By Andre Palma
Philippine Daily Inquirer
IT is easy to fall prey to preconceived notions, biases if you will. Even the world of cars and motoring is not free of arbitrary, foregone conclusions. Rain always brings horrendous traffic. Station wagon owners have large, hairy dogs. Traffic cops like doughnuts.
Ask yourselves, ladies and gentlemen, what comes to mind when you think of the Hyundai brand? Honestly, in our subconscious’ hierarchy of automotive brands, cars with the italicized H aren’t vehicles that we are completely comfortable with. More often than not, a little sense of hesitation always creeps in when thinking of this marque.
Chalk up this line of thinking to a less than stellar complement of vehicles that initially introduced Hyundai cars to the local market around a decade ago. To say that the current generation of automobiles from this Korean manufacturer is now radically different would just state the obvious. Inevitably, everything changes over time. What really has to be said is that change has been kind to the Hyundai brand and the second generation Santa Fe is confirmation of the good news.
If only cars were solely judged by their engines. The 2.2-liter common-rail turbo diesel unit makes the strongest argument for Santa Fe. Few diesel engines across the entire local market can claim to deliver the same amount of bang for buck value. At around 150 horses and 330 Nm of twist, pull is more than sufficient from about 2,000 rpm.
This engine allows the almost two-ton mass of the Santa Fe to reach the century speed mark with surprising ease. Beyond that, it takes quite a while for the Santa Fe to lose steam. Just how far will the needle go on the speedometer? Let’s just say this is the kind of SUV that is good for low 20-minute times on empty highways headed for old naval bases nestled in the hills, a whispering turbo making a compelling argument to push just a little bit more.
Styling is another strong point of the Santa Fe. Proper dimensions and proportions are the solid foundation that allows the details of this SUV’s sheet metal to come through. A chiseled front fascia, highlighted by a gaping front intake hints at an aerospace influence. Tasteful treatment of the headlamps allows people to notice slightly muscular fender treatments. The slanted rake of the front windscreen meets a roofline that tapers agreeably, guiding along the rest of the sheet metal, toward the rear of the vehicle. While not drop dead gorgeous, the Santa Fe is quite the looker.
The rest of the Santa Fe package is a little more down to earth. Interiors are on the verge of tasteful. Ergonomics can sometimes be a few millimeters off here and there. The brakes could use a little more modulation. Road holding is a little too comfort-oriented. Rear quarter visibility could be a little less obstructed. Better tires could be mounted straight from the factory. You get the picture. The balance of what makes up the Santa Fe is not quite there yet.
All this nitpicking has a point though. For a company that has gone to great lengths to close the gap with bigger manufacturers, the Santa Fe is tantalizingly close to completing this task. Where Hyundai used to be a couple of generations back from the competition, this current crop of cars is already nipping at the heels of the rest of the manufacturing powers. It is foreseeable that continued improvement by Hyundai will eventually result in products that will be difficult to discern from more mainstream products. At this exceptional rate of evolution, the next Santa Fe should be impeccable.
July 18th, 2008 at 6:54 am
im not saying that the sta. fe is a bad vehicle, all im saying is that it has no personality thats all. you can put all the bell and whistles in the sta. fe but for me, its still confusing. id drive it, but it better have very dark tinted windows (just kidding) lol.
July 15th, 2008 at 10:53 pm
i drive a Santa Fe Mk 1 Diesel, purchased in 2003, I find it to be extremely reliable, comfortable and fuel efficient (44 mpg on the highway and 38 round town). Do your research and buy the car NOT the badge. I shall purchase another Santa Fe most definatly.
Keith K
July 15th, 2008 at 6:52 am
Doubtful, you can say that because you have not driven a Hyundai. I have. In fact, I have owned 3 Hyundai’s starting from their Elantra, moving up to the Santa Fe and then their Entourage as our space requirement increased. All 3 have performed wonderfully never giving me a problem. Their warranty coverage is great although I’ve never used it, and their customer service is exemplary. There is nothing confused about the Santa Fe, but then, maybe it’s really you and not the car that we’re talking about.
July 15th, 2008 at 3:57 am
Hyundai Santa Fe is a far better car than the third-world model Fortuner (it’s just an AUV come on). Santa Fe has passed European and American stringent standards. EuroNCAP and IIHS 5-star crash rating too which means it’s very safe.
Gone are the days when people would rely only on the brand name alone. There’s internet now. Due to the vast information available, people can now make intelligent decisions quite easily.
After so many test drives, We bought one and we’re very happy with it. Very fast (can do 210kmh stock), sleek and doesn’t stall and choke unlike the D-4D of Fortuner. Nothing in its segment can beat it at this time.
Its ride is very comfortable due to the nice suspension and stock all-leather interior. Very stable even at high speed cornering. Ideal for those impromptu stop light and expressway races.
all that, while having the ability to do 22km/L on Hwy drives.
July 13th, 2008 at 3:14 am
You must be only referring to Hyundai in the Philippines where the safety standards are never really a ‘Standard’ or I don’t even know if Philippines has that standard.
I am driving only a 2008 Hyundai Elantra, but believe me you guys, it has 8 airbags,
TMS tire monitoring system, ESC electronic stability control, ABS, 4-wheel disc brake system and the engine is a 2.0 liter, which an ACURA, BMW or LEXUS has for its class.
The best thing about this the power train guarranty, a 10-yr or 100,000 miles bumper to bumper warranty.
Well, I guess Elantra in the Philippines has only the 1.3 liter engine, no airbags… because people will sacrifice safety for another hundred thousand pesos more…? and the warranty you get from their product here is worth every penny. Hyundai is adjudged as the “best value for your money” car.
And by the way, the 08 Elantra maybe in the Philippine market in 2010.