Once again Hyundai’s reputation for delivering quality vehicles with a wide variety of standard features — without a bloated price tag — shows up in the Santa Fe Hybrid Limited All Wheel Drive.
The Santa Fe Hybrid is a well-rounded SUV with plenty of amenities, such as 10.25-inch navigation system, remote smart parking assist, surround view monitor, heated and ventilated front seats and a heated wheel and back seats as well as Blind Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist. If you want it, it’s probably there — and included in the price that starts at $39.950.
This beauty gets a combined 32 miles per gallon and has a 1.6L turbocharged GDI 4-cylinder hybrid engine that with 178 horsepower, performs well not only on city streets but on highways as well. The Sante Fe’s fuel economy suffers a bit when compared to some competitors, but it’s still pretty good. We appreciated that, unlike many hybrids, the acceleration wasn’t sluggish. It had pep from the get-go. It quickly got up to speed on highways and it also, again unlike other hybrids, didn’t have a noticeable shift when going from gas powered to electric. The handoff was so seamless one could easily forget what is powering the SUV. Combined the hybrid system yields 226 horsepower.
The Santa Fe is “just right” in terms of dimensions; not too big to be overwhelming but not too small so that passengers feel squeezed. The wheelbase is 108.9 inches; 188.4 inches in length and 74.8 width. The interior space is impressive and can comfortably seat two adults in the back seat and three if you squeeze a bit. The headroom for the front and second row are 39.5 inches and 37.8 inches respectfully. Again, Hyundai delivers a comfortable interior with high-quality materials that make you feel that the SUV is more expensive that it is. The total interior volume is 147.9 cubic feet , and for those wanting cargo space, this SVU again delivers, especially if you fold down the back seats, which will then give you 72.1 cubic feet of space. Not surprisingly, it is among the best in its class in terms of space.
Is the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid Limited a contender? You bet. It has the outstanding engineering, quality features (especially on safety) and it’s a fun family vehicle. Check it out
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