The Santa Fe arrived here as the first Hyundai 4x4 on the UK market, but that didn't mean this was the company's first shot at four-wheel drive. In Korea and elsewhere, it has sold more than 250,000 4WD vehicles in the last ten years: cars, vans and even minibuses.Hyundai is serious about the Santa Fe for European and North American markets, having invested $230 million in the project and brought in all manner of Western expertise. For a start, it was styled by Hyundai's Los Angeles studio. The four-wheel drive system, though built in Korea, was developed by Steyr-Daimler-Puch in Austria, and, as with other Hyundai and Kia vehicles, some versions use the H-Matic transmission originally designed by Porsche.But there's a limit to the foreign connections. Introduced after the petrol models, the turbo diesel is fitted with one of Hyundai's own TD engines, production of which is being increased largely because of the demands of the European market.The Santa Fe is an unexpectedly well-styled car. Flat panels are out, and everything that could be designed with a concavity or a convexity got the full treatment. The result is that, although Hyundai likes to call the styling "bold and muscular", this is a 4x4 which looks less intimidating than some others, although it's chunky where that suits the general off-roading theme.Inside, there are some neatly presented details - things like the rotary heating and ventilating controls, the headlamp beam adjuster and the door mirror switches, and even the very mildly retro gearlever knob. And you can see that somebody has thought about the view from the driving seat. The TD has a large bonnet air intake the petrol versions don't need, but that doesn't hide the attractive out-and-upsweep of the front wings.Looked at from the rear, the Santa Fe has a carefully styled tailgate and rear bumper area, with what ought to be a prize-winning body-coloured handle and release for the tailgate, and a separately opening back window.Although this is a mid-range 4x4, it has a spacious interior, with excellent legroom and headroom in the rear. Behind the back seats there's a well thought-out load area, high-floored to allow for the axle underneath, but with several hidden compartments under the carpet. Like many 4x4s intended for the US market, the Hyundai has a 12-volt socket in the rear, and another one up front, tacitly placed to take a radar detector. There are stowage spaces all over the place, including a pull-out tray under the front passenger seat.The two-litre turbo diesel engine is the first one we've seen from Hyundai in the UK. It's an in-house common-rail design, which pulls strongly thanks to its 192lb/ft of torque at 2000rpm, and has good economy figures for the class. Some previous Korean 4x4s have had old-stager diesel engines, but this one is up to date, with a good balance of power, economy and emission control. Eventually there will be modular six-cylinder and V8 versions of the same engine.In the Santa Fe it sits under an acoustic cover, although there are limits to what that can do in terms of noise suppression at tickover. Once on the go, though, the Hyundai is as quiet as most rival 4x4s.Ride quality is high for the class, and the Santa Fé is one of those modern 4x4s for people who refuse to put up with the agricultural handling of some previous (and, indeed, some present) types.Its competitive price is possible partly because it doesn't bother with dual ratios or selectable four-wheel drive. As we keep saying, very few 4x4 owners actually need all that high-tech equipment, because they are simply not going to tackle Amazonian jungles or the North Wall of the Eiger.The Santa Fe has permanently-engaged four-wheel drive, with the power allocated 60/40 to the front and rear wheels for all general motoring. But that distribution alters as the system detects any wheelspin, and there's a rather sophisticated double-differential set-up to help things along.The Hyundai Group makes are beginning to make a serious impact on this side of the world, and now there's a good-looking, roomy, well-equipped and cannily-priced 4x4. Engine 1991cc, 4 cylinders Power 115bhp Fuel/CO2 37.0mpg / 202g/km Acceleration 0-62mph: 14.9 seconds Top speed 103mph Price £16,999 Details correct at publication date
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