Test Drive: Hyundai Santa Fe 2013 2.2L R-eVGT 6AT

We were part of the Hyundai Santa Fe test drive in Siargao earlier this year as well as the Hyundai Forum in South Korea a couple of months ago but never really got to drive the unit of our own.

So when the opportunity came that we can bring home and use the Santa Fe for an entire week, we took it for a spin — and as the odometer reading says, it was a full 900 kilometers (or thereabouts).

Having owned a Tucson since 2009, I’ve long been a fan of Hyundai’s line of cars — from the Santa Fe, Sonata and the Genesis Coupe.

The unit that we tested has been on the road for some time, clocking in a little over 19,000km by the time we returned the unit back. We reckon it’s been thru a lot of reviewers and long drives.

It’s a 2.2L 4-wheel drive that runs on diesel. It’s the first time we’ve driven a diesel-fueled SUV but from experience, it is still very powerful, has good acceleration and with comparable top speed. During our trip to Nuvali in Sta. Rosa, Laguna we were able to reach speeds of 160kmph without much effort. I think that’s one benefit of having a 4-wheel drive rather than a 2WD.

Here’s a YouTube video we created for the Santa Fe.

Based on the 7 days that we’ve been using the Santa Fe, we’d like to share the top features we really liked about it.

1) Push-to-Start. No more keys in the ignition, just step on the brakes and press the start button, and you’re good to go. You still have a wireless key for the door locks and the car can also detect if the key is nearby the vehicle when you start it (the Smart Key or Proximity Key has some sort of proximity sensor). And oh, there’s no hand-brakes or foot-brakes as well (it has an Electronic Parking Brake).

2) Panoramic Sunroof. The sunroof extends from the front seat all the way to the backseat giving you a panoramic view of the sky. You can either retract the ceiling to expose the glass roof or retract the whole glass roof entirely so you can peek out of the car.

3) Rear Video Camera and Back Sensor. For easier navigation when in reverse drive, a rear camera displays a wide view from the posterior of the vehicle and a back sensor when there’s low visibility.

4) Automatic Seat Adjustments & Reclining Back Seats. The driver’s seat automatically adjusts its position from the steering wheel when mounting or alighting the vehicle. The back seats can also recline if you need to get a comfortable nap while on the road.

5) Four-wheel Drive. The Tucson I was driving for the last 4 years was just a 2WD so moving to a 4WD SUV is a huge difference in terms of power, grip and, of course, the obvious off-road advantage.

The re-designed body of the Santa Fe makes it look like a cross between the new Tucson and the more elegant Sonata, especially with the sunroof. It feels smaller though and a little lower, considering it came with a 19-inch wheels.

As for fuel consumption, we had a mix of city and highway drives which spans from Paranaque, Makati, Taguig, Mandaluyong to QC and then a full round trip drive from BGC to Nuvali. Based on a total trip of around 850 kilometers and a full tank of 64L, we estimate the average fuel consumption at about 14km per liter.

The entire ride is enjoyable, smooth and comfortable. We were thoroughly satisfied and the Santa Fe didn’t disappoint, not even a bit. It’s a solid performer, has a beautiful exterior and interior design, with a sprinkle of technology niceties here and there.

This specific model is the more well apportioned one (Hyundai Santa Fe 2013 2.2L R-eVGT 6AT 4WD) and has a suggested retail price of Php2,228,000.

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Conquering Siargao with the Hyundai Santa Fe 2013

Last week, we head out to the beautiful island of Siargao to experience first-hand what the latest model of the Hyundai Santa Fe 2013 has to offer. First of all, I have to say that the venue, as well as the timing, couldn’t have been more perfect to showcase this 3rd Generation mid-size SUV’s prowess.

Introduction

The Santa Fe has come a long way since Hyundai released its first version some 13 years in the past. It has evolved into a masterpiece that not only caught the attention of its target market, but also impressed various car organizations both locally (Car Awards Group Inc.) and abroad (Euro New Car Assessment Program).

Hyundai Santa Fe 2013

In its short tenure, the car has already brought home notable awards such as being named Best Midsize Crossover Car of the Year in the Philippines (2012-2013) by CAGI and bring referred to by EURO NCAP as the Safest Large Off-Road 4×4 in its class.

Conquering Siargao

Earlier I’ve mentioned that Hyundai Philippines couldn’t have picked a better time and place to let select members of the press to test drive the Santa Fe. That’s because we had a little bit of everything as far as the road surface and condition are concerned.

Hyundai Santa Fe specs

Albeit majority of the main roads are cemented, there are still roads on the island that are rocky, muddy or sandy. But no matter what road we were treading, the Santa Fe was able to provide a smooth ride thanks to a plethora of enhancements for both braking and handling various terrains that Hyundai equipped the car with.

Design

Hyundai prides itself on their in-house design philosophy they like to call as “Fluidic Sculpture”. Call it a marketing gimmick as you wish, but I have to say that the Santa Fe’s curves are undeniably fly and I assume serves a greater purpose as far as aerodynamics is concerned.

Hyundai Santa Fe dashboard

The Santa Fe’s interior is as well thought of as its exterior. Most of the things that are usually adjusted (audio volume, driving/braking modes, windows, etc.) by the driver are within arm’s reach. There’s also a fancy dashboard that’s both visually-appealing and functional. Furthermore, it can be customized to display information such as average speed, average fuel consumption and distance to empty.
Another geeky addition to its arsenal is the combo of Proximity Key technology and Engine Start/Stop button. Here’s a short video to give you a better picture of the benefits of these added features.

The inside of the car was spacious; there was ample legroom for both the 2 seats at the front and passenger seats at the middle. However, the foldable seats at the back was a bit of a tight-squeeze and not something that I would advise to be sit on by full-grown adults.

Here are some shots that we took of the Hyundai Santa Fe:

Summary

Just to be clear, I am not a car enthusiast by any means as it’s probably evident on my coverage. But quite frankly, I feel like I don’t need to be one to be able to tell you guys that the Hyundai Santa Fe is a well-rounded SUV.

It definitely has the looks, but more importantly it has all the bells and whistles that one would look for in a car in this class. We also like the idea that Hyundai was able to incorporate today’s technology to the Santa Fe which not only ensure a comfy ride in various terrains, but also add a touch of convenience to the whole package.

Hyundai Santa Fe specs (click to enlarge):

The Hyundai Santa Fe is available in two variants; 2.2L R-eVGT 6AT 2WD and 2.2L R-eVGT 6AT 4WD. The base model of the former will set you back Php1.768M while the latter retails for Php2.228M.

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