The brand new Hyundai Santa Fe boasts a controversial design on the skin that undoubtedly will not be for everybody (I am all for it, however can see how the Minecraft Ford Flex aesthetic is a bit bizarre). The inside is much less polarizing. The design is actually on the blocky aspect itself, and does not have the extra natural and luxury-adjacent vibe of the Palisade, however its know-how, switchgear and total supplies high quality all converse to a premium atmosphere. I do not suppose it is as luxe because the Palisade Calligraphy with its quilted leather-based and silver switchgear, however it actually has the posh function content material to again it up. I will be bearing on these incorporates a bit on this inside assessment, however I am going to largely be specializing in this inside’s spectacular performance, a lot of which is widespread all through the Santa Fe lineup.
Let’s speak about storage, because the Santa Fe has quite a lot of it. There’s the standard drop-down glovebox, however simply above that could be a little shelf to place no matter. I would say a cellphone, however the middle console has your passenger coated for that (extra on that in a second).
Above, you will see there’s a second glovebox hidden behind the pleather-covered trim panel. Apparently, as this can be a Calligraphy, it has a UV Sanitizer inside meant to kill germs on no matter you place in there. I sadly didn’t have a petri dish available to see how efficient it’s. I assume this can be a good factor? On the very least, it is one thing I’ve by no means come throughout earlier than.
Talking of which, I do not keep in mind coming throughout a double-opening middle armrest bin like this. Heaps flip left or proper, however this one has entry buttons on each ends. Why would you like it to open the opposite manner?
So these within the again can get entry, that is why. In addition they have a helpful pull out bin.
Transferring again up entrance, there’s a now-common beneath console storage space. It has a rubberized flooring to stop no matter from sliding round.
Here is one other novelty. Although not strictly distinctive, having two wi-fi cost pads in a automobile is exceedingly uncommon. These are right-smack in the course of the middle console and you’ll see they function little platforms that permit the outer edges of your cellphone have entry to air slightly than suffocating towards rubber.
It’s also possible to see the first cupholders right here, which had been large enough to carry my wine-bottle-sized water bottle.
Transferring into the again, there are further cupholders within the doorways. I am a giant fan of this function, largely as a result of I can put my son’s day by day water bottle for varsity proper subsequent to him the place I can not probably miss it when getting him out of the automobile.
The hourglass form permits for 2 cups or bottles, however can be meant to maintain a cellphone on its aspect considerably safe.
On this picture, you can even see that the Calligraphy has heated second-row seats. So does the Restricted.
The entrance seat backs have little hooks and a few Minecrafty embossments to spruce up what would in any other case be laborious plastic. And earlier than you complain about that arduous plastic, I would supply that is higher to fulfill a child’s soiled sneakers than leather-based/pleather.
As proven within the Santa Fe Baggage Take a look at, there’s some underfloor storage behind the third row, however it’s certainly extra “storage” than an enlargement of the cargo space.
Let’s speak in regards to the seats. These are unique to the Calligraphy: the “Leisure Consolation” seat first seen within the Hyundai Ioniq 5 Restricted. I like them due to how excessive you’ll be able to arch up the entrance of the seat backside and dive the again of it — I am 6-foot-3, and sitting like this lets me sit nearer to the wheel whereas offering under-thigh help and taking strain off my decrease again. A fellow editor as soon as dubbed this “the birthing place.” Porsche seats can typically do that, as may BMW seats within the 2000s.
For everybody else, placing this function within the Santa Fe feels extra like a “hey, why not?” function. The Ioniq 5 has it, apparently, for stress-free whereas your automobile expenses. You do not have to do this with the Santa Fe. Ready for the children to come back out of college, possibly? No matter, let’s simply go together with “good for tall individuals.”
The second-row captain’s chairs within the Calligraphy are partially power-operated. They nonetheless slide fore-aft by pulling up on a bar after which transferring the seat the old style manner, or by urgent the quick-release button that slides it ahead for third-row entry.
Recline and seat-bottom tilt are then dealt with with electrical motors. That is nice for consolation, however impedes third-row entry by making it … actually … sluggish … to … put … the seatback … again. A typical challenge with power-operated second-row seats.
You may decrease the second-row seatbacks with these buttons within the cargo space.
That is the third row. The seat is clearly fairly flat, and it is fairly near the ground. You’ll be extra snug in a Palisade, no matter how massive you might be. That mentioned, scooting the second row as much as unlock some further area for these within the third row nonetheless leaves loads of area for these sitting within the second (even with a tall driver up entrance). Additionally be aware how a lot headroom there’s due to that boxy roofline, which additionally contributes to massive, sq. quarter home windows that makes it really feel airier and extra spacious than is typical.
