2009 Hyundai Santa Fe Elite CRDi Review

By Alborz Fallah | January 15th, 2009

2009 Hyundai Santa Fe Elite CRDi Review & Road Test

A true contender in the family car market

Model Tested:

2009 Hyundai CM Santa Fe Elite AWD CRDi, 2.2-litre, turbo-diesel, five-speed automatic – $46,990 (RRP)

Options:

Metallic Paint $375

Family friendly; quiet highway cruising; comfortable

Turbo lag issues; hindered lower rearward visibility

CarAdvice Rating:

Family marketing slogans are often touted by car manufacturers and when one claims to be ‘Built Family Tough’, the precursor has been set for family practicality to be leaking out the doors.

When I took loan of the Hyundai Santa Fe Elite CRDi, I was expecting big things in this department and I have to say, despite some small issues I had with the car, it lived up to its family friendly claim.

I had a whole three weeks to put the Santa Fe through its paces, including a lot of driving around Victoria over the busy holiday season. To me, it is the little things that matter, a car can go fast and as hard as you like, but if the kids are cramped, it is a chore loading and unloading the boot and you need to take out a bank loan to fill the thing up, you can keep what’s under the bonnet.

The Santa Fe is packed with nifty innovative ideas which are a definite appeal to those with kids and it also hits the nail on the head in the economy department, also a major requirement for family cars.

Hyundai’s economical 2.2-litre, CRDi (common rail diesel) engine sat between 8.0 and 9.0-litres per 100km on around-town trips and on a long drive, it worked its way down to steady 7.0-litres per 100km.

The Santa Fe also comes with a 2.7-litre or 3.3-litre petrol engine option that, according to manufacturers specifications, chews up 10.6 and 10.7-litres per 100km respectively. That being said, in the Santa Fe CRDi as tested, my main gripe came from the driving stakes.

The initial turbo lag provides what I can only best describe as ‘sporadic acceleration’. When I put my foot down to take off from traffic lights or to make it across a road before oncoming traffic, nothing would happen and then suddenly the car would take off quickly and unexpectedly and I would then be grappling for the brake.

Over the three weeks, I tested two different vehicles, both five-speed automatics, the turbo lag was more pronounced in the first car (which I had for the majority of the time) and I found it a challenge to find the right spot to bring the throttle to, wait for the delay, then take off without running into the person in front.

However the acceleration seemed a lot smoother in the second vehicle, so it could have been an isolated problem. In both though, they seemed to lack the take-off expected when I wanted to make a quick move in traffic with the slower acceleration expected from a single spool turbo-diesel.

Obviously the petrol models have an advantage here with naturally aspirated engines not presenting this issue. A manual transmission may also make a difference, but the Santa Fe stalls here being offered as a manual in the two SX five-seat models only.

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Once on the open road, the Elite really came into its own, it took to driving long distances with ease and the diesel economy meant there wasn’t a worry about where the next service station was (or if they were open over the holidays for that matter!). The manual shift mode on the auto was useful when overtaking.

On unsealed roads, things couldn’t have been smoother and it was actually hard to tell the vehicle had even left the bitumen. The Santa Fe stayed very stable in the gravel and not once did it look like faltering. Road noise is at a minimum which provides a very comfortable ride for the family.

For such a large car, I was surprised to find I didn’t have an issue swinging into any type of park, however it was a different story when it came to reversing out of a tight spot. I had no idea what was behind me and after a nervous first try at reversing out of a tight car park, from then on I made sure I was well able to drive directly out of parks.

Reversing sensors (which are available on the list of genuine accessories) or even better, a reversing camera certainly wouldn’t go astray. I would be happy to forego one of the LCD displays in lieu of a reversing camera.

Things were equally as comfortable inside the car with a well thought out interior combined with those afore mentioned nifty innovations. A concave mirror drops down from the roof, so it effectively sits above the rear view mirror, for a full view of rear seat shenanigans, preventing any dangerous turning around to see if all is peaceful in the back.

Then there rear air conditioning vents, instead of being located on the back of the centre console, the rear vents in the Santa Fe are on the side pillars, making the cooling system very effective.

The leather seats in the Elite are very comfortable but you sure know they are leather when you jump back in a pair of shorts on a hot summer day, while leather has the advantage of ‘easy clean’ the perforated detail in the seats of the Elite would be a nightmare to clean with the sort of things children like to drop on seats. The driver and passenger seats have electronic positioning and height adjustment and leg and head room wasn’t an issue.

