Full review of the Hyundai Santa Fe

The Hyundai Santa Fe seats up to seven.
The Hyundai Santa Fe seats up to seven.
photo The interior of the 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe has tastefully contrasting colors.

Fast facts

- Model: 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited Ultimate - Exterior color: Monaco White - Interior color: Beige - Engine: 3.3-liter, V-6 - Horsepower: 290 - Transmission: six-speed automatic - Fuel economy: 23 mpg highway, 17 mpg city - Price (as tested): $42,885 - Local dealer: Long Hyundai, 6035 International Drive


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One of the formidable mid-size SUVs the new Chattanooga-made Volkswagen Atlas will compete against is the Hyundai Santa Fe, which makes its living slicing up the competition.

With a 290-horsepower engine, the three-row Santa Fe is more powerful than the Toyota Highlander and Honda Pilot. With 160 total cubic feet of interior room, it's more spacious than the Dodge Durango and the Mazda CX-9. And with a 10-year, 100,000-mile power-train warranty, it erases any durability worries a customer might have.

Hyundai's sales formula - high content at a reasonable price sweetened with a long warranty - is on full display in the Santa Fe. For 2017, Hyundai refreshed the exterior of the Santa Fe and added a host of high-tech safety features to keep up with the competition. A base Santa Fe SE starts at $30,800 and our range-topping Santa Fe Limited Ultimate has an MSRP of $42,885.

After a week of Chattanooga-area driving in our tester, we can attest that it's a full-featured alternative in the mid-size SUV segment with enough modern styling and refinement to acquit itself well against the likes of the Highlander and Pilot.

We don't often get to test a vehicle's air filtration system, but we can report that our Monaco White Santa Fe kept us cough-free during a week of wild-fire induced haze in the Tennessee Valley.

Santa Fes are available at Long Hyundai at 6035 International Drive in Chattanooga.

STYLING AND FEATURES

The Santa Fe has a bold fascia with a distinctive five-bar grille that makes it look like a luxury-class SUV. New LED daytime running lights are another sophisticated design touch.

Our top-of-the-line tester's list of exclusives includes a 360-degree camera, that stitches together four camera angles. It gives the illusion of a camera drone hovering over the vehicle. Other Limited Ultimate's extras include a giant panoramic sun-roof, rear parking sensors and 19-inch wheels.

Even base Santa Fe models are well equipped. It was only a few years ago that a driving-mode feature - allowing a driver to dial in sport, eco or normal settings - was only available on ultra-luxury cars. Now, you get that perk on a base Santa Fe. Basic models also include a 7-inch touchscreen, and all Limited-trim versions have third-row seats. The second row can be equipped with a bench or captain's chairs. Front wheel-drive is standard, but all-wheel-drive can be added to any model for $1,750.

The interior of the Santa Fe is a tasteful blend of brown and beige plastics and off-white leather-covered furnishings. The perforated leather seats are heated throughout in our tester. Front seats are also ventilated for warm-weather comfort.

Visibility is generally good, although the rear-view is a little pinched. Oversized side mirrors make up for that, though. The Santa Fe's roominess is apparent in every direction. In the front, elbow-room feels like a full-size SUV and the walk-through lane between the second-row captain's seats offers easy access to the third-row bench.

An Infinity audio system us among the Limited Ultimate's upgrades, and safety tech includes automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning and dynamic light bending, which literally adjusts the headlight beams when you turn the steering wheel.

DRIVING EXPERIENCE

The Santa Fe's standard 290-horsepower, six-cylinder engine puts it in the upper echelon of mid-size SUV in terms of raw power. During several days of mountain-to-valley commutes, we found the Santa Fe to have an abundance of available power.

While some competitors have upgraded their transmissions to eight-speeds, the Santa Fe sticks with a six-speed tranny, which is smooth and responsive. Under hard throttle, the power train gathers itself quickly and accelerates strongly.

The cabin is quiet and refined. Our only real complaint was a persistent rattle from a metal part dislodged in some invisible crevasse that could no doubt be found and remedied under warranty.

BOTTOM LINE

Although somewhat derivative of the class sales leaders, the Santa Fe does a lot of things really well and delivers quality at a value price. Head-turning good looks and the 100,000 mile warranty seal the deal.

Contact Mark Kennedy at mkennedy@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6645. Follow him on Twitter @TFPCOLUMNIST. Subscribe to his Facebook updates at www.facebook.com/mkennedycolumnist.

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