Thread Starter
#1
Hi guys this is my first review on TAI , so please bear with me.
Sorry for being late I was busy with her
Few weeks back, me and my father wanted a new SUV in our stable. After a long research and helpful inputs from my fellow TAI members we were able to decide our next beast!
The Hyundai "Santa Fe'' even the name sounds too exquisite, pronounce it with a nice accent and it oozes out a rare excellence .
After searching for the car in various parts of north india , we finally booked it with our local dealer as he was ready to deliver the vehicle in just 10 days ( compared to other dealers who wanted 3-5 weeks for the delivery)
Our carbon Blue santa fe arrived within the promised time period![[thumbsup]](https://www.theautomotiveindia.com/forums/images/smilies/Thumbs%20Up.png "Thumbs Up [thumbsup]")
.
The whole dealership experience with Das Hyundai was excellent, the owner personally came and presented us with the keys.
Now coming back to the car.
Personally i like big dominating SUVs with a nice road presence, and Santa Fe is all about Presence. It does not look pretty old school like the Endy or the T-Fort nor it looks a girly softroader like the CR-V or say the Koleos .
Its a bit of both worlds.
And once you step inside that massive cabin and thumb the starter button, its pure luxury . Now i can't compare the hyundai engine with a BMW or a Merc diesel, but it feels pretty refined once you are inside.
A nice "Truck" like driving position with an upward tilt of the leather wraped steering wheel, big supportive seats, a nice auto shifter and an awesome music system with a subwoofer further add up to the experience.
The snake leather interior along with blue backlighting ( irritatingly bright ) and wood inserts feels pretty soothing. There is loads of legroom for the second row even the third row doesn't feel as cramped as others ( Believe me because me and my father are XL size guys!).
Fold the third row which nicely flushes into the floor and you get a massive boot.
The auto box along with the CRDi mill up front is very responsive, a slight touch of the throttle shoots the car forward. Although i haven't gone beyond a 100kmph. Cannot say anything about the suspension as i have been driving it on really nice highways , but what highways reveal is the handling character. Surely there is some body roll present but it doesn't scare you off, the steering though is a bit on the lighter side which i think would be helpful in the city traffic.
Now coming to my personal like and Dislikes about the vehicle.
LIKES
1. Awsome engine and Gearbox
2. Nice quad bulb headlight with a projector for low beam
3. Big supportive leather seats with electric adjustments even for the passenger.
4. Passive entry and start system ( Although present on my cruze but i really liked the button
)
5. Driving position
6. Music system
7. The dual zone climate control and independent controls for the 3rd row.
8. Big rear view mirrors
9. Loads of cabin lighting
10. The handle to open the hatch ( Looks very bad but is very useful)
11. clever tool kit and Spare tyre release mechanism.
12. Boot net
13. Most importantly, the way she looks
DISLIKES
1. Very vibrant interior lighting ( dimmer is of no use!)![[frustration]](https://www.theautomotiveindia.com/forums/images/smilies/Frustration.gif "Frustration [frustration]")
2. No HIDs even in the low beams
3. No GPS or Bluetooth connectivity
4. Steering controls are mistaken for horn pad.
5. No sunroof
6. No auto dimming inside rearview mirror.
7. No rear view camera ( really required for the car of this size)
8. Very small buttons for 4WD and TCS.
I feel this vehicle is 100 times better than its nearest rival the BMW X1 except for the batch!!
Sorry for being late I was busy with her
Few weeks back, me and my father wanted a new SUV in our stable. After a long research and helpful inputs from my fellow TAI members we were able to decide our next beast!
The Hyundai "Santa Fe'' even the name sounds too exquisite, pronounce it with a nice accent and it oozes out a rare excellence .
After searching for the car in various parts of north india , we finally booked it with our local dealer as he was ready to deliver the vehicle in just 10 days ( compared to other dealers who wanted 3-5 weeks for the delivery)
Our carbon Blue santa fe arrived within the promised time period
. The whole dealership experience with Das Hyundai was excellent, the owner personally came and presented us with the keys.
Now coming back to the car.
Personally i like big dominating SUVs with a nice road presence, and Santa Fe is all about Presence. It does not look pretty old school like the Endy or the T-Fort nor it looks a girly softroader like the CR-V or say the Koleos .
Its a bit of both worlds.
And once you step inside that massive cabin and thumb the starter button, its pure luxury . Now i can't compare the hyundai engine with a BMW or a Merc diesel, but it feels pretty refined once you are inside.
A nice "Truck" like driving position with an upward tilt of the leather wraped steering wheel, big supportive seats, a nice auto shifter and an awesome music system with a subwoofer further add up to the experience.
The snake leather interior along with blue backlighting ( irritatingly bright ) and wood inserts feels pretty soothing. There is loads of legroom for the second row even the third row doesn't feel as cramped as others ( Believe me because me and my father are XL size guys!).
Fold the third row which nicely flushes into the floor and you get a massive boot.
The auto box along with the CRDi mill up front is very responsive, a slight touch of the throttle shoots the car forward. Although i haven't gone beyond a 100kmph. Cannot say anything about the suspension as i have been driving it on really nice highways , but what highways reveal is the handling character. Surely there is some body roll present but it doesn't scare you off, the steering though is a bit on the lighter side which i think would be helpful in the city traffic.
Now coming to my personal like and Dislikes about the vehicle.
LIKES
1. Awsome engine and Gearbox
2. Nice quad bulb headlight with a projector for low beam
3. Big supportive leather seats with electric adjustments even for the passenger.
4. Passive entry and start system ( Although present on my cruze but i really liked the button
)5. Driving position
6. Music system
7. The dual zone climate control and independent controls for the 3rd row.
8. Big rear view mirrors
9. Loads of cabin lighting
10. The handle to open the hatch ( Looks very bad but is very useful)
11. clever tool kit and Spare tyre release mechanism.
12. Boot net
13. Most importantly, the way she looks
DISLIKES
1. Very vibrant interior lighting ( dimmer is of no use!)
2. No HIDs even in the low beams
3. No GPS or Bluetooth connectivity
4. Steering controls are mistaken for horn pad.
5. No sunroof
6. No auto dimming inside rearview mirror.
7. No rear view camera ( really required for the car of this size)
8. Very small buttons for 4WD and TCS.
I feel this vehicle is 100 times better than its nearest rival the BMW X1 except for the batch!!
Last edited:
![[evil]](https://www.theautomotiveindia.com/forums/images/smilies/Evil.gif "Evil [evil]")
