Value plus ability will equal success

Hyundai Santa Fe 2.2 CRDi: It probably wouldn't matter what the outcome of this roadtest was

Hyundai Santa Fe 2.2 CRDi: It probably wouldn't matter what the outcome of this roadtest was. We could say that the Santa Fe was utterly terrible, and it might not matter a jot. It would sell in droves, writes Paddy Comyn.

You see, the thing about the first model of the Santa Fe was that it really wasn't all that good. The styling was clumsy, the interior was pretty nasty and the steering and handling were nothing short of awful. But it was good value and looked the part, and was an outstanding success in this country.

Buyers love the look and feel of an SUV in Ireland, and in a country crippled by high taxation on cars, the Santa Fe provided genuine good value. And it was pretty reliable too.

So with the arrival of a brand-new Santa Fe, you could say that its success is something of a foregone conclusion, since it is now bigger, offers seven seats as standard, looks an awful lot better and is offered at a reasonable price, albeit at an increase over the outgoing model.

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The new model is best thought of as a Santa Fe upgrade - like moving from Economy Class to Business Class. Gone is the geeky styling, to be replaced by some remarkably handsome penmanship. Korean manufacturers are often picked-on for two things when it comes to styling. One is that they so often get it wrong, and second is that they tend to use European brands for, shall we say, inspiration.

It doesn't take a genius to spot that Hyundai's designers have seen a Volkswagen Touareg and thought it looked quite nice. The rear end especially looks very like the VW SUV, especially when you see the circular LED headlamps light up. The front end has a certain European flavour, too. But no matter where the inspiration for the Santa Fe comes from, the result is the same. This is one good-looking SUV.

With the arrival of the Tucson SUV, which was similar in size to the previous Santa Fe and which has been a big success since its arrival, the Santa Fe now moves up a segment to compete with the likes of the aforementioned Touareg, the Kia Sorento and the SsangYong Rexton. Its dimensions and its aggressive pricing means that it will also worry rather more expensive German offerings too.

Gone are the 2.0-litre petrol version and the 2.0-litre diesel, to be replaced by one engine, a 2.2-litre diesel with 150bhp. This makes it more powerful than Kia's 2.5-litre Sorento (138bhp), Toyota's 2.2-litre diesel (136bhp) but it is still shy of Volkswagen's 174bhp Touareg, but the cheapest one of these will set you back €59,930.

The cheapest Santa Fe, on the other hand, is just €39,495, and this will be for the 2WD version, which is expected to make up the majority of the SUVs sales. While this marks a €7,795 increase on the entry-point of the previous Santa Fe, the two vehicles could not be any more different.

The new Santa Fe is palpably bigger than the previous model and the figures bear this out. The new model is 175mm longer, 45mm wider and 65mm higher and with a 80mm longer wheelbase than the old one. This has allowed the fitting of a third row of seats, making it a seven-seater and this will be a further lure to families, who don't quite like the idea of an MPV, but still need the extra seating.

The rearmost row of seats will suit children more than adults, but it is surprisingly spacious. These two rearmost seats also fold flat into the floor at the pull of a handle. It is a simple operation that works with one hand and leaves a generous 969-litre boot with the seats folded flat.

The interior quality is an improvement, too. We were driving the top-spec 4wd Auto model, which means leather upholstery is standard. The plastics used are a great improvement over the old model, and would not look amiss in a German SUV. However, Hyundai could not resist adding a strip of awful-looking fake wood to the dash. It looks like iron-on lino. Igeneral, though, the step-up in quality is commendable.

The most surprising yet welcome improvement for us is the drive. The last Santa Fe fell victim of having vague steering and a squishy ride that meant corners were tackled with a certain amount of optimism rather than certainty. This has changed with the new model. The new Santa Fe is 50 per cent stiffer than the old one, and also features new suspension geometry and a wider track width and this has means that while the Santa Fe is not quite a hot hatch, it handles corners much better than before. The ride on the motorway is comfortable and refined, too.

In town and in city car parks, where this SUV will probably spend the majority of its time, the Santa Fe is easy to pilot and visibility is good, although the upward-sloping rear bumper may fall victim to some scratches and dents over the course of its life.

The 2.2-litre diesel engine feels pretty good and the performance figures are not bad either. A 0-100km/h acceleration time of 11.6 seconds is better than most of its diesel rivals, apart from the Toyota RAV4 and a theoretical top-speed of 179km/h is up there with the best in the class. The fuel consumption is also impressive. 7.3 l/100km (38.6mpg) is respectable for a large SUV with an automatic transmission.

This self-shifter is a five-speed automatic. It tends to fish a little for the right ratio and seems somewhat surprised at times if you dip your foot on the throttle to accelerate. There is the facility to manually change gear too, but this is also easily confused. But if you intend to use this vehicle in the city, the marriage between diesel and automatic transmission is a happy one.

Standard features on all models include ABS, climate control, cruise control, 17"-alloy wheels (18" on the 4wd Auto model) and a leather steering wheel. The car is covered by a three-year unlimited mileage warranty, and three years free AA membership.

At this price, with this equipment, and with these improvements the Santa Fe now has the ability to match its great value.