The park brake in the Santa Fe is foot operated and located as a pedal on the left side of the brake and accelerator. In the beginning I wasn’t a fan of this and preferred the hand-operated version. However, towards the end I came to really like it, it freed up space where the hand brake would usually be and there was simply ‘on’ or ‘off’, no discrepancy as to whether it was on properly or not.

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The instrument panel is large and easy to read. The speedometer had a red notch at 50km/h as opposed to the white ones at the other speed increments. This was very effecting in making sure the needle never went past the red when driving in domestic areas.

As an added security feature, the doors automatically locked as the vehicle’s speed climbed to the 50km mark. They wouldn’t unlock until the car had stopped and keys were removed from the ignition. This was another point which took some getting used to, I never realised how often I went to let the kids out or grab something from the boot with the keys still in the ignition until I found they were locked each time.

It did however force me to be more vigilant and ensure the keys were with me whenever I left the driver’s seat. Also from the driver’s seat, the fuel door release is located on the door below the controls for the electric windows and mirrors.

The Elite’s imitation maple wood woodgrain finish doesn’t have the tackiness that can sometimes come with such trims. The darker colour and combination with a chrome trim gives it an understated appeal. The Elite’s steering wheel is fitted with stereo controls and cruise control. The seven-speaker stereo has fantastic sound output, 12 was the loudest I could go and there at least double that many notches on the dial.

Continuing the nifty features in the front, the driver and passenger both have individual overhead lights which come on automatically when the sun visor-back vanity mirror cover is slid back. Behind the rear seat mirror is a felt-lined sunglasses keeper which also drops down from the roof and holds a good sized pair of sunnies comfortably.

The front central interior light has individual controls for both the driver and passenger. The rear vision mirror in the Elite has a built-in compass displaying green LED letters (N, NE, SW etc) in the top left corner. Have to say I found this highly distracting on an average drive and even when the green letters were turned off, when I glanced in the rear vision mirror, my eyes were wanting to focus on the small blank black screen.

However, I’m sure it would be useful when it came to true off-roading. The Elite also offers an electric sunroof with blind and a very clever central console which has two compartments, a shallow top part for general items needed close to hand and a deep part underneath which, when the vent at the bottom is turned on, doubles as a cool box – fantastic for keeping baby formula and kids drinks cold!

The cup holders are a great size, they are big enough to hold a 1.25 litre bottle and the retractable knobs mean the smallest coffee cup also sits snugly.

The ‘control station’ of the dash has three blue LCD screens, a small one at the top displaying the time, then under the row of mode buttons is the largest screen displaying audio information. The stereo has well positioned USB and aux in as well as MP3 compatibility. The final screen shows climate control and external temperature. The climate control in the Santa Fe is very effective, working to quickly cool the car down even on the warmest of days. It is also very quiet.

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In the second row of seating, two childseats fit quite comfortably with room for a central passenger. However, the central seat isn’t as comfortable as the others with the backrest quite stiff. The middle seat drops down to reveal two cup holders with a lid, probably the reason behind the stiffness of the seat.

To further please the family the Elite also has the option of becoming a seven seater with two fold-down seats in the ‘boot’. This is a great option if it is left at just that, an option, I’m not sure it would be hugely practical as a full-time seven-seater with young children involved.

There are no child seat anchors on the third row which means any child seats would need to be on the second row. That’s not an issue; most parents would probably want the younger children closer to them anyway. But the problem arises with entry for third row passengers.

One isn’t a problem, it is simple to erect one seat and for the passenger to enter through the tailgate, however for a second third row passenger, they would need to enter over the second row of seats and if child seats are involved, that means unanchoring the seat to fold down the second 60:40 split seats for the seventh passenger to enter.

More of a logistical issue if anything and with boot space dramatically reduced with the third row in use, I would say six ‘full-time’ passengers would be my limit. The ride for the third row passenger isn’t too bad. While leg and head room isn’t overly generous, there is an air-conditioning vent and cup holder back there and my third row passengers were pleasantly surprised at the comfort factor.

The Santa Fe looks good and certainly doesn’t scream budget end of the SUV market. The styling is right up there with the best in my opinion. Forward and side visibility is always that bit better in a 4WD due to the added height factor, but as mentioned, rear visibility could be improved.

The tailgate is easily opened one handed, but I found it a little heavy/stiff to close. The bonnet on the other hand was the complete opposite, it is hydraulic operated so no need for fitting a strut.

