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www.oakvillebeaver.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, February 17, 2010 · 12 Santa Fe offers more sportier ride than ever before Continued from page 11 split rear seat and you get 2,214 litres of cargo room, which is stellar for a compact and decent for a mid-size CUV. Ride is sportier than I expected with this kind of vehicle (especially in the V6, which I drove later), thanks to twin-tube MacPherson struts with stabilizer bar up front and a multi-link suspension with stabilizer bar in rear. There was little lean in corners, considering the vehicle height, yet it was forgiving over potholes and choppy pavement. My tester was powered by a 2.4-litre 16-valve DOHC inline four with continuously variable valve timing. It delivers 175 hp and 169 lb/ft of torque, which is not far off the previous generation's 2.7 litre V6, which was rated at 185 hp and 183 lb/ft. Acceleration was surprisingly brisk, and according to the company, it outperforms the small six it replaces in zero to 100 km/h testing. Sure, the engine moaned a little when pushed hard, but it wasn't sluggish, and got up to highway speed quickly enough. Fuel economy is good, with the 2.4 rated at 10.2/7.2 litres/100 km (city/highway) with the automatic. Still, there's not much of a fuel penalty when moving up to the V6, which is exceptionally fuel efficient at 10.1/7.6 litres/100 km for the front driver. To help keep you on track, there's also a little "Eco" light on the dash to let you know when you're driving fuel efficiently. After returning the four-cylinder Santa Fe, I had the opportunity to test the fully-loaded V6 AWD version, which although nearly 200 kg heavier than the 2.4 GL, was still rated at 10.5/7.7 litres/100 km (city/hwy). It offered a very different driving experience, as the 3.5 litre, 24-valve DOHC V6 puts out 101 more horses and an additional 79 lb/ft of torque. Compare that to last year's 3.3 litre V6, which provided 242 hp (versus 276) and 226 lb/ft (versus 248). And the new engine offers substantially better fuel economy. Like the V6-powered RAV4, this flavour of Santa Fe is a bit of a road rocket, and may not be every soccer parent's cup of tea (although it sure was mine). Still, if you need to tow anything, this is the way to go, as the V6 when properly equipped will pull 1587 kg vs 907 kg for the four. Standard safety includes everything you'd expect: six airbags, ABS brakes with electronic brake force distribution and brake assist, and electronic stability control with traction control. Bottom line: if you're in the market for a practical, comfortable and stylish family hauler, with good fuel economy, a modicum of sportiness and at a price that makes sense, the Santa Fe is worth a serious look. Hyundai Santa Fe Four-Cylinder Crossover 2010 At a Glance: BODY STYLE: mid-size crossover SUV DRIVE METHOD: front-engine, front- or allwheel-drive ENGINE: 2.4 litre 4 cyl (175 hp and 169 lb/ft of torque); 3.5 litre V6 (276 hp and 248 lb/ft) TOWING CAPACITY: 1,587 kg (on V6 models, properly equipped) FUEL ECONOMY: 2.4 litre FWD auto 10.2/7.2 litres/100 km (city/highway); 3.5 litre V6 AWD: 10.5/7.7 litres/100 km (city/highway) PRICE: (base 4 cyl.) $25,999; (V6 Limited with Navigation) $37,599 The Santa Fe has been refreshed for 2010 with a new bodycolour grille with chrome accents, new combination wraparound projector-beam headlamps and some nicely integrated fog lights (on the V6 only).