Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid Driven

The Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid was introduced into the SA new car market a few weeks ago. We took delivery of a fresh test unit to learn more about the SUV.

Hybrids were once the reserve of tree-huggers and the super eco-friendly. However, that has changed somewhat as new car buyers keep looking for ways to reduce their monthly fuel bills. As a result, automakers are reacting with more options in this sub-segment. The Chinese brands have been aggressive in this space (as you can read here). And the latest member to join this group is Hyundai.

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Late(r) to the Party

The Korean automaker has, typically, been quite conservative when it comes to rolling out new tech locally. So the car you see here is the very first Hyundai in SA to offer any form of hybridisation. And it is not surprising to see this form of propulsion appearing at the very top of its portfolio. And it’s not as though Hyundai didn’t have options. There are plenty of hybrid Hyundai models on sale in other markets. Hyundai SA just didn’t feel the time was right, until now. The latest Santa Fe has been introduced into the local market exclusively in hybrid guise.

Chunky And Large

The latest Santa Fe is an all-new model., not a facelift, so it stylistically a big departure from its predecessor (click here for reference). This newest Hyundai on sale in SA takes on a boxy appearance. In addition it carries some of the design traits, such as the ‘H’ motif in the headlamps, that we have seen in other models of late. It also happens to boast generous proportions as it measures nearly five metres length. Hyundai’s engineers have spent a great deal of time tuning the Santa Fe in the wind tunnel. Despite its boxy stance it has a drag coefficient of 0,29, comparable to that of a regular sedan.

Slabsidedness aside, the Santa Fe has an appearance that most people seemed to think is refreshing. It certainly sets itself apart from the sea of other new models on sale today. One area that onlookers were not impressed with is the rear end, commenting unfavourably on the bare tailgate and low-mounted taillights. The large dimensions are allied by blade-like 20-inch alloy wheels. Yes, this MPV rides on 20s…

Oodles of Space

Those generous exterior dimensions translate directly into a cavernous interior. All five passengers enjoy plenty of leg- and headroom. The Santa Fe also offers a set of seats at the rear of the cabin for an additional two, ideally smaller passengers, bringing the total seating up to seven. Boot space is more than generous with a quoted 413 litres available when the rear-most seats are folded away. That figure expands to a van-like 1 148 with all rear seats folded flat. Hyundai still throws in a full-size spare wheel.

This Santa Fe feels and looks quite premium. Hyundai’s interior design team did an excellent job here. You’d be easily fooled if images of the interior were accidentally switch into a road review of a Range Rover. Leather is the standard, and only, upholstery covering. Both front seats are electrically adjustable, cooled and heated, even the middle row has a heating function. There is just a single Santa Fe derivative on offer locally, the high-spec Elite. As a result what you see is what you get. The standard items list is quite long, you name it and this car has it.

There are twin digital screens, wireless charging and connectivity, dual sunroofs, 360-degree parking camera, rear curtain blinds, powered tailgate, a booming good Bose premium audio system, smart cruise control, lane-keep assist, keyless entry and start; the list goes on and on. We mention the dual-zone climate control separately as Hyundai has maintained physical controls for this system. That’s a departure from most other brands that have taken to integrating these control into the infotainment screen. Potential buyers need only decide on their exterior colour of preference.

New Ground

The Santa Fe Hybrid’s powertrain consists of a 1,6-litre turbopetrol (ICE) that produces a peak of 132 kW/265 N.m. In addition there is a 44 kW/264 N.m electric motor sandwiched between the transmission and ICE. The hybrid powertrain produces a total system output of 175 kW and 367 N.m. A six-speed torque converter automatic transmission sends power to all four wheels. Yes, the Santa Fe is all-wheel drive.

Other technical highlights include movable aero flaps on the front bumper. These help the Santa Fe to achieve its slippery drag figure, and deliver cool air to the powertrain only as and when it is required. There is also a brake disc cleaning function, which allows drivers to remove any built up corrosion from the discs by pressing and holding the ‘auto-hold’ button on the facia for three seconds. We are not sure anyone will ever use this.

Smooth and Silent

The Santa Fe starts out in electric mode, as with most hybrids. It will will cruise along powered solely on battery power. But the battery capacity is just 1,49 kWh so the ICE is called into play when the driver requires more power by pressing on the accelerator. At that point the two forms of propulsion work in unison to provide maximum power. The Santa Fe Hybrid cannot be charged from a wall socket ie it is not a PHEV or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. As with many other hybrids the battery is recharged under deceleration or when travelling downhill.

We tried to see how far we could travel on battery power alone each time we set off on a journey. Doing so meant that we sailed silently out of parking bays into the flow of traffic, or stalked along the roads of gated estates that we visited. It’s a neat little trick that also has the added benefit of reducing tailpipe emissions in populated areas. We had the Santa Fe on loan through a spell of patch weather in the Cape. We quite enjoyed the surefootedness of the all-wheel-drive system on the rainy Cape roads.

The cabin cossetted us as all passengers took to using the standard “butt warmers” as one eight-year-old called the heated seats. The fully independent suspension also played a role in helping to isolate us from the condition outside. The suspension system is well-tuned with the 20-inch alloys (can you believe a Hyundai comes standard with twenties?!) to create a ride that is soft and accommodating, without any unwanted firmness.

Summary

Hyundai SA has been a perennial front-runner on the SA new-car sales charts. There is a good reason for that. Local product planners always seem to have a pretty good handle of market needs. And if they were confident that the market was not ready for a Hyundai hybrid, we’d believe them. The new Santa Fe feels premium throughout, but (and there had to be one) the latest Hyundai to join the local portfolio is almost the most expensive one on sale in SA today.

The price (see below) places it among some really stiff competition such as the Mercedes-Benz GLC 220d Avantgarde and Lexus NX350h, not least of all the BMW X3 30e. The Hyundai counters with two extra seats and a full suite of mod-cons. We suspect it’s going to be a interesting debate for potential buyers to compare these two. However, the CEO of Hyundai SA isn’t too bothered the comparisons. At the model’s local introduction he admitted that doesn’t expect to see more than a dozen or so units of the new Santa Fe leaving dealership floors per month, and he usually gets his numbers spot on.

Model: Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid
Price:R1 249 900
Engine: 1,6-litre four-cylinder turbopetrol hybrid
Transmission: six-speed automatic, AWD
Max power: 175 kW
Max torque: 367 N.m
0-100 km/h: 9,5 sec
Top speed: 190 km/h
Fuel consumption: 7,5 L/100 km (8,4 during review period)