Safety is not overlooked with airbags everywhere you look, extending right back to the third row. ABS, ESP and TCS are standard across all models.

With the Santa Fe ranging in price from $33,990 to $46,990 it certainly present an affordable option in the SUV market. With families clearly in mind at the designing table, Hyundai has become a true contender in the family car market with the Santa Fe.

CarAdvice Overall Rating:
How does it Drive:
How does it Look:
How does it Go:

Specifications:

Engine: 2188cc SOHC four-cylinder (16 valve)
Power: 114kW @ 4000rpm
Torque: 343Nm @ 1800-2500rpm
Induction: Common-rail & turbocharged
Transmission: Five-speed automatic
Driven Wheels: All
Brakes: Discs with ABS & EBD
CO2 Emissions: 218g/km (Combined)
Fuel Consumption: 8.2-litres/100km (Combined)
Fuel Tank Capacity: 75-litres
Fuel Type: Diesel
EuroNCAP Rating: Four stars
Airbags: Fron, side & curtain
Safety: ESP with traction control
Spare Wheel: Full-size alloy
Tow Capacity: 1800kg (Braked)
Turning Circle: 10.9 metres
Warranty: Five Year/Unlimited Kilometre
Weight: 1996kg (Tare)
Wheels: Alloy 18 x 7.0-inch

Road Test the (Diesel) Rivals:

crouchy

Looks fantastic IMO. GM couldnt release something like this if it was sitting in front of them….. =(
Carl

Sounds like a very good package BUT having to remove the key from the ignition every time i pickup or drop off one of my teenage boys is a deal breaker for me….so much so that i stopped reading the review at that point!!!
NotTheStig

Glad to see this review is one one page and not spread over 6 like usual (just to built up your page view stats perhaps ?).

Car is a OK thing – I would rather one of these than a Captiva IMHO.

I would never even put my worst enemy in the third row of one of these or a Captiva etc. Even a moderate rear end impact would likely be fatal to the occupants…
Mitchell Oke

Carl, I’m sure you can unlock the doors with the keys still in the ignition. My dad’s BMW and new Mini locks the doors when you set off (about 40kph I think), and you simply unlock the door manually if you want to get out without removing the key.

Personally I think it’s a great feature for security, and good on Hyundai for implementing it in a family car like this.

Looks like quite a nice car, decent looker as well, certainly wouldn’t be embarrassing to drive one around. Great review!
Baji

The santa fe is defintely a truely impressive vehicle, doing everythign it was meant to do rather well. I Never really thought much of hyundai until my parents and i checked out the santa fe not too long ago. We were pretty surprised at how good the quality was and the fit and finish were on par if not better than some of the toyota offerings. In the end though, we settled on the Mazda CX9 Luxury. Its a much nicer drive, looks better and is bigger/roomier. Although 7L/100KM on the highway is just something the mazda can dream about.
http://www.caradvice.com.au Matt

Hi Carl,

I can assure you having driven the Santa Fe before that the boot, and indeed all locks, can be undone by simply pressing the unlock button located near the power window switches.

I think Rose was saying that if you wanted for this to happen automatically then you do in fact need to remove the key.

It’s a part of Hyundai’s HALO anti-carjacking system.

Hope this helps, Matt.
http://www.caradvice.com.au Rose

Hi Carl,
As Mitchell said, the doors are able to be unlocked manually, I guess I should have been a little clearer in my explanation there. What I should have said it that they don’t automatically unlock until the keys are removed from the ignition (same with the boot). With small children, I would find myself leaving the keys in the ignition and then going to get them out and finding the doors locked, but I could put my arm through and manually unlock them (or just remove the keys from the ignition which is what I got in the habit of doing in the end).

I’m sure with older children or adults, it wouldn’t be a problem as they could competently unlock the doors manually to get out while the keys are still in the ignition.

Hope that clears up the confusion, I encourage you to read on.

Regards,

Rose Harris.
Carl

Mitchell Oke, I’m sure the reviewer stated that the doors could not be unlocked until the keys were completely removed……..and that can be a major pain in the real world, it might sound like a great idea but it’s a pretty useless function coz at high speeds the wind resistance makes it very difficult to open a car door!!! so i guess if you live in a high crime city it would be OK but not necessary in OZ (YET)
Carl

Hi Rose, Good to hear i misunderstood and the door handles override the auto lock function!
realcars

These things look as good if not better than any SUV on the market IMO.

