Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid melds macho looks with frugal performance
Hyundai has officially launched its new fifth-generation seven-seat Santa Fe model in SA.
Powered by a petrol engine, it has been launched as a single Santa Fe Hybrid Elite AWD model, the first in the country.
Hyundai's engineers certainly had time to get the large seven-seat formula right after the Palisade model, which continues to be sold alongside the new model, though not for long as its retirement is planned before year-end.
The largest Santa Fe model yet wears a dramatically different, boxier, corporate suit characterised by plenty of H-motifs as LED DRLs and rear light clusters, prominent roof rails, mud guards and 20-inch alloys. It's more macho than the softer previous generations, and the new American SUV looks should be everyone's cup of tea.
The 4,830mm length, 1,900mm width, 1,770mm height and a 2,815mm wheel base leaves it marginally smaller than its Palisade and Staria cousins as large size people carriers in the harem, but inside it's a different story. You enter the cabin easily through large doors, into an atmosphere that's more luxury shuttle than Mom's taxi.
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