I’m
no aspiring Henry David Thoreau, but his reflections on simple living had
inspired my golden rule for the outdoors: if it didn’t fit in my backpack, it
didn’t come.
Marriage
and kids, however, have mandated some flexibility. Freeze-dried meals, tiny tents
and paper-thin foam pads have all given way to an equipment list that might
have supplied the Lewis and Clark expedition.
So
thank you Hyundai, for the Santa
Fe XL. And I say this with tongue firmly in cheek, as this year’s trip to
Grand Bend seemed to lack for nothing in terms of camping gear to meet every
need – real and imaginary. Should we need to cook a seven-course meal, perform
minor surgery or be forced to live in the woods for the next six months, I
believe we had it covered.
All
of this fit with ease inside the commodious cargo hold of the 2014 Santa Fe XL.
Unlike its smaller sibling, the five-passenger Sport,
this family hauler gets three rows of seating thanks to an added 215 mm in
length and 100 mm in wheelbase. These numbers may not sound like much, but
translate into nearly half a cubic metre more interior volume and 240 litres of
added cargo space.
You
may recall the Santa Fe once did have a backbench – in the 2006 model – and
that you required the size and agility of a spider monkey to get in and out. Hyundai wisely punted it the
next year.
2014
Hyundai Santa Fe third
row
In
the 2014 XL, a full-sized adult can ride comfortably in the third row, with
enough head and legroom for most. But having only two kids, we didn’t need it
and folded flat the 50:50 split bench to go from 383 to 1,159 litres of cargo
space. This could nearly double again by dropping the second row.
My
tester was the top-trim Limited with Saddle Leather (MSRP $43,399), which gets
captain’s chairs in the second row instead of a 40:20:40 bench. These recline,
and are heated as well.
The
Limited equipment list is anything but, and would rival many premium sport
utilities.
Leather
seating that is heated and cooled up front, with 12-way power adjust and memory
for the driver, navigation with eight-inch touchscreen, rearview camera,
10-speaker Infinity audio system, HID auto-levelling headlights, panoramic
sunroof and 19-inch alloys are among the many features.
2014
Hyundai Santa Fe cargo
folded down
But
even the base front driver at $31,099 comes well equipped. You get the usual
power windows and locks, along with manual air conditioning, seven-passenger
seating (upholstered in a soil and static-resistant fabric), seat heaters up
front, tilt/telescopic steering with audio and cruise controls, six-speaker
audio, Bluetooth, 18-inch alloys and more.
The
driver’s seat even gets eight-way manual adjust, with two-way power for the
lumbar support.
If
you want AWD, move up one level to Premium trim (MSRP $35,099). This includes a
pile of added comforts like dual-zone climate, third-row HVAC controls, heated
rear seats, 12-way power adjust for the driver’s seat, heated steering wheel,
rear side-window sunshades and power liftgate.
Needless
to say, the Santa Fe XL made the perfect conveyance for our three-hour-plus
drive, keeping us comfortable and cool within its well insulated and nicely
appointed cabin.
The
perforated and double-stitched brown leather is proof positive that Hyundai has upped its game
here. This was complemented by matching soft touch in the doors and sparing use
of faux woodgrain in the dash.
Big
buttons on the centre console are easy to read and operate, as is the large
touchscreen for media and navigation. There are plenty of powerpoints,
including an available 115-volt outlet in the third row.
All
Santa Fe XL models get Hyundai’s
Lambda II 3.3-litre GDI V6. Buyers in this segment expect six-cylinder power,
and although the Sport’s 2.0-litre turbo four kicks out impressive numbers, the
3.3 at 290 hp delivers 26 more.
There’s
a little less torque at 252 lb/ft, but it comes in at an early 1,500 rpm for a
long, flat torque curve and plenty of thrust when you step on the throttle.
Fuel
economy for AWD models is rated at 11.8/8.0/10.1 L/100km, (city/hwy/comb), but
my actual result was 12.3. Not out of line for a vehicle that tips the scales
at 1,968 kg. Towing capacity is 2,268 kg (5,000 lbs), which is ideal for towing
the weekend toys.
In
the XL, all-wheel-drive also gets you Active Cornering Control. This steps up
its cornering ability by applying braking to the inside rear wheel when
accelerating through a turn.
Indeed,
this larger Santa Fe easily measures up to its competition – vehicles like
Toyota Highlander and Ford Explorer – in terms of powertrains, content and
technology, but also in the style department.
The
company’s ‘fluidic sculpture’ design language renders nicely in the XL, putting
it somewhere near the top of a segment that continues to raise the fashion bar.
I’d
say it even tops its sibling. The longer body with its uninterrupted character
line, straighter beltline and smaller C-pillar, has a more pleasing side view,
and I like the XL’s dual exhausts better than the Sport’s single pipe with twin
tips.
Bottom
line: if you’re looking for stylish and content-rich family transport, the
Santa Fe XL should be on the shopping list.
It
may lack the offroad chops of Nissan Pathfinder, Dodge Durango and even the
Honda Pilot, but few families spend much time off the asphalt.
Instead
they’re ferrying kids to and from hockey practice, hauling groceries and
tackling the odd cottage road, which is exactly where the XL shines.
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