Hyundai Santa Fe Review by Expert
The premium SUV from the Korean carmaker’s stable, Hyundai Santa Fe is about to get blended with the characteristic design of Hyundai Motors, the ‘Fluidic Philosophy’. The 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe will have an all new exterior styling with several muscular cues flowing throughout the body of the vehicle along with newly structured headlamps with day-time LEDs and revamped tail lamps together with front grille that will have good amount chrome inserts. The inside will witness some more smart work on the instrument cluster along with premium quality leather seats and some contemporary handiness inside.
The very sleek yet stylish SUV from the Hyundai Motors, the Santa Fe is a sure trend in the Indian market and perhaps a more superior one in quality. The very admirable SUV was launched in India with superb and excellent flexibility of features with the décor of the car look fascinating and offer a luxurious ride like no other. Do not compromise; neither would you have to with the all new eye candy of the SUV segment.
The Santa Fe reveals and whirls an ambience like no other. There is perhaps more to the car with the fabulous and technology including an engine platform very efficient and highly powerful together with the superb piece of safety mechanism and driving and handling ease and feasibility. The awesome SUV now has an eye on the competition among the present SUVs of the country.
The exciting features which make the car special are six airbags, front active head rests, silica tyres, full time 4WD system, rollover sensors & ESP (Electronic Stability Program). The Santa Fe’s craftsmanship is inspired by the heart and completed with technology. The car will pleasantly surprise you by the features you will discover throughout the vehicle when driving or parked. Some of the top listed features of Hyundai Santa Fe are the Gauge cluster & Shift indicator, Cruise control, Dual zone fully automatic air conditioner and Cluster ionizer. Exterior features are no less and adorn the car are the protection head lamps, fog lamps with clear lenses, heated outside mirrors and stylish side repeaters, roof rails, hatchback handles, twin exhaust and many more. At the same time Santa Fe’s engine deliver great output and fuel efficiency with high power and low fuel consumption.
Hyundai Santa Fe Mileage and Fuel Efficiency
| Hyundai Santa Fe Variants |
Mileage (City) |
Mileage (Highway) |
| Hyundai Santa Fe 4 x 2 |
8.5 Kmpl |
13.2 Kmpl |
| Hyundai Santa Fe 4 x 4 |
7.9 Kmpl |
12.9 Km |
Hyundai Santa Fe is diesel accomplice with the 2.2L, R CRDi Engine which is known for its better output and fuel efficiency. Both the models have same engine configuration but still there is difference in their mileages. The 4x2 model delivers a decent mileage of 8.5 Kmpl on city roads whreas of 13.2 Kmpl on highways which lets the car go on for a smooth and long journeys in their car without any brake. The 4x4 variant is not behind with a mileage of 7.9 Kmpl on city roads and of 12.9 Kmpl on highways. This contributes to the experience that you want to have with your car when taken on long road trips and no doubt it will surely be fun.
Hyundai Santa Fe Variants and Features
| Hyundai Santa Fe Variants |
Special Features |
| Hyundai Santa Fe 4 x 2 |
This base variant comesa with parking sensors, traction control, electronic stability control, ABS, EBD, airbags, automatic climate control, multi – function steering wheel, leather door trim and seats, rear spoiler & fog lamps etc. |
| Hyundai Santa Fe 4 x 4 |
It is the 4WD vehicle that is almost same as 4x2 but with 4x4 mechanisms and also with the presence of Cruise control differs itself from the base model. |
Compare Hyundai Santa Fe Models
Hyundai Santa Fe Colors
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Phantom Black |
Sleek Silver |
Crystal White |
Ice Silver |
Click Here to see Hyundai Santa Fe Photos
Hyundai Santa Fe Engine, Power and Performance
The car delivers a great output and fuel efficiency at the same time. Hyundai engines are developed steadily to satisfy conflicting goals: high power and low fuel consumption. Engineers have meticulously reworked on designs and replaced materials again and again to increase performance and economy at the same time. And users can have benefits from their dedication to excellence while driving Santa Fe.
The Hyundai Santa Fe diesel accomplice 2.2L, R CRDi engine of DOCH (Double Overhead Cam) type delivers a sheer displacement of 2199 cc. This lets the car take you to enjoy the drive never thought of before. The engine works at its maximum to exert the greatest power of 197Ps @ 3800rpm which is excitingly great when the torque of 42.9kg.m @ 1800 – 2500rpm accompanies it to give a better drive. The six speed manual transmission boasts of an exceptional shift quality with the NVH (Noise, Vibration & Harshness) characteristics that let you enjoy a peaceful drive which does not let the pedestrians know about its arrival and is quite durable with a shift indicator that encourage optimal driving habits.
Hyundai Santa Fe Pickup and Acceleration
| Hyundai Santa Fe Variants |
Max Power(Ps @ rpm) |
Max Torque( Kg.m @ rpm) |
Transmission |
Pickup (0-100 Kmph) |
Top Speed(Kmph) |
| Hyundai Santa Fe 4 x 2 |
197 / 3800 |
42.9 / 1800 - 2500 |
6 speed automatic |
11.6 Seconds |
178 |
| Hyundai Santa Fe 4 x 4 |
197 / 3800 |
42.9 / 1800 - 2500 |
6 speed automatic |
11.3 Seconds |
183 |
The six speed manual transmission boasts of an exceptional shift quality and accelerates from 0 to 100 Kms in 11.3 seconds minimum and offers a top speed from 178 to 183 Kmph.
Hyundai Santa Fe Interiors & Features
The car that one wishes for, the car that overdo luxury and the car whose incredible interiors will make you fall for it; is Hyundai Santa Fe. Words get short out of the world when one starts to describe the car. Craftsmanship of the car is inspired by the heart and completed with technology to surprise you when you experience it. The spacious interiors of the car are gives you a roomy feeling and you feel very much comfortable. The passenger volume is much more than in some other cars of the same class. The cargo space is not only larger but it even contains small cubbies for storing smaller items and also there is additional storage under cargo floor.
Each feature is designed to be visually appealing but not distracting. This is just the starting and the car has many more on its way to be described about. The interiors are assisted by many exciting features that not only adorn the interiors but are very much helpful. For easy visibility the radio and temperature controls are displayed high on the dashboard with the buttons and knobs clearly marked. The gear shifter and the steering – wheel – mounted cruise and audio controls are conveniently setup so that you can operate them by one touch alone. The powerful audio system comes as standard with it. Every feature of the car is enhanced so that it gives a classy look to the interiors. The cup holders are illuminated in a soft blue glow at night to highlight their location. The multi functioning steering wheel is not just known for its convenience by one touch of various controls setup on it, but also the smooth and effortless drive it makes possible. The steering wheel is leather wrapped which makes a comfortable and easy grip on it and even looks great matching to the rest of the interiors.
The Instrument Panel that is designed with great intelligence is of great use. Chrome rings add elegance to the gauge cluster. The shift indicator helps you enhance your fuel economy by timing your gear changes just right. The best fuel efficient and most relaxing way to maintain a constant speed is the cruise control. When one is behind the wheel, the centre fascia serves as a welcome companion to enhance your driving pleasure. Featuring the Bluetooth hands – free phone system, one – touch power tilt – and – slide sunroof with sliding shade to let you get another type of outside view and sunglass holder that is placed in the overhead console and even the trip computer meant to make your experience as comfortable and clutter free as possible. There is even a 115 – volt power outlet that has the ability to power appliances like radios and laptops.
Hyundai Santa Fe features dual front automatic temperature control with a clean air ionizer. The system will automatically adjust the interior temperature to match the settings made by the occupants, ensuring optimal riding comfort. The Cluster ionizer is a built – in system which improver interior air quality. Eight fan speeds setting is used to generate ion plasma that helps clean the air and suppress the bacterial growth in the cabin. Also the Car features the Navigation System which has a large, high – resolution 6.5 – inch touch screen that’s simple, intuitive and features a rear view camera for tight parking spaces. This can show over five million points of interests, view most recently visited locations, marked points and favorites. With built –
in XM Nav Traffic, one can get real – time traffic updates to help you save time on your commute. To have a short snack time inside the car and keep you assisted, there is a small cooler to keep water bottles or other things.
The car even has adjustable seats (adjustable in 10 different ways) with adjustable head rests and armrests to keep you relaxed, comfortable and let you rest during your ride. Another standard features as in other cars are even present like power windows, glove compartment, seat belts, airbags, remote trunk boot opener, low fuel warning light, rear reading lamp, vanity mirror, heater with AC, tachometer, electronic multi – trip meter, fabric upholstery according to the interiors, digital clock & odometer, cigarette lighter and many more.
Hyundai Santa Fe Exteriors and Features
The Hyundai Engineers have given Santa Fe the clean, timeless lines that are aerodynamic but not anonymous, and space efficient but not boxy. The front fascia of the car is very much lifted and the grille with the logo oh ‘H’ (representing Hyundai) right in its center is very much classy and gives a luxurious look to the car. The projection head lamps offer a modern yet sophisticated look, adding class to the front styling of Santa Fe. The fog lamps with clear lenses improve visibility in inclement weather for greater driving safety.