Cmon Hyundai get your act together and sort the Turbo lag out. Can’t think of anything more off putting in a brand new vehicle than a car that misses or hesitates under acceleration.
realcars

Actually diesel economy very impressive considering real life economy of v6 petrol models would be north of 14 litres/100klms like most petrol SUVs this size.
http://www.caradvice.com.au Lightbulb

Great review & I think the base SX CRDi manual model is the pick of the bunch. This car would have to be one of the most underrated suv’s going around, & even though there may be a slight turbo lag problem, the diesel engined model is the best motor for this range. I think Hyundai is on a winner with this car & I cant wait to see their new i30 CW wagon when it comes out.

Cheers !
JEYKL & HYDE

is there such a thing as a “slight turbo lag problem”???sounds to me like its a small problem that turns into a big pain in the _ _ _ !!!
Daniel.W

Santa Fe kills the Kluger i reckon. value wise for me it would be a no brainer, looks better to. i read somewhere an all new Santa Fe was due out this year, but i thought it is to early in its model life to need a replacement.
anyone heard anything on that?
John of Perth

With respect to the driveability issue reported on the diesel, I wonder if CA can advise if the auto is one of these adaptive units that ‘learns’ the required input from the driver. Reason I ask is that having jumped into a vehicle which had one of these trannies and was literally driven for 50000km on a school run, the whole engine response seemed very sluggish. After two weeks of driving with more gusto, the whole vehicle responded perfectly – the auto had adapted to the driving style.

I think the vehicle is outstanding value for money and for Hyundai represents a seachange in the perception that they are a budget low cost manufacturer. On the contrary there will be several auto manufacturer casualties, but somehow I don’t think Hyundai will be one of them.

In time they might even rethink introducing the Genesis to the ANZ market.
Bernie Atkins

Has anybody towed an 19ft van with one of these We are looking at buying one and concerned about the towing
JEYKL & HYDE

bernie,are you on drugs..

maybe a small pop top would better suit the santa-fe.

if it must be a 19 footer then you MUST look prado,pajero,pathfinder,or any dual cab diesel.no if’s or but’s…
scamma

Having owned a SLX 7 seat CRD model for 18 months and 43000 kms later..I believe it was a great purchase and couldnt recommend higher. Was looking at Territory (no diesel) and Kluger (old model at the time),even Captiva (no third row airbag). Absolutely reliable and only minor warranty items dealt with hassle free at service. Currently around town avg 8.4ltrs and have been in low 6′s on a longer trip. My first diesel but i’m a convert.. despite the ripoff markup compared to Unleaded.
Zool

Perhaps Hyundai should have used the Kia Sorento’s turbo diesel. No discernable turbo lag, its a top notch engine.
riceboy

not sure if it’s the same system, but my Golf GTI auto locks the doors at 15km/h, and auto unlocks when the engine is switched off. The door locks can be over ridden when the internal door handles are pulled twice; and also by the driver pushing on the “unlock” button. I love the system for the sense of security, as we’re starting to hear of some car jackings even in Oz
Louis F

Can someone please explain to me the difference between a model with All Wheel Drive (AWD) and 4WD On demand. I seen from various Santa Fe brochures references to these 2 terms, some from the States and some from outside the USA , but cannot seems to tell which one does what and which model comes with which drive system? I am confused. Thanks. Louis F.
Peter J

I’ve test driven twice after driving other “turbo lag” SUVs. The CRDi is now as smooth as?
brian

AWD has a ‘centre diff’ which allows the tail shaft to slip so to speak, meaning that the car can drive on any surface without damage to the drivetrain. This puts power to all wheels but still allows slip or different turning ratios between all the wheels for cornering. many systems are electronic now and controls power to each wheels, some are 60% Front/ 40% back etc. 4WD is when the centre diff locks apportioning equal drive to all wheels. However the centre diff does not work so the tail shaft will take the brunt of the force when on hard pack surfaces like bitumen. This should only be used ‘off-road’, and will give better traction under such circumstances.
Aitcho

Hi all,

Have to say that after taking delivery of a 2009 SLX CRDi model that I am really impressed with it.

It easily is the best in its field and market in my opinion, as it beats out the Captiva, Territory, Dodge Journey and Toyota Klugar for price, economy, and equipment as standard.

