You can’t really fail to be impressed by the looks of the stylish and bold Hyundai Santa Fe.
It stands tall on 19in black alloy wheels with huge R19 tyres and is big, broad, chunky and with its beautiful styling and sleek lines, it makes a strong statement.
Even with outstanding quality competition in its stable, arguably led by Land Rover, it sits firmly and comfortably among them in the four-wheel drive SUV market.
But Hyundai has not just relied on good looks with the latest version of its ever-popular SUV.
With five seats as well two more as a third row, there’s lots of room, exaggerated by a tilt and slide panoramic glass roof, revealed at the touch of a button. The driver’s seat is fully adjustable as well as offering lumber support, ventilation and heating. The front passenger is also electrically adjustable, ventilated and heated along with two rear passenger seats which can also be heated.
Driving is light and easy, though the response through the steering wheel is a little soft, it can be changed from comfort through to sport to increase the feel a little.
All models come with 2.2-litre turbo diesel units developing 194bhp with either six-speed manual or automatic gearboxes. It really does drive well for a car of its size. Acceleration isn’t bad either with 62mph reached in 10.1 seconds means it’s no slouch.
As you may expect, though, where the Santa Fe excels is on a long run. Self-levelling suspension combined with an electronic stability programme gives smooth, comfortable and effortless motoring for driver and passengers alike with road and wind noise kept to a minimum.
Practicality is also where it scores well. The two extra boot seats can be dropped with just a quick lift of a handle and the storage space doubles in size. An electric tailgate is also a neat addition and opens with the flick of a switch and lowers effortlessly with the press of a button.
Premium and Premium SE models have a 7in touchscreen display with an easy to operate sat-nav with a full post code entry and a traffic management system which offers alternative routes to steer you clear of traffic jams. It also incorporates rear-view cameras to make reversing into tight spots so much easier and less dramatic.
As far as safety is concerned, it offers lane departure warning, hill-start assist along with a plethora of airbags. Extras also include a compass in the auto-dimming rear view mirror, smart park assist and a sound system with 10 speakers.
All in all a good looker with a good ride height and comfort and stacks of gadgets and the usual Hyundai five-year unlimited mileage warranty, which includes five years of roadside assistance and five years of annual vehicle health checks.

The Nitty Gritty

Hyundai Santa Fe SE 4WD V/T 7-seat 2.2 CRDi Price: £37,110
Engine: 2199cc Transmission: 6-speed automatic Performance: 0-62mph in 10.1 seconds Fuel economy: Urban 31.7; extra urban 51.4; combined 41.5 Co2 emissions: 178 g/km