ROAD TEST: Hyundai Santa Fe 5-seater AWD:
The latest batch of Korean cars has shifted my perceptions so far that stepping into this Santa Fe was a bit of a culture shock.
I remember being pleasantly surprised by the funkiness the Kia Soul, the sporty design of the new Sportage, the futuristic vibe of the Hyundai ix35 and the crisp elegance of the Sonata.
As a testament to how far this Korean car giant has come in such a short space of time, the Santa Fe just felt so dated by comparison and it's not like this is an old design.
In fact even while rushing around trying to prove to the world how cool it is with all these aforementioned products, Hyundai still managed to press the refresh button on its large SUV, the key change being a brand new diesel engine but we'll get to that a little later.
Despite restyled front and rear bumpers, grille and taillights and new 18-inch alloys, the basic appearance of this SUV has not changed much and it didn't move me in any way. That said, it's a clean cut design with little to fault besides its propensity to lose itself in the parking lot to an untrained eye.
But it was only upon climbing inside that the real generation gap became apparent. The dashboard is incredibly bland, some parts of it appearing very old fashioned. You could very well be sitting inside a ten-year-old car here. There is no faulting the build quality, however, it's as solid and well made as any Korean car.
It's also been given some new toys to make your life a little easier, such as a 3.5-inch LCD-screen reverse camera built into the rear-view mirror and a keyless entry and start system.
While we're onto its positive qualities, I must mention the acres of cabin space available. At R399 900 for the five-seater version that I tested, it's roughly 40K cheaper than the X-Trail and CR-V yet bigger inside. I can't imagine any family of five needing more rear legroom than this Hyundai offers and even with these seats in place, there's still a massive 969-litre boot in which to stash everyone's luggage.
If space for five simply isn't enough, Hyundai also offers a seven-seat version for ten grand more.
Standard specification is as generous as you'd expect at the price, with full leather seating, a six-disc entertainment system, cruise control and electrically adjustable front seats among other kit.
Those are not its best luxury features though. That you'll discover when taking to the road for the first time. As mentioned, the Santa Fe has a new engine, a 2.2-litre common rail direct injection diesel with a variable geometry turbocharger.
That may not sound too special but its outputs of 145kW at 3800rpm and 436Nm from 1800rpm put to shame every other four-cylinder turbodiesel I can think of. Put your foot down and there's nothing in the way of turbo lag and once you're on the boil, performance is quite spellbinding for an SUV of this kind.
It'll certainly run circles around those aforementioned Japanese rivals, but could prove a bit problematic to run in the first place if you're outside of SA's major centres as the engine requires a strict diet of 50ppm low-sulphur juice.
The new six-speed automatic gearbox is also more than responsive enough for this type of vehicle.
Despite its rapid performance, the Santa Fe is not for driving enthusiasts. It feels wallowy through corners and the steering doesn't impart much in the way of feel or feedback. It'll be good enough for the targeted owner though, who will probably appreciate its braked towing capacity of 2000kg (750kg unbraked) more than anything else. For the sake of comparison, a Toyota Fortuner 3.0 D-4D is only rated at 1500kg.
As for off-roading ability, the Santa Fe fits the typical soft-roader mould, with an all-wheel drive system (with lockable centre diff) that'll keep it going in mild to medium off-road situations but no low-range or rear diff lock for the heavy stuff.
Ultimately, the Santa Fe is not going to appeal to those seeking a trendy soft roader any more than it will to those wanting a serious off-roader, but if you require a spacious and luxurious family vehicle with good towing potential and at a good price, this Hyundai could be the answer to your prayers.