The excellant bits about it are;
Fuel economy on the Diesel (we get roughly mid 8′s around town, low 6′s on the highway)
Room for the family, comfortable for 5 adults and two kids.
Nice to drive, very comfortable seats and ride height.
Fantastic turning circle for a vehicle this size.

I could actually go on for ever about all the good bits if anyone wants a opinion prior to buying. Highly recomended in any case.

Only minor complaints are:
To get to the third row, only the left seat jumps forward.
Wide side mirrors, makes it hard getting into tight garages like mine (but can be manually folded in for this purpose)

All in all though, great car for its purpose. As you can see, minor complaints that really don’t mean that much anyway. And the 2009 model comes with a better looking trim than the pics have you believe. Worth a look if interested.
brad

Hi All

I got my CRDI SLX a few months back now and cannot fault it – love the car. I have had Prado’s in the past as I need the room for work and 5 kids. Have found the Santa Fe to be an excellant replacement. To be honest I prefer the Santa Fe. Better fuel economy, better interior and the service I have had from Hyundai has been unreal.
Also bought a I30 as well at the same time – this is also a fantastic car with excellant mileage and features. Good onya Hyundai well done
Roy

I would like to if south korean made Sante Fe 2009 crdi SUV is as durable and long lasting as compared to many german and american competitors ? has anyone had a reasonably trouble free 80,000 km on Sante fe 2008 or 2009 models ? I would like to know If the Brakes, Transmission and suspensions Last Long for mostly safe highway drives ?
Can experienced owners help me with my Queries ? thanks
Mike

Given the reports on turbo lag I test drove a few different new CRDis & only once was turbo lag barley discernable, so took the plunge & bought one SLX. Must have got a Firday car as the turbo lag is woeful both when taking off from being fully stopped & when on the highway when you want to overtake. Also appears when running on cruise control where the car drops below its set point & then the car surges as the cruise control kicks in to maintain speed (especially on mild rolling open road hills where the car should only need a small nudge to maintain speed). Took it to Hyundai, they did a diagnostics test & found it needed reprogramming. Any change to performance – NO! So I’m off back to them again. Hopefully they’ll get it right this time……….My advise to any prospective buyers, drive the actual car you want before handing over your hard earned, & by test drive do at least 100kms & include dead stop forward & reverse, on flat & slopes (yes it appears in all these states), do the open road & put you boot into it from cruising, & also on mild rolling open road hills. If the salesman complains, go elsewhere – its your money!
Trevor

7 seater by name – not in reality.
even if you can use the 7 seats, they are only suitable for small kids and leave no boot space for prams ect.
Mrs Max

Is it safe to use seater on the 3rd row? I come across comments that the3rd row is too close to the window, and not much room left from the rear, any crashes from the rear would be very serious. Is it safer or same for Kluger?

Sunshine

Hi Mrs Max, Kluger does have more head room at the back but when you actually sit in the back seat there is suprisingly more room than you think – the rear door is deceptive. For us it is a toss up between the kluger and the sante fe – value for money and the 4 cylinder diesal option means the santa fe is looking good.

Nigel

We have looked at all the SUV’s on the market in our price range………Pajero exceed and down. We have a 2005 exceed now, and have found the Santa fe is a true contender in the market, in fact we to buy one on Monday. I was so surprised when I drove it, we were so impressed with everything. I drove it everywhere we drove each SUV we test drove, which includes the steepest hill around here. I have say the turbo lag was something we just never found to be a problem. You have to remember this SUV has only a 2.2ltr engine, and preforms far better than it has a right to. I feel it has the same power as our current 3.8ltr petrol engine.

so we’ll see how we go Greta helpful review. thanks
Nigel
Peter

I have a late 2007 SLX CRDi and I have been complaining to Hyundai since the 15K service about turbo lag and dead spots on acceleration and under load. The vehicle was given a computer patch to solve the issue without sucess but they suceeded in increasing the fuel consumption to 9.6 ltr/100k inlieu of the 8.2 ltr/100 that I was initially getting and despite numerous attempts at each service cannot find a problem. Love the vehicle for 3 kids and towing a camper trailer but not impressed by engine lag and fuel consumption
derwoodii

Similar issue with us 08 CRDi But we (they) found a sticky emssion valve was cause once fixed all is good. They tried the computer patch as we had a very very minor dead spot in power like it was swapping gears. Unsure proper valve part name.
Walter E

Turbo needs to be rethought and redesigned. Just too many issues.