Sophisticated and Spacious
Introduction: I was privileged to have been invited to the recent South African launch of this magnificent vehicle. At the launch, I asked the approachable and friendly CEO, Stanley Anderson, exactly how you say the word Hyundai. He said, say Sunday” and then Hunday! I am pleased to be finally saying it correctly now. The launch began with an informative boardroom power point presentation on the plethora of salient features and ultra-modern technology that the new Santa Fe offers in abundance.
A key handover ensued, so that we could test the six Santa Fe’s waiting for us on the roomy showroom floor. After leaving the seaside town of Umhlanga, our route took us to the pretty valley of a thousand hills where we were able to weave and wind through a few feisty corners, then through the Eston fields of sugar cane, ultimately, ending up at the gorgeous Gwahumbe Game and Spa reserve in Mid Illovo, for a delicious lunch. It was a special day and a seriously big thank you to Hyundai SA for treating all the journalists like royalty.
The Hyundai Santa Fe has been declared the overall winner of the 2025 Women’s Worldwide Car of the Year award, which is a very worthy accolade and effective marketing tool, not only to women but also to those buyers with families. With that being said, after driving the Santa Fe to test for the past week, I found myself wondering where else this awesome vehicle would fit into the South African market.
Could the AWD Santa Fe be the next car purchased by many individuals who might be looking for a reliable alternative to their current run around 4x4 SUV? Could it replace the same car that has never ever been driven offroad but prefers tar as a driving surface and fancies swishing by the perfectly manicured hedges at various prestigious Lifestyle and Golf estates - perhaps on route to one’s traditional Wednesday morning tee off. Or is the Santa Fe a classic all-rounder for a wider range of customers looking for a vehicle that so generously offers luxury, comfort and space which also, has the ability to drive in sand, mud and snow? Whatever your reason is, I believe that many would be extremely happy and excited if their choice, was the new Santa Fe. If the two non-negotiables in South Africa, safety and reliability, become ultra important to this particular brand of future buyers, the Santa Fe will be in big demand.
Engine/ Economy/ Drive/ Comfort: The 4-cylinder 1.6 litre, turbo charged petrol engine delivers 132 kW and 265 Nm of torque, with a 44 kW/264 Nm electric motor, with a combined 175 kW and 367 Nm of torque. The electric motor draws power from a 1.49 kWh lithium-ion polymer battery. The seamless six speed automatic transmission has Active Adaptive Shift (AAS): The AAS system automatically adjusts transmission shift points based on driving style and road conditions, optimizing performance and fuel efficiency. I managed an 8 Liter per 100 kilometres of combined driving fuel economy, comparing well with Hyundai’s claimed average of 7.5. I thought that the Santa Fe drove beautifully, was super comfortable and held its own through corners and offered some excellent braking ability.
Features: The 12-speaker Bose audio system was superb, and my family were super impressed while pumping some Tomorrowland tunes, on route for our weekend away at the beach! The list of features is too long to put here, but herewith a few: lane assist, 360-degree cameras, parking, front, side and reverse warnings, collision protection, pedestrian protection, adaptive cruise control, climate control, rain sensor wipers, rear occupancy alert, boot lid height adjuster, dual fast wireless charging stations, heated front and rear sets, apple car play, android auto, which lined to BT very quickly – the list goes on.
Interior/ Exterior/ Boot: The cabin offers space and quality like you would find in a business or first-class cabin on Emirates. The gigantic, curved infotainment system totals over 60 centimetres of screen combining the instrument cluster in it. The feel is world class and the functional dashboard completely ergonomical, durable and oozes quality. The vehicle measures 4 830 mm long and 1 900 mm wide, while standing 1 720 mm tall. The exterior looks adventurous, boxy and stylish and sits firmly on the ground with its 20-inch alloy wheels. There is an additional 50 millimetres between the axles helping give the third row of seats more legroom. These seats electrically fold into the floor which is really a brilliant idea and helps provide 628 Liters of space to accommodate those long family trips or if you are going on golf tour, the entire 4 ball can travel with you in style and comfort. I was not overly impressed with the ground clearance coming in at 177 millimetres, so am hoping that in the future this AWD option available in South Africa, will be able to get the XRT upgrade, on offer in other countries, increasing this figure to 210 millimetres.
Price/ Warranty/ Service Plan: R1 249 000, 5-year/150,000 km vehicle warranty, an additional 2-year/50,000 km powertrain warranty, and an 8-year/160,000 km hybrid battery warranty, 6 year/ 90000 kms service plan with services every 15 000 kms or one year. In
Summary: Would I purchase this vehicle. Absolutely, not even a question. My entire family agreed and, on my way, back to our home, after a stunning weekend down the Hibiscus coast of KZN, I said to my wife, that I wished that we were on our way to Cape town. For those that appreciate upmarket vehicles, need plenty of space, won’t compromise on quality and are not wanting to join the proverbial “same old society says and does”, do yourselves a favour and buy the Santa Fe. You will only be impressed and more than likely the rest of your herd might follow!
*This article is written in my opinion only. For detailed information on the specs, please contact Hyundai SA*
