The brand new Hyundai Santa Fe boasts a controversial design on the surface 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 facet itself, and would not have the extra natural and luxury-adjacent vibe of the Palisade, however its expertise, switchgear and general supplies high quality all communicate to a premium setting. I do not assume it is as luxe because the Palisade Calligraphy with its quilted leather-based and silver switchgear, however it actually has the luxurious characteristic content material to again it up. I will be concerning these includes a bit on this inside assessment, however I will principally be specializing in this inside’s spectacular performance, a lot of which is frequent all through the Santa Fe lineup.
Let’s discuss storage, because the Santa Fe has loads of it. There’s the standard drop-down glovebox, however simply above that may be a little shelf to place no matter. I might say a telephone, however the heart console has your passenger lined 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 suppose 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 bear in mind coming throughout a double-opening heart armrest bin like this. Tons 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 ground to stop no matter from sliding round.
Here is one other novelty. Although not strictly distinctive, having two wi-fi cost pads in a automotive is exceedingly uncommon. These are right-smack in the midst of the middle console and you’ll see they characteristic little platforms that permit the outer edges of your telephone have entry to air moderately than suffocating towards rubber.
You may also see the first cupholders right here, which have 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 characteristic, principally as a result of I can put my son’s each day water bottle for varsity proper subsequent to him the place I am unable to presumably miss it when getting him out of the automotive.
The hourglass form permits for 2 cups or bottles, however can also be supposed to maintain a telephone on its facet considerably safe.
On this picture, you too can 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 tough plastic, I might supply that is higher to fulfill a child’s soiled footwear 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 growth of the cargo space.
Let’s speak concerning 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 possibly can 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 stress 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 characteristic within the Santa Fe feels extra like a “hey, why not?” characteristic. The Ioniq 5 has it, apparently, for stress-free whereas your automotive costs. You do not have to try this with the Santa Fe. Ready for the children to return out of faculty, possibly? No matter, let’s simply go along 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 shifting 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 standard challenge with power-operated second-row seats.
You possibly can 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 can be extra comfy in a Palisade, no matter how massive you might be. That stated, scooting the second row as much as liberate some additional house for these within the third row nonetheless leaves loads of house 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 either side, plus a rear A/C fan management. The proper facet additionally has the 115-volt house-style electrical outlet that is extra of a cargo characteristic.
The second row has sunshades within the Calligraphy. I believe these ought to be commonplace in each household automobile.
Now let’s transfer up entrance and discuss expertise and controls.
This has principally the identical shifter design because the Ioniq 5 and 6. Twist ahead for drive, backward for reverse and press the button on the top of it for park.
I generally tend to need to do the other because the shifter’s monostable performance is mostly much like heart console digital shifters that do ahead for reverse and again for drive (see BMW).
There are completely different gauge layouts obtainable, tied to drive mode if you would like, however I simply caught with these. They’re clear, simply learn and go along 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 screen, press a common seat/wheel button after which do one thing on the display screen. 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 standard housing and flips forwards and backwards between them. That is higher than that.
You may also see the large Drive Mode toggle right here. Cannot say I used to be impressed to press that in a Hyundai Santa Fe.
Oh, you too can see the little button for killing the gunk in your telephone with UV-C.
The Restricted and Calligraphy have multi-color ambient lighting. There are 10 most popular selections with snazzy names, or you possibly can transcend that with a bigger coloration wheel. My son demanded pink per normal.
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 completed. I DO like that it not defaults onto a nothing web page with some surroundings on it each time you flip the automotive on, and the shortcuts alongside the underside are nice.
I take heed to satellite tv for pc radio, although, and what they’ve completed to its interface is nonsensical. Since Sirius and XM debuted in vehicles almost 20 years in the past, a defining characteristic has been with the ability to see what music is taking part in. Moreover, you’ve got often been capable of see that data similtaneously your favorites listing. That performance is more and more going away and I don’t perceive it. The Hyundai/Kia system is one more perpetrator after beforehand doing Sirius XM controls completely regular and really nicely.
Look above left. The presently chosen station, Alt Nation, is indicated in three completely 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 music 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, it’s important to press that tiny thumbnail of album artwork. This takes over all the rattling display screen (above proper), and though now you can see the music 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 point out music information, you already know, precisely the place that Alt Nation emblem is within the above left picture?
NO! I am unable to fathom why Hyundai/Kia removed the choice for seeing leisure information within the break up display screen view. That is notably useful when utilizing the native navigation system, or as some vehicles allow you to do, with Apple CarPlay.
Within the new Hyundai/Kia system, break up display screen content material permits you to see a map on prime of a map, the climate forecast, or my private favourite, extraordinarily detailed geographic coordinates simply in case that you must 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.” Nicely 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 telephone projection, granting fast entry to Apple CarPlay on the push of a button. Once more, I can not press a Radio button to simply get again to that screwy radio display screen, however don’t fret, I’ve quick access 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 pieces else concerning the Santa Fe’s inside performance may be very spectacular.