Hyundai Santa Fe

T he new Hyundai Santa Fe is a five-door road which may have three rows of seats (image), two different engines and manual or automatic. It is on sale from 32,000 €, a price very close to a SsangYong Rexton.

Increases considerably in all dimensions compared with the previous Santa Fe 4675 Measure length and 1,890 mm wide, dimensions similar to those of a BMW X5 (4,667 and 1872 mm). 5 cm height grows with the previous Santa Fe, is in 1,780 mm. The battle is relatively short compared to other all-terrain along its length (especially the longitudinal engine).

The engine range consists of a diesel and gasoline. The four-cylinder diesel is a 2.2-liter engine capacity, which gives 150 bhp maximum power at 4,000 rpm (more info on the engine). With this engine, the Santa Fe is not a fast car and he must anticipate overtaking, as it takes to gain speed. In return, provides a relatively smooth operation, a constant speed, its sound is not much inside. Nor is it an engine to vibrate intensively even at idle it perceived such swings in the steering wheel and gear lever.

At a distance of about 120 km two-way road with little traffic and a brisk pace, though far from rushing the engine's capabilities, the average consumption indicating the computer was 10.9 l/100 km.

This serial engine is coupled to a gearbox five speeds, which can be manually or automatically. The manual lever has a normal routes and fast enough to drive the car features. The automatic seems more advisable because it provides a greater driving comfort and not declining in excess benefits. You can drive it manually if you move the lever to the right, with movement forward or backward.

The petrol is the same 2.7-liter V6 is the former Santa Fe, but with changes in the distribution (which now has variable valve timing). The maximum power increases from 173 to 189 hp at 6,000 rpm always. Have a box of standard five-speed manual changes and, optionally, an automatic four. For some markets, such as the U.S., a second V6 petrol engine with 3.3 liter engine capacity.

It's a comfortable car with a suspension and body roll is not very pronounced. On roads with the firm absorbs remarkably bad irregularities, although in these circumstances, the road noise is high, at least with the wheels carrying the car I drove (HP Dinapro Hankook 235/60 R18).

The suspension travel is small, which greatly limits the ability to travel on land abruptly, as it is easy to leave a wheel in the air. Under conditions of good grip on Santa Fe is a front wheel drive. If the firm is an electronic device embrago sliding the rear wheels, when the grip is very low and the speed is not exceeding 40 km / h, you can make the front wheels and are supportive treaseras by a button on the dashboard.

The suspension is independent in the two axes. Keeps ahead of McPherson type, rear carries a deformable parallelogram different to the old Santa Fe

Among the safety equipment are items such as stability control, airbags for head curtain (which also protect passengers in the third row) and active head restraints, among others. It also has comfort features such as automatic wipers, dual-zone air conditioning and heating system for exterior mirrors and windshield.

Like the Volvo XC90 or the SsangYong Rexton, the Santa Fe can have a third row of seats. When not in use can be folded, so that is hidden under the trunk floor.

The models for the European market and will be manufactured at Hyundai plant in Ulsan, South Korea. As is becoming normal in today's cars, the development period is greatly reduced in this case 26 months.