Test drive: 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe not just a budget buy anymore

Not long ago, the argument to purchase a Hyundai Santa Fe – or any Hyundai, for that matter – centered entirely on its value proposition. In exchange for excusing shortcomings in quality, power, and prestige, buyers were presented brand-new, no-nonsense transportation at a cut rate. Ask any salesman on Northern Boulevard, and he’d agree: it was all about the bottom line.

For 2013, hoping to galvanize customer perception and raise the bar on its sport-utility vehicles, as it has across an entire model lineup of passenger cars, Hyundai presents two Santa Fe models: the two-row Santa Fe Sport, and the three-row Santa Fe. The three-row model, tested here, seats up to seven, and effectively replaces the discontinued Veracruz SUV.

When the Santa Fe was launched over a decade ago, it was Hyundai’s first and only sport-utility vehicle. Now in its third styling iteration, the Santa Fe is comfortable in its chiseled skin, which blends design cues from Hyundai’s sedans with a shape not unlike that of the Dodge Durango. Strong character lines and an imposing visual presence, due in large part to a massive grille and oversized features, help differentiate the third-generation Santa Fe from its frumpy predecessor.

 

The transformation is equally impressive in the Santa Fe’s interior, which is indistinguishable from the previous model’s, and smartly takes design cues from more expensive brands. Soft, rich-feeling materials supplant cheap plastic at almost all of the major touch points in the interior, save for a flimsily fashioned center console. Front and center on the Limited tester is an infotainment system – part of the Technology Package ($2900) that bundles navigation, a 550-watt Infinity audio system and heated seats and steering wheel with a full-length panoramic sunroof – that looks to be straight out of an Infiniti. The interior feature content is astounding, and not only because of the previous model’s dearth of amenities. A rear-view camera, power liftgate, rear climate control, push-button start and a proximity key round out a very competitive package.

Critical for families cross-shopping minivans is the interior’s impressive size and use of space. The Santa Fe tested was equipped with second-row captain’s chairs, which slide to offer more legroom to third-row passengers and fold forward for contorted rear-seat access. Second-row passenger room is limousine-like, with leg room and knee room for six-footers to sink into comfortable repose. As for the third row, no longer need passengers feel Shanghaied into their positions; even with the second row in its rearmost sliding position, there is more than sufficient space for adults. The Santa Fe does not offer an electronically folding third row, but its mechanical operation requires only a lever and a strong wrist. With all seats up, cargo space remains for grocery runs, but not for schlepping holiday baggage.

Source: New York Daily News