More than 70 per cent of all new vehicles sold at the retail level in Canada are crossovers. It’s a serious flog out there, competing in the massive compact segment, already the largest in the industry and expected to continue to grow.
Manufacturers are creating new sub-segments, looking for a bigger slice of the overall pie. We now have a wave of subcompacts, coming in under the daddy of them all — the compacts.
Others are adding vehicles a slight step up in size from compact and the luxury brands have gotten into the fray on several fronts.
Hyundai has brought a redesigned Santa Fe to the flight for 2019. The larger, but poorly-named, Santa Fe XL will be replaced by the three-row Palisade this year as a 2020 model.
The 2019 Santa Fe is expected to help lure a number of new consumers to the Hyundai family. It has a tough road ahead. The lead players in the segment, Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4 and Nissan Rogue are probably out of reach. But there is a tremendous scrap taking place mid-pack between Mazda CX-5, Jeep Cherokee, Chevrolet Equinox, VW Tiguan, Ford Edge and the Santa Fe.
Here is where Hyundai hopes to make headway. These are the vehicles in its sites, the ones it hopes Canadian consumers will cross-shop with the new fourth-generation Santa Fe. Built on what the company refers to as the SuperStructure platform, the 2019 Santa Fe is new from road to roof. It is longer, lighter, taller and wider.
The new platform brought a 65-mm longer wheelbase, compared to the outgoing Santa Fe Sport. This added length is on display in the second row of seats, where legroom is now plentiful, especially when compared to the others.
That extra distance between front and rear wheels also pays of in an improved ride.
The redesigned exterior is most evident from the front, where the headlights are below the running lights and turn signals. This unusual arrangement is fresh and helps separate the Santa Fe from the pack.
The interior also boasts a fresh approach with the usual Hyundai excellence of assembly, combined with higher quality materials and an ergonomic layout. The driver faces a clever array of instruments.
The speedometer is prominent, with the tachometer to the left and fuel and temperature gauges on the right. There is nothing particularly unique about the arrangement, but the manner in which they intersect and the subtle secondary touches and incorporated lighting shows a designer’s touch.
As has become all-too-common, the infotainment screen sits alone atop the centre of the dash. Thankfully, there are a number of buttons and knobs below for HVAC and other duties. The new Santa Fe provides easy access to Android Auto and Apple CarPlay as well as power, USB and aux outlets.
As mentioned previously, there is a lot more room in the second row than the previous Santa Fe. The new platform has also provided a large and impressive cargo area, accessed through a power lift gate. You can adjust the speed of the lift gate action. Volume is listed at 1,016 litres with the rear seats upright and doubles that with them folded.
The real neat feature is what lies below the privacy cover — a deep bin divided into three areas. Normally, this is where the spare tire would be housed. But that is further below, accessed from the outside. In the case of a flat, you don’t have to empty the cargo area to get at the spare.
The 2019 Santa Fe comes in front- or all-wheel drive, with two different engines. A new eight-speed automatic transmission replaces the six-speed used previously.
The standard engine is the 2.4-litre four used previously. It provides adequate, but not very impressive power. The new choice is a turbocharged 2.0-litre unit with 27 per cent more horsepower and a whopping 47 per cent more torque. Guess which one I would suggest?
A small display at the bottom of the speedometer shows the actions of the company’s HTRAC all-wheel-drive system in real time. It was hard not to take your eyes off the road too long, as it transitioned between front and all-wheel drive when accelerating from a stop.
Similarly, with snow and ice on the road, it constantly varied torque distribution according to need. Torque split is determined by input from 50 sensors. That information is processed 100 times each second.
The system can be adjusted, by the driver, through several modes. In Comfort, power goes to the front wheels most of the time for maximum fuel economy. In Sport, 33-50 per cent goes to the rear. Smart mode monitors conditions and varies distribution according to need.
Hyundai’s research showed shoppers in this family-oriented segment place heavy emphasis on safety. It thus went to great length to ensure it had a competitive edge in this respect.
All but the base model (expected to account for only 20 per cent of sales), roll off the Alabama assembly line with forward-collision warning with automatic braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams and a drowsy-driver detection system. A new safe exit system prevents opening the rear door on the traffic side if something is approaching from the rear.
The 2019 Santa Fe is bigger, better, faster, stronger, safer and more fuel efficient. If savvy shoppers make an effort to cross-shop before their purchase, Hyundai sales should skyrocket.
The specs
- Model: 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe Luxury
- Engine: turbocharged, 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, 235 horsepower, 260 lb.-ft. of torque, regular fuel
- Transmission: eight-speed automatic, AWD
- NRCan rating (litres/100km city/highway): 12.3 / 9.8
- Length: 4,770 mm
- Width: 1,890 mm
- Wheelbase: 2,765 mm
- Weight: 1,790 kg
- Price: $41,899 (luxury) as tested, plus freight
- Options on test vehicle: none
