite features an 8.0-inch touchscreen as a smart-looking focal point for infotainment that benefits from a 10-speaker Infinity audio system that sounds amazing, as well including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Thanks to sliding second-row seats, there’s a decent amount of knee space in the third row for the average adult. Head room is tight though.

Something great about this car: USB ports EVERYWHERE! Two in the front, two in the second row and another 12V adapter in the third row. The interior of this car is comfortable, spacious and up to date. What more could you ask for?

Safety

No ANCAP safety rating has been given to the new gen Santa Fe yet, but we expect 5 stars.

All Santa Fes come with AEB with pedestrian and cyclist detection, blind spot warning, rear cross traffic alert, lane keeping assistance, plus active cruise control.

The blind spot warning also includes collision avoidance, which will steer you back into your lane if the system senses that you veer into the path of another vehicle coming up the side.

The Elite and Highlander grades are also equipped with a system called ‘Rear Occupant Alert’ which uses motion sensors to detect babies, dogs, or anybody else accidentally left in the vehicle before honking the horn. Both of these trims also have a child-lock system called ‘Safe Exit Assist’ which prevents the rear doors unlocking if an approaching car is detected. Not only does it save lives, there’s also a self-parking feature and surround view camera.

Ride & Comfort

The ride is incredibly comfortable and you won’t be able to feel a bump even with 7 people in the car.

It grips well to the road and has enough traction to go around bends, and can do so with enough grunt.

Warranty & Servicing

The Santa Fe is covered by Hyundai’s five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty.

Servicing is every 12 months or 15,000km. A lifetime service plan is offered and works out to be about $400 a year, along with a complimentary (1500km) first service.

Free Roadside assistance is also offered for the first year and a roadside assistance plan is offered for up to 10 years.

Pricing

ACTIVE (AWD) 2.4LULP6 SP AUTO $43,000
ACTIVE CRDi (AWD) 2.2LDiesel8 SP AUTO $46,000
ELITE CRDi DARK (AWD) 2.2LDiesel8 SP AUTO $54,000
ELITE CRDi SATIN (AWD) 2.2LDiesel8 SP AUTO $54,000
HIGHLANDER CRDi DARK BURG AWD 2.2LDiesel8 SP AUTO $60,795
HIGHLANDER CRDi SATIN AWD 2.2LDiesel8 SP AUTO $60,500
HIGHLANDER CRDi SATIN BURG AWD 2.2LDiesel8 SP AUTO $60,795
HIGHLANDER CRDi SATIN DARK AWD 2.2LDiesel8 SP AUTO $60,500

Overall

The Santa Fe is a luxurious, comfortable, eye catching car that can fit the entire family.. and more, and do so safely. It is reliable, efficient and will get the job done in style.

ALL our videos of the Santa Fe Elite:

Full Exterior & Interior Tour:

Exhaust Sound:

All Settings/Modes Head Unit/Dash: