[Taboleo] 'National Dad Car' Santa Fe, Can It Also Be a Mom Car?

Test Drive of New 5th Generation Santa Fe
Family Car for the Whole Family, Focused on Convenience
Large Tailgate Specialized for Camping and Car Camping
Storage Box with UV Sterilization
Simultaneous Wireless Charging for Two Smartphones
Considerations for Female Drivers Included

"The 5th generation new Santa Fe is perfect as a 'mom car.' It is designed so that all functions, from driving to steering, can be comfortably controlled. Personally, I think the Santa Fe is a car that is more comfortable when driven by moms."

The candid words shared by Lee Sang-yeop, head of Hyundai Motor's Design Center who designed the new Santa Fe, reveal the considerations made during the development process. Since the launch of the 1st generation in 2000, Hyundai's sport utility vehicle (SUV) Santa Fe has been loved as the 'national dad car,' representing family cars in Korea. After 23 years, the 5th generation Santa Fe has appeared this year. Its exterior gives off the impression of a strong dad car. However, looking inside, it has more characteristics of a mom car with charming features placed throughout.

[Taboleo] 'National Dad Car' Santa Fe, Can It Also Be a Mom Car?

The competition in this year's domestic family car market is very fierce. More than 10 mid-to-large SUVs, including the Kia Sorento, Toyota Highlander, Honda Pilot, and Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV, are scheduled to be released in the second half of the year. Including sedans, the number will be even higher. To survive this intense competition, the Santa Fe has placed its bet on 'functionality.' While driving feel is important to the driver, family cars must prioritize convenience that the entire family can enjoy.

On the 24th of last month, I test-drove Hyundai's representative family car, the new Santa Fe. I focused on its driving performance as well as features that the whole family can comfortably use. The test route was a round trip of 70 km from Hyundai Motorstudio Goyang to a cafe in Paju.

▲What was your first impression?

-When I first saw the actual vehicle, my initial thought was, "Is the Santa Fe really this big?" The first impression was that it felt like a mid-size SUV, probably due to its high roof height. Because of the angular design, when standing in front of the vehicle, the hood position felt quite high. While the previous generation model had a neat feel finished with smooth curves, this new Santa Fe boldly uses straight lines, giving a strong impression. In fact, the immediate previous 4th generation Santa Fe had a design that minimized negative reactions. There were few people who disliked it, but it also lacked a distinctive design with a clear fan base. The new Santa Fe is a model released with a strategy to solidify its global market position with a definite character. Its differentiated design definitely makes it stand out on the road.

The interior view of the new Santa Fe trunk when the 2nd and 3rd rows are fully folded down
[Photo by Woo Su-yeon]

▲You mentioned functionality as a strength. What aspects are those?

-First of all, the interior space utilization is excellent. The basic trunk capacity is 725 liters, enough to easily fit 4 golf bags and 4 Boston bags. When the 2nd and 3rd-row seats are fully folded flat, the interior becomes truly vast. A tall adult man can stretch out his legs and lie down comfortably. Additionally, when the tailgate is opened, an open terrace is created at the rear of the vehicle. The tailgate is the part the new Santa Fe focused on the most. The rear design of the vehicle was made to drop vertically so that the large tailgate can be lifted upwards and used as a canopy. This will be convenient for car camping or outdoor activities.

The new Santa Fe features a handle on the roof that allows you to easily hold on and load or unload luggage.
[Photo by Woo Su-yeon]

Looking closely, various features for outdoor activities are placed throughout the vehicle. On the C-pillar (the rearmost pillar supporting the body), there is a hidden handle that allows easy access to climb onto the roof when loading or unloading luggage. The car key has a rod-shaped key that can open or close this handle. When not in use, it can be fixed in place, and when needed, it can be opened and used.

▲Are there features for families as a family car?

-Yes, there are many thoughtful small features for various family members. In front of the passenger seat, there is a multi-tray that can sterilize small items using UV-C ultraviolet light. The tray is not very tall vertically, so it cannot hold large items, but it can easily fit smartphones, gloves, and masks. Especially in households with young children, parents are often busy sterilizing items that children put in their mouths. The ability to conveniently sterilize small items like pacifiers inside the car will be very useful during trips or car camping.

Multi-tray capable of UV-C ultraviolet sterilization and disinfection
Photo by Hyundai Motor Company

There is also a dual wireless charging system that can charge two smartphones simultaneously, and a multi-console that can be opened bidirectionally not only from the front row but also from the second row. In the past, console boxes for storing items could only be opened from the front seats, such as the driver or passenger seat, which caused inconvenience for some. Now, the storage compartment can be opened from the rear seat direction as well, allowing full utilization of the space.

▲How is the driving experience?

-The model I drove was equipped with a 2.5-liter turbo gasoline engine. It produces a maximum output of 281 horsepower and a maximum torque of 43 kg·m. The official combined fuel efficiency is 11 km/l. Driving in the city and on the highway, the actual fuel efficiency was 10.6 km/l. When pressing the accelerator pedal, despite the curb weight of 1.7 tons, there was no impression of lacking power. The cornering and ride comfort exceeded expectations. Since the car is quite large, I expected the steering wheel to be thick and bulky in design, but surprisingly, the steering wheel was thin and the driving control was smooth. I think this reflects consideration for female drivers as well.

However, perhaps due to the boxy design, the driving noise was a bit disappointing. When the speed exceeded 130 km/h, the sports seats activated and wrapped around the driver’s body to prevent shaking. It was surprising that the Santa Fe has such a feature.

Hyundai Santa Fe Interior
Photo by Hyundai Motor Company

▲Price is important for a family car. How does it look?

-The price of the new Santa Fe 2.5 turbo gasoline model starts at 35.46 million KRW. The full option goes up to around 51 million KRW. The hybrid starts at 40.31 million KRW, and the full option is around 55 million KRW. Compared to the previous model, the gasoline base model increased by about 2.7 million KRW, and the hybrid base by about 3.2 million KRW. Of course, when comparing full option models, the perceived price increase is greater. However, considering that this is a full-change model released after five years with various new technologies as standard, I think the price range is reasonably justified. The new Santa Fe comes standard with navigation smart cruise control, an interior fingerprint authentication system, and wireless software updates (OTA).