Price: $24,450 to $34,800
Competitors: Ford Edge, Toyota RAV4, Kia Sorento
Powertrains: 2.4-liter I-4, 190 hp, 181 lb-ft; 2.0-liter turbo I-4, 264 hp, 269 lb-ft; FWD or AWD
EPA Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 20?22/27?33
What?s New: Hyundai?s all-new Santa Fe is now available in a short-wheelbase, five-passenger (Sport) version, and coming soon in a long-wheelbase seven-passenger iteration.
The Sport claims 266 pounds of weight loss over the previous version, thanks to extensive use of high-tensile steel. The long-wheelbase version, when it appears in 2013, will be 397 pounds lighter than the Veracruz it replaces.
With a 17-hp bump and a 3-mpg improvement, the 2.0-liter turbo is the performance engine of choice. Alternatively, the thriftier 2.4-liter mill claims the highest highway fuel economy of any automatic-equipped crossover, at 33 mpg highway. Reworked MacPherson front and multilink rear suspension also gives smoother ride quality and better handling.
Tech Tidbit: Hyundai?s in-house-developed six-speed gearbox boasts a no-maintenance oil that never needs to be changed, and efficiency improvements that help boost its expected lifespan from 250,000 to 300,000 miles.
Driving Character: The fully loaded Santa Fe Sports we tested in the mountainous expanses surrounding Park City, Utah, proved to be surprisingly pleasant steeds during a day?s worth of driving. The 2.0-liter turbos in our test cars offered mild but meaty acceleration, which was particularly notable since we were driving at elevations approaching 9,000 feet. They?ll never be confused with hot rods. But the Santa Fe?s passing power is sufficiently robust to encourage ticket-worthy velocities on open stretches of interstate.
Control in the corners isn?t quite as precise as it could be, but refinements to the suspension (which include moving the multilink rear setup within the wheel for more efficient packaging) reflect Hyundai?s incremental efforts to enhance feedback. The electric steering system is still a work in progress, but at least the Santa Fe offers three settings for effort, the middle providing the best balance between ease of use and resistance.
Favorite Detail: The Santa Fe?s quiet cabin proved minimally fatiguing at the end of a long day of driving. Credit its new double-layered windshield, enhanced carpet floor insulation, and dynamic subframe dampers for the muted on-road persona.
Driver?s Grievance: The Santa Fe delivers luxury, efficiency, and a reasonable amount of performance, but its missing link is still the sort of steering feel that begs you to take the twisty way home.
Bottom Line: Hyundai is the first to admit that it?s gotten to be good at attracting buyers in the pre- and post-family stages but not quite so savvy at drawing those smack in the middle. Thanks to its clean looks, updated interior, and inviting cabin, the 2013 Santa Fe Sport goes a long way toward offering the sort of accommodating ride that should appeal to kid-equipped parents. When the seven-passenger iteration appears, bigger families will likely flock, too.
Whereas the Mazda CX-5 is aimed at driving enthusiasts and the RAV4 is beloved by Toyotaphiles, Hyundai?s reworked Santa Fe offers an overall package that?s comfortable, functional, and well-put-together.
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