Meet the 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe LTD ULT AWD.
Source: Victoria Mason
There is so much to love in this latest vehicle from Hyundai and I feel like I can’t say it enough, but when it comes to getting more for your money Hyundai hits it out of the park. Why?
Check this out:
Source: Victoria Mason
An aerial shot comes first. Then the driver can pick the angle as they navigate a space. It is absolutely freeing to have this technology.
That’s the 8-inch touchscreen with the multi-view camera system that offers 360-degree view. I have a long, downhill, curvy driveway that I usually do a 360 turn in to get out of when I’m in my own SUV. With the multi-view camera I can navigate my way out much faster and park the Santa Fe anywhere with little effort or sweating. Other competitors don’t have this option even available.
Source: Hyundai.usa.com
Inside the Hyundai Santa Fe you notice the detail that went into designing an SUV that feels both practical and contains nice touches that never feel cheap. The controls on the centerstack and steering wheel are not just functional but intuitive. Streamlined and never fussy!
Need More?
Let’s talk about the legitimate third row (13.5 cubic feet of storage in back when the third row is up) that has heated seats and its own climate system to rival the first and second row. There’s also ample space for storing items, charging them and room for smaller children and teens. While that isn’t as big as some of its competitors the Santa Fe wins points for comfort and convenience. The third row also has access to the panoramic sunroof,the seats can be pulled down for a 50/50 split (A total of 41 cubic feet of storage when the whole row is down, 80 with both rows down.) too.
My family loved the captain-style chairs in the second row. While both slide forward (and recline!) easily making access to the third row fast, the ability to climb through to the third row also won points with us. It felt like a minivan inside rather than an SUV. Thanks, Hyundai! More automakers should do this or have it as an option versus always going with a bench seat.
Head Outside
Source: Hyundai.usa.com
The styling on the exterior of the Santa Fe is quite nice. I love the unique 5-bar grille but fell in love with the lights. They are LED DRLs with headlight accents and work automatically as you would expect. The 19-inch alloy wheels come standard with this model.
On the Road
Behind the wheel of this SUV, the Sante Fe feels safe. I am a nut about the brakes that Hyundai produces and that was my only issue with the 2017 Santa Fe. The brakes feel different. The smoothness that comes when you depress the brake was gone. Why? I would love to know the answer to that question. Other than that the steering was responsive and acceleration was a bit better than expected. I felt safe and didn’t have to put much thought into driving when I was in the Santa Fe. That’s something I look for each time I get behind the wheel. The only surprises were once again how well Hyundai has done in creating a car for a family that has an affordable price tag, reliability, safety and enough technology (BlueLink Connectivity) to keep everyone happy.
The 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe is available with a 3.3-liter V-6 engine with a 6-speed automatic transmission. It averages 19 mpg combined with 17 in the city and 22 on the highway. I drove it for a week around my county and never had to fill it up. It was also quieter on the highway than I expected and that was a welcome change from my usual road warrior.
Priced as shown the Hyundai Santa Fe fully loaded with the optional AWD (front-wheel is standard) for review has an MSRP of $44,295. It starts at its base model at just over $30k and there are four trim packages total and depending on your configuration you can fit 6-7 passengers in this delightful SUV.
*Disclosure: TMC was not paid for this post. Products are received through Driveshop.com for review purposes only. Opinions are 100% my own.
