Review and photos by Peter Bleakney
Odometer at pick-up: 1,599 km
Odometer current: 7,120 km (5521 km by Autos.ca)
Observed Fuel Consumption: 11.1 L/100 km
Costs: $768.12 (Gas)
My week with our Frosted Mocha 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe XL Premium long-term tester ($34,999) was preceded by a few days in the top-trim, $43,399 XL Limited 6-Passenger – a vehicle we used for an upcoming CUV comparo.
So did I go from filet to Spam? From the Four Seasons to the Motel 6?
Not entirely. Yes, the saddle leather for fabric, the panoramic sunroof and proximity key with push-button start that I gave up were missed, and going from the eight-inch touchscreen with navigation to the small monochrome unit hurt. But gosh, there’s still a lot of kit here in the Premium.
During this frigid week, the heated steering wheel was our best friend, as were those heated second row seats for the back-seat passengers. And I can’t say enough about the all-wheel drive and winter tires that kept us mobile during a wicked blizzard. The third row was not used, but past experience suggests it is passable for kids, although access is difficult as the second-row seats don’t slide forward very much.
What I didn’t miss was the harsher ride of the Limited, which rolls on 19-inch wheels versus the 18-inchers on the Premium.
The Premium also has rear park assist, power liftgate, windshield wiper de-icer, downhill brake control, hill start assist, rear side manual sunshades, dual zone climate control and 12-way driver’s seat with four-way lumbar.
So what is a Santa Fe XL? Simply, take a Santa Fe Sport, stretch the wheelbase 100 mm, add 215 mm overall, put a vestigial third row in the back, a 290-hp, 252 lb-ft direct-injection 3.3L Lambda II V6 in the front, and there you have it.
It’s here to do battle with the Ford Explorer, Mazda CX-9, Toyota Highlander, Honda Pilot and Nissan Pathfinder.
  2014 Hyundai Santa Fe XL Premium. Click image to enlarge |
That’s not to say Hyundai hasn’t offered a capacious crossover before. The three-row Veracruz, launched in 2007, was deep-sixed to make way for the Santa Fe XL.
The Vera-what?
Exactly. That pricey offering didn’t resonate with Canadian buyers, and with few takers Hyundai never put much into marketing. So you’d be forgiven for not knowing what the heck it is.
I expect Hyundai will do well with the Santa Fe XL. A week in the saddle proved it to be a very desirable rig. The seats are comfortable, it handles well and it’s highly functional. Add to that a high quality cabin and the aforementioned generous content, and you have a winning combo.
Plus it moves out quite smartly. This is the lightest vehicle in the segment, and with its 290-hp V6, it brags the best power-to-weight ratio. Passing power is plentiful and the six-speed auto shifts smoothly.
My wife drove it a lot that week, and because of the quiet cabin and strong engine, she was usually going faster than she thought. Luckily the local constabulary did not get a chance to confirm that.
And while speaking of my better half, she can be one heck of a harsh critic when it comes to press vehicles. Tooling around in this Santa Fe XL Premium made her quite happy.
I wasn’t too thrilled with the fuel economy, showing 15.1 L/100 km after a few days, but admittedly this was possibly the scenario – bitter cold, snow and all in-town driving. Reset for a highway jaunt, it dropped down to 10.7 L/100 km.
With some renos going on here, I used the Hyundai for a couple of Home Depot runs.
Tug a couple of straps and the two third-row seats flip forward to open up a capacious cargo area. The second row does the same, creating a nearly flat 2,265-litre load space – about on par with the Pathfinder and Explorer, less than the CX-9, Pilot and Highlander.
Its last day here saw us picking up our son at the University of Guelph and then dropping into a cut-your-own Christmas tree place. Three adults, a bunch of student detritus and a balsam fir – no problem for this stylish crossover.
Pricing: 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe XL Premium AWD
Base Price: $29,999
Base Price (Premium AWD): $34,999
Options: None
A/C Tax: $100
Destination: $1,760
Price as tested: $36,859
Competitors:
Chevrolet Traverse
Dodge Journey/Durango
Ford Explorer
GMC Acadia
Honda Pilot
Kia Sorento
Mazda CX-9
Nissan Pathfinder
Toyota Highlander