The outside mirrors are heat operated. Thermal wires are built into the mirror to remove the frost or fog for greater driving safety in cold weather. The elegantly designed side repeaters enhance the exterior look. The roof rack cross rails of the car in the silver color complements the dynamic looks of the SUV and adds a touch of luxuriousness to it. The 18 – inch alloy wheel give a fabulous look to the car and with every turn the car gives a high standard looks to the one who watches it. The side look of the car gives a professional feel as being taken for business purpose only but when you get into it then you know that whether it is a meeting with a colleagues in the morning, a trip to a golf course in the afternoon, a charity event in evening, a whole day picnic or a road trip with your friends, you can relish each moment with Santa Fe.

In every kind of weather, the car allows you to enjoy driving the way you want to drive it. The precipitation on the rear window can be remover for a safer rear view with the help of rear wiper. The tail gate handle is large and intuitively placed on the right giving you easy access to the rear cargo area of the vehicle. This unique design helps minimize the frustration many have with opening and closing the hatchback and is user – friendly with women too. Santa Fe even features body colored mirrors and rear spoiler with centre mounted LED brake lights that not only look good but also illuminate faster than convectional bulbs. The dynamic SUV image is even accented by dual exhausts. Their design hints of the thrill; you get when driving the Santa Fe.
Safety features in Hyundai Santa Fe
Keeping you and your loved ones safe is the basic and essential concern when deciding on which vehicle to buy. Hyundai has made safety the top priority when designing Santa Fe. The protective capabilities may not be readily apparent to the eye, but this SUV is thoroughly equipped to withstand diverse collision scenarios.
The new Hyundai Santa Fe featuring Five – Star safety technology provides the most complete protection possible. Safety is built into the Santa Fe from start. The high – rigidity body is designed for the most effective impact distribution in frontal and lateral collisions to minimize deformation. The Santa Fe received Five – Star for collision safety in New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) test by US National Transportation Safety Board.
The amazing sense and reliability of safety comes well advanced inside the decor of the Hyundai Santa Fe being highly comprehensive with the fabulous and splendid airbags that have been placed at almost every corner starting from the dual front ones to the curtain ones and the rear ones at the back portion of the interiors of the car. There is delight and room for protection and instant mitigation with these very efficient airbags that provide superb safety and security to the passengers of this baby elephant. The redefined mechanism of the ABS provides braking control like no other. Not to forget, the pretension control system well programmed along the seats of the car is yet another very splendid technique.
There is feasibility and provision for all round safety inside this SUV and so is clear by the fact that it has got a unique and very appreciative Traction control system that helps maintain superb driving control with stability on turns. A similar combo with the Electronic stability mechanism and support takes out the perfect piece of safety. The EBD or the Electronic brake force distribution helps in grip on the brakes too. The dynamic safety measures award an A+ to the vehicle.
Hyundai Santa Fe Driving and Handling
Performance is another reason you will love the Santa Fe for. Dynamic handling, smooth drive, and precise handling are the things which will make you fall for the car. The credit goes to the designers, engineers and everyone who contributed in the making of it. The fascinating joy ride of this very enduring and luxurious SUV beats all odds to deliver what perfection is. The four wheel drive of the Hyundai Santa Fe is truly the best of what we have seen lately. The significant transmission is terrific and the automatic clutch response makes sure you have an effortless drive. The tires of the car have been doped with excessive silica to deliver a relaxing and magnificent drive. The suspensions being the MacPherson Strut in the front and the multi- link in the rear has a charm for sure. The Anti – lock Braking System (ABS) electronically controls all the four wheels, while ventilated disc brakes on the front wheels provide optimal braking performance under any circumstances.
Hyundai Santa Fe Accessories
The Hyundai Santa Fe is well equipped with the entertainment package you require which is thoroughly modernized and has all the advance equipment. With the remote control built onto the steering wheel, you can adjust the audio system safely while driving. The simple modern design adds sophistication to the steering wheel as well.
The high – performance audio system will make any genre of music sound fantastic. The 6 – disc CD changer is built into the dash board, adding convenience and variety to audio and entertainment. With the help of a cooler, the unit keeps beverages cool for a long time, making driving on hot summer days more refreshing for everyone. Auxiliary, an USB and MP3 port allows the diverse external devices to be plugged into the onboard sound system for unlimited music access.
Hyundai Santa Fe Conclusion
The Hyundai Santa Fe is the utmost version of Hyundai that offers everything in it for its users and can be given preference when one wants to buy a car of this range.