2017 HYUNDI SANTA FE VIDEO REVIEW

2017 HYUNDI SANTA FE VIDEO REVIEW BY AUTO CRITIC STEVE HAMMES

Hyundai has thoroughly refreshed its most family-friendly vehicle. Here’s a quick look at all of the changes and updates to the 2017 3-row Santa Fe.

Hyundai’s 1-2 punch of the 5-passenger Santa Fe Sport and up to 7-passenger Santa Fe has been a boon for the brand in this hot crossover market. And to keep them up-to-date, Hyundai has put them under the microscope for the first time since the 2013 introduction of this 3^rd generation model.

Tacking on even more adjectives, this Limited Ultimate model provides the most lavish Santa Fe experience adding a few exclusive touches over the Ultimate trim such as premium door sill plates, LED taillights, and 6-passenger seating with 2^nd-row captain’s chairs.

With its Fluidic Sculpture design it’s always been one of the more attractive choices but the model year changes bestow it with an even more premium appearance with a redesigned front fascia, new taillights, dual exhaust outlets, 19” wheels, silver accent rocker panels and LED daytime running lights and fog lamps. The powertrain remains the same, pairing their venerable 3.3-liter V6 with a 6-speed automatic and in this case, all-wheel drive. There is a new toy to go along with it – this Drive Mode Select button switches from normal, to Sport to Eco to change the vehicle’s demeanor but the tangible differences are minimal. As a matter of fact, this 290 horsepower motor feels like it’s controlled via an Eco-minded gas pedal even in the Normal setting, waiting for the mechanicals to wake up as your right foot continues to push. It’s a tad lazy but once energized gets the Santa Fe moving with some haste. The steering isn’t quite there in terms of tactile feel but the torque vectoring all-wheel drive system improves cornering feel when you’re on your way to the camp. You can also tow a small boat or other weekend toys weighing up to 5,000 pounds. But the Santa Fe isn’t trying to be sporty; instead Hyundai has focused and achieved a high level of occupant comfort.

The redesigned center stack features a new 8” touchscreen navigation system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, the next generation Blue Link connected car system, and an Infinity Premium Audio system with Clari-Fi Music Restoration Technology for today’s heavily compressed audio files. I have had issues with the glitchy CarPlay in here though. The passenger seat finally gets a height adjustable passenger seat, there’s a new matte-finish woodgrain trim and the kid in the 3^rd row passenger’s side now gets his own USB port…there are still none in the 2^nd row however. Both sets of rear seats are exceptionally generous in their size with slide and recline in the 2^nd row and a one motion movement for getting into the 3^rd row which is one of if not the best in terms of usability. Separate climate controls keep car sickness in check. When you convert to hauling, dropping the seats is made easy with remote levers and there’s a clever underfloor storage unit for things like the cargo cover and net. The Santa Fe’s packaging is very spacious and efficient.

This current generation Santa Fe has been a big winner for Hyundai delivering a rock solid foundation for a modern 3-row wrapped in a very attractive design. And now packing the latest electronics and safety features, this 2017 model keeps itself squarely in the game.

My tester also has the $2,100 Ultimate Tech Package with a grouping of luxury features such as smart cruise control with stop/start, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning and HID headlights with dynamic bending and high beam assist. And the new multi-view camera system is an awesome tool when parking in tight spaces.

Hyundai has made the climb to prominence based on giving its customers more than they expect and the level of upmarket features here follows suite with an as-tested price of $44,635…a top trim Honda Pilot goes for about $48,000. Base models start at under $32,000.  Gas mileage of 19mpg in combined driving trails its competitors though and you still can’t get a factory installed rear entertainment system.  A full redesign for the Santa Fe will likely come in the next couple of years when it is rumored to grow to an 8-passenger size with a new name to better differentiate it from the smaller Sport.