HYUNDAI Santa Fe 2019

Body, cabin and cargo space

The 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe gains 7 cm in length and wheelbase, and about 1 cm in width and height. New style lines emphasize the larger dimensions with a more upright, “truck-like” look.

The interior reflects the extra centimeters, with more headroom overall and increased legroom in the rear. Four adults of any size enjoy plenty of room and, for once, a third rear passenger won’t feel like they’ve been sent to the penalty bench.

The front seats are comfortable and supportive. Drivers get the added plus of four-way power lumbar adjustment and leg cushion extension in Luxury and Ultimate trims. The driving position is just high enough to please the targeted public without being off-putting to drivers who prefer lower seating.

The large, well-shaped rear bench has a split-fold reclining seatback. It slides to expand the cargo area without having to lower the seatbacks but creates a gap behind the seat that reduces the usefulness of this feature. In any event, the already voluminous trunk is bolstered by a vast underfloor compartment. Folding the 60/40‑split backrest forms a large and completely flat surface; all that is lacking for maximum versatility is a separate middle section.

As usual with Hyundai, the controls are intuitive and easily accessible. Large buttons and knobs greatly facilitate access to ventilation and major multimedia functions. The multimedia screen is logical and rapid but placed a bit too far from the driver. All contemporary connectivity is provided, including Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and four USB ports.

Other highlights

Convenience: heated seats and steering wheel, power lumbar support and alloy wheels are standard. Automatic climate control and keyless ignition offered starting on Preferred trim.

Instrumentation: head-up display restricted to Ultimate trim. Very practical, it projects key driving information on the lower portion of the windshield, but creates an annoying reflection.

Storage: big compartments forward of the gear shifter and under the centre armrest. Front cup holders have good retention tabs.

Safety features

• Antilock brakes with electronic brake force distribution and brake assist
• Stability and traction control
• Front airbags
• Front side airbags
• Side curtain airbags
• Pretensioners for front seatbelts
• Five adjustable head restraints; front restraints with whiplash mitigation
• Rearview camera
• Blind-zone monitoring with rear-cross traffic alert, rear occupant alert and rear door locking in case of oncoming vehicle (standard, Preferred, Luxury and Ultimate; non-available, Essential)
• Forward collision alert with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection, active lane control, driver attention warning, automatic high-beams and adaptive cruise control (standard, Preferred, Luxury and Ultimate; included in SmartSense package on Essential trim)

Crash test results

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Overall score: 5 / 5
Frontal impact: 4 / 5
Side impact: 5 / 5
Rollover resistance: 4 / 5

Insurance Institute For Highway Safety (IIHS)
Moderate overlap frontal impact: 4 / 4
Small overlap frontal impact:
- driver side: 4 / 4
- passenger side: 4 / 4
Side impact: 4 / 4
Rear impact: 4 / 4
Roof strength: 4 / 4

IIHS Top Safety Pick+

Visibility

Rare for the industry, the remake of the Hyundai Santa Fe improves visibility. Well-proportioned side windows, relatively narrow roof pillars and the panoramic sunroof create a very luminous interior. Large door mirrors and blind-zone monitoring facilitate driving on the highway and in traffic.

Headlights: according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Ultimate model’s LED projectors deliver good lighting in a straight line and long curves in both low- and high-beam positions. The halogen headlights on the other models received a poor rating from IIHS, mainly because of poor performance in turns. Automatic on‑off headlights are standard.

Inspection

We noted the following points in an inspection at a CAA-Quebec technical inspection centre:

• Practical telescoping hinges support the hood; dirt and grime can penetrate because of the absence of seals on the sides
• Windshield-wiper fluid reservoir well located, on passenger side
• Windshield wiper arms placed partially under the edge of the hood; in the winter, you have to remember to put them in service mode before exiting the vehicle in order to be able to lift them to clean the windshield
• Headlight lenses very exposed to road debris (too vertical)
• Very poor access to head- and taillight bulbs
• Turn-signal lights located on bumper rather than near the brake lights, making them vulnerable to slight impacts and harder to see for other motorists
• Almost no rust proofing on underside of the vehicle
• Fuel tank now finally made of plastic, resistant to corrosion
• Spare is mounted outside, under the floor of the trunk, and becomes very dirty

Mechanical overview

Hyundai modernized the Santa Fe platform through its use of high-strength steel and additional structural adhesive. The 15‑percent more rigid structure is much lighter than before, which allowed equipment and sound insulation to be enhanced while shedding some 15 kg of weight on the base model.