Talking of ethereal, the Restricted and Calligraphy have a dual-pane sunroof.
Again to the third row, which has air vents, hourglass double cupholders and a USB-C port on all sides, plus a rear A/C fan management. The best aspect additionally has the 115-volt house-style electrical outlet that is extra of a cargo function.
The second row has sunshades within the Calligraphy. I believe these ought to be customary in each household automobile.
Now let’s transfer up entrance and speak about know-how and controls.
This has mainly the identical shifter design because the Ioniq 5 and 6. Twist ahead for drive, backward for reverse and press the button on the tip of it for park.
I generally tend to need to do the alternative because the shifter’s monostable performance is mostly much like middle console digital shifters that do ahead for reverse and again for drive (see BMW).
There are totally different gauge layouts out there, tied to drive mode if you would like, however I simply caught with these. They’re clear, simply learn and go together with the remainder of the inside.
The Santa Fe has the identical row of infotainment shortcuts because the Ioniq 5 N (which has eliminated the previous Radio shortcut button for Search, booooooo), however it has extra local weather controls. Particularly, “buttons” for heated seats, ventilated seats and heated steering wheel. You do not have to attend for the infotainment system to clear a lawyer display, press a basic seat/wheel button after which do one thing on the display. That is annoying. This is not.
Additionally be aware that the mechanically associated Kia Sorento has these rows of infotainment and local weather controls built-in into a typical housing and flips forwards and backwards between them. That is higher than that.
It’s also possible to see the massive Drive Mode toggle right here. Cannot say I used to be impressed to press that in a Hyundai Santa Fe.
Oh, you can even see the little button for killing the gunk in your cellphone with UV-C.
The Restricted and Calligraphy have multi-color ambient lighting. There are 10 most popular decisions with snazzy names, or you’ll be able to transcend that with a bigger coloration wheel. My son demanded pink per standard.
And eventually, the infotainment system, as a result of it pisses me off. That is Hyundai/Kia’s latest system and I do not like what they’ve achieved. I DO like that it now not defaults onto a nothing web page with some surroundings on it each time you flip the automobile on, and the shortcuts alongside the underside are superb.
I hearken to satellite tv for pc radio, although, and what they’ve achieved to its interface is nonsensical. Since Sirius and XM debuted in automobiles practically 20 years in the past, a defining function has been with the ability to see what tune is taking part in. Moreover, you’ve got often been capable of see that data concurrently your favorites listing. That performance is more and more going away and I don’t perceive it. The Hyundai/Kia system is yet one more wrongdoer after beforehand doing Sirius XM controls completely regular and really properly.
Look above left. The at present chosen station, Alt Nation, is indicated in three totally different locations: highlighted within the channel listing, proven as a thumbnail on the proper, and within the decrease proper hand nook with its station quantity, SXM 36. The one factor indicating what tune is taking part in is the tiny thumbnail of album artwork, as if anybody is meant to know what the hell that’s. That is barely higher than the plain-old radio face plate in my 25-year-old BMW that simply says “FM 106.7.”
To seek out out what son is taking part in, you must press that tiny thumbnail of album artwork. This takes over all the rattling display (above proper), and though now you can see the tune information, it is in small font within the decrease proper hand nook. VW and BMW now do that full-screen takeover, and I do not get it. It makes you bought forwards and backwards, forwards and backwards …
Oh, however cannot you utilize the split-screen performance to indicate tune information, you understand, precisely the place that Alt Nation emblem is within the above left picture?
NO! I can not fathom why Hyundai/Kia removed the choice for seeing leisure information within the break up display view. That is significantly useful when utilizing the native navigation system, or as some automobiles allow you to do, with Apple CarPlay.
Within the new Hyundai/Kia system, break up display content material allows you to see a map on prime of a map, the climate forecast, or my private favourite, extraordinarily detailed geographic coordinates simply in case you should name in a missile strike on your self.
This clearly drives me bonkers. Why, Hyundai, why???
At this level, I can already hear individuals saying “No matter, I simply use Apple CarPlay.” Properly then, right here, it has it, and the shortcut buttons make it straightforward to flee.
Hyundai/Kia has additionally maintained the little star button, which is customizable for entry any variety of choices. I set it for cellphone projection, granting fast entry to Apple CarPlay on the push of a button. Once more, I can now not press a Radio button to simply get again to that screwy radio display, however don’t be concerned, I’ve easy accessibility to Seek for one thing. What, I do not know. “Hey Hyundai, why is your radio UI horrible now?”
So, clearly, I am no fan of the infotainment system modifications, however all the things else in regards to the Santa Fe’s inside performance could be very spectacular.