Finally an SUV launched in India without cutting any features

 

Exterior The exteriors are decent, but lack the aggressive appeal  and stance of Fortuner. The alloys look really nice. The dual exhaust is a good touch, it mixes well with the rear of the car.

 

Interior (Features, Space & Comfort) The front 5 seats are very comfortable and spacious. The front 2 seats get powered adjustable seats. The last row, as in any other SUV is best fits children, these seats go down into the floor when folded. This saves a lot of space and provides a flat base for luggage. The audio system is very clear. Comes tweetes and woofer too. The tool kit is very well sorted and fitted. Has no loose bits, so no rattles. 

 

Safety Santa fe is the safest car in its class. It comes with 6 airbags, traction control, ABS+EBD, Brake assists, etc. It achieved 5 star (correct me if i'm wrong) NCAP rating. The braking for a vehicle of its size is really good.

 

Engine Performance, Fuel Economy and Gearbox The best aspect of santa fe is its engine. It almost has no turbo lag. It refined too, much quieter than its prime competitor, fortuner. The engine is expected to deliver 11 in city and 14 on highways thanks to it improved engine, which is much better than any other SUV in its class. Its massive power close to 200 bhp can take it to 100 in a little over 10 secs. The drivability is decent thanks to the 420 Nm torque. In the sixth gear one can cruise at 140km/h without the engine getting too loud. This also adds to the fuel efficiency. The 4 wheel drive is not meant for serious off roading.

 

Ride Quality & Handling The ride is good, like any other soft roader. Handling is much better than fortuner, at par with captiva, but not as good as Outlander. The straight line stability is decent, making it capable of reach speeds over 180Km/h.

 

Final Words This is the SUV i was waiting for almost 2 years and i'm not disappointed with it. Though its almost a couple of lacs costlier than its competitors, the additional features in Santa Fe are worth over that difference. The 4X4 version is kind of over priced, which is almost 2.5 lacs costlier than the 4X2 version. I seriously do not know if the 4 wheel system is worth that cost.

 

Areas of improvement Cost is the only area where i feel Santa fe gets surpasses by its rival. It would have changes the tide of SUV sales if the 4X4 version was priced around 21lacs ex-showroom. But, i don't think that a difference of 5-10% would change the mind of serious buyer.

 

Spacious, Powerful soft-road vehicle, Decent styling, good music system, Excellent safety featureInteriors are not excellent, currently not available in Tier 2 cities.