The engineers also tweaked the front and rear suspensions and steering to refine handling. The rear shock absorbers, for example, are vertically positioned rather than angled for improved control of body movements.

The engine is a close copy of the 2018 Santa Fe Sport’s, with a few internal modifications. The two most affordable models still come with a 2.4‑litre direct injected four‑cylinder engine that develops 185 horsepower. The second listed engine, a turbocharged 2.0‑litre, attracts many more buyers in Canada; Hyundai offers it as standard equipment on Limited and Ultimate models and as an option on the mid-range Preferred version. It delivers 235 horsepower this year, 5 less than in 2018, but the same maximum torque of 260 pound-feet available at 1,450 rpm.

The only available transmission is now eight-speed. That’s two gears more than in 2018, allowing, in theory, quicker starts and lower fuel consumption at highway speed. In addition to manual shift, the driver can select one of three driving modes that modify the response of the transmission, throttle, steering and all-wheel drive.

Optional on Essential trim and standard on all the others, the all-wheel-drive system directs power to the rear when it detects front-wheel slippage. It is also active when starting off and cornering, varying from 100-0 to 50-50 front-to-rear. In Sport mode, at least 35 percent of power goes to the rear wheels at all times, for sharper handling. And it is always possible to lock the system 50‑50 at low speed to extricate the vehicle from a difficult position. The system also calls on the brakes to modulate power between the rear wheels to improve cornering.

Neither the updated mechanicals nor the reduction in weight improves the fuel economy, at least on paper. The turbo engine delivers a city/highway average of 11.2 L/100 km, according to Natural Resources Canada, exactly as in 2018. We obtained 10.2 L/100 km on a route composed of two-thirds highway, 4 percent more than the official, 9.8 L/100 km highway rating.

Driving impressions

Owners of a 2013 to 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe will feel right at home behind the wheel of the newest iteration. They will renew with the comfortable ride, stable highway-speed comportment and secure road holding that characterized the former generation. Additionally, this year’s improvements in sound insulation reduce wind and road noise.

However, the 2.0‑litre engine produces a dull and uninspiring rumble in even moderate acceleration. Despite the decreases in horsepower (to 235, from 264 in 2013), performance remains convincing, especially when re-accelerating. The new eight-speed transmission is a big contributor, downshifting without delay when necessary, albeit with an occasional jerk.

However, there is an overall lack of character, a feeling that you have to clamp down to obtain a bit of vivacity in normal driving. Power often arrives unevenly, either because of a slight lag in turbo response or deficient throttle management. It is an irritant that has persisted for several years on most Hyundai and Kia vehicles equipped with the same engine.

Sport mode brings little respite or improvement. The steering firms up somewhat but it is already perfectly acceptable in Smart mode in terms of weight and precision. Neither mode provides much information on how the wheels relate to the road. You end up negotiating turns in a very sedate manner, especially since body lean sets in relatively quickly. The Santa Fe is clearly oriented towards comfort, which nonetheless should please its targeted buyers.

Other highlights

Braking: firmer, more progressive pedal than before, improving driver confidence. Good power and stability.

Driver assistance features: adaptive cruise control relatively transparent; regular cruise control easy to access if desired. Lane-centering control is efficient, and more progressive than that of certain competitors.

Automatic start-stop: the Santa Fe is one of the first Hyundai’s to offer this feature to buyers here. It generally functions smoothly, but the vehicle stays stopped after the engine restarts until you press on the accelerator. Several of our testers were irritated by this unusual behaviour. The feature can be deactivated, but the trade-off is higher consumption in city driving.