Hyundai’s latest SUV is well-built and stylish, but its high price may not let it compete with other cars in the same segment.
The Good
The 2014 variant of Hyundai Santa Fe has great road presence. The looks are agile, with chrome highlighted hexagonal grill, combined with swept-back headlamps, which give it a modern look. The biggest plus point is the introduction of LED day time running lights within the headlamp cluster, which were non-existent in its previous model. The interiors are a mix of beige and brown plastic, with a few silver accents here and there. Comfort-wise, the front row offers good support, while the middle row has the maximum space. Some new features include a push-start stop button, a reverse camera, cruise control, dual climate control and air-conditioning vents for all three rows. As for the performance, the six-speed automatic transmission on board is ideal for Indian use, as it offers ample power, both for city driving and highway cruising with overtaking being a swift affair. With three steering modes, this SUV handles bumps really well, thus suiting Indian roads.
The Bad
When we talk about the negative points of the car, the first thing that comes to the mind is the cabin. It surely has certain issues, starting with the third row, which cannot be utilised to its full potential due to a lack of adequate leg room. Therefore, it would be fair to say that the cabin is best suited for children only. Also, the non-availability of a sunroof within the model line-up is a bit disappointing, especially when it comes to competing with brands like the Honda CR-V and the Toyota Fortuner. Another negative is the touchscreen for the audio system, which is a bit too small for our liking. From the drivability point of view, considering its sheer size, the model offers a fair amount of body roll, which can be a bit of a bother, especially when you are going fast on the SUV.
The Ugly
Competing against the likes of the Toyota Fortuner and Honda CR-V, the next generation Santa Fe does come across as expensive. As a result of this, we are not sure that the Indian buyer will opt for this SUV, given its ex-showroom price of Rs27.9 lakh. However, considering the overall packaging and the exhaustive list of features that have been included in this model, this is perhaps the best model upgrade in the Santa Fe series till date. Given that, would it be able to handle the heat, with SUVs like Fortuner and the CR-V ruling the segment, and foreign bands like Audi and BMW not far behind? It has a lot to prove to the Indian customer in the coming days.
