Hyundai South Africa has launched the facelifted Santa Fe SUV in South Africa and we attended the launch in Cape Town to take it for a drive.

The Hyundai Santa Fe does battle in a tough segment where cars like the BMW X3, Audi Q5, Land Rover Discovery Sport and Kia Sorento are all vying for a piece of the SUV pie. Hyundai has now introduced the updated Santa Fe to market with an array of new features and fresh styling that not only makes it more appealing, but will also hopefully bring new buyers to the fold.

We had a chance to drive the updated Santa Fe on launch last week. Let’s take a closer look at what’s changed and what you can expect from the updated Santa Fe.

What’s New?

A number of styling tweaks have taken place and from the outside, the Hyundai Santa Fe looks quite attractive. The hexagonal chrome grille has been reworked and there are new front and rear bumpers which house redesigned fog lights and LED Daytime Running Lights. The headlights feature a new design too and the rear taillights now feature a new LED graphic. The tailpipes are also more square in shape compared to the round pipes found on the outgoing version. The updated Santa Fe also benefits from newly designed 19-inch alloy wheels which round off a good looking offering.

On the inside, Hyundai has updated the instrument cluster and navigation system and incorporated new materials in the cabin. Passengers seated in the second row also have more space thanks to a sliding adjustment of 270mm and the reclining seats add an extra dose of comfort. Loading items into the boot has been made easier too with a Smart Power Tailgate that opens with the push of a button on either the fob or the door.

Hyundai has improved the package even further with the inclusion of a number active safety features such as Blind Spot Detection, Rear-Cross Traffic Alert and Smart Cruise Control.

The Drive

There are two Santa Fe derivatives on offer, and these include the R2.2 5-seater Elite which is front-wheel driven, and the R2.2 7-seater Elite which is fitted with an All-Wheel Drive system. Both derivatives are powered by the previously proven 2.2-litre CRDi diesel engine which offers 145 kW and 436 Nm of torque mated to a 6-speed automatic gearbox. Fuel consumption for the 5-seater is rated at 8.0L/100km while the 7-seater AWD model claims 8.3L/100km.

On our leisurely drive through the Cape Winelands, we sampled the R2.2 5-seater Elite. As passenger on the first leg, I found the leather seats to be particularly comfortable and they had good figure-hugging bolstering too. The front seats are electrically adjustable while the driver seat features a memory function.

Our route was a mix of tar and dirt and it must be said that the Santa Fe performs well on both surfaces. The suspension is well sorted and cushions bumps with ease, resulting in a surprisingly smooth and even ride. The cabin is well insulated so wind and engine noise is kept to a minimum.

The Santa Fe impressed us most on a long section of dirt road, where it delivered a smooth and composed ride, despite all the undulations in the road. It was as if we were driving on tar and the Santa Fe wasn’t bothered in the least.

Performance is good too and the Santa Fe has enough grunt to get a move on if needed and there’s more than enough power in the bank for overtaking too. The Santa Fe never felt sluggish and the automatic transmission does a decent job of balancing performance and economy. Manual mode can be selected too if you feel the need to get more out of the engine. The driver also has the choice to switch between three driving modes which include Normal, Sport and Eco. We were surprised to see a fuel consumption figure of 7.1L/100km displayed on the trip computer, which is excellent for a vehicle of this size.

Overall, our first impressions of the facelifted Hyundai Santa Fe are positive. The styling has improved the package and the Santa Fe is composed and comfortable to drive with sufficient power and torque on tap. We will have the Santa Fe on test soon to give it a thorough evaluation, but for now, take a look at what you can expect to pay for the Santa Fe.

Hyundai Santa Fe – Price in South Africa

Santa Fe R2.2 2WD 5-seater Elite – R659 900

Santa Fe R2.2 4WD 7-seater Elite – R699 900

Pricing includes a 5-year/90 000km service plan, 5-year/150 000km warranty and Roadside Assistance.