• Smooth hybrid options available
• Plug-In has small electric range
• But quiet and good on fuel

Hybrid engines

All Hyundai Santa Fes are hybrids now, so if you’re hoping for a diesel to tow your caravan with, you will want to look elsewhere. There are two to choose from: either a full self-charger or a plug-in hybrid – Hyundai names these Hybrid or Plug-In.

Both hybrids use a 1.6-litre petrol engine and feature tech like adaptive regenerative braking (which increases or relaxes depending on how close you are to a car in front, or a lowering of the speed limit). Both use a conventional six-speed automatic – not a CVT seen in Toyota hybrids, for example.

Choose the Hybrid version and your Santa Fe will use that aforementioned engine as well as a 1.49kWh battery pack and electric motor. The system develops 215hp and works in the way almost all conventional hybrids do, allowing for engine-off low-speed driving and a power boost under hard acceleration. Two- or four-wheel drive versions are available with the Hybrid. The two-wheel drive Hybrid takes 9.6 seconds to reach 62mph, topping out at 112mph and the four-wheel drive Hybrid takes 9.8 seconds.

Go for the Plug-In model and the battery increases to 13.8kWh, allowing for up to 33 miles of electric range. That figure is reasonable, but will seem small when other car makers are launching cars with around 60 miles of electric range. Plug-In models are also four-wheel drive only, with an acceleration time of 9.3sec.

Both engines feel very similar to each other, save for the amount of time the engine can be off. Regardless of which one you choose, both powertrains are impressively quiet on the move – even if you accelerate hard to overtake or get up to speed on a motorway slip road – and feel quite sprightly off the line before tailing off noticeably. There’s enough power for everyday driving, but the Santa Fe will feel a little outgunned by more powerful rivals.

What’s it like to drive?

• Calm drive is great for long distances
• Impressive ride quality on large wheels
• Not very exciting – but what is at this size?

The steering is light and tidy and, like the powertrain, is designed to be inoffensive and easy-going rather than engaging. Holding the thick-rimmed steering wheel adds some confidence, and turn-in feels alert enough despite the Santa Fe’s large size.

What impressed was the ride; every Santa Fe runs on 20-inch wheels and, mostly, the quality on the road was good. Particularly large potholes jolt and thud a little, but small and medium imperfections in the road are dealt with well at any speed and the Santa Fe is a fabulous motorway cruiser. Wind noise isn’t too intrusive at higher speeds either, despite the Santa Fe’s shape.

It’s a neat and tidy machine to drive. It doesn’t feel as large as it looks on the road and, after a few hundred miles under our belts, we weren’t feeling sore or tired either. We’d happily say it’d make for a great road trip machine, which is arguably Hyundai’s main brief for the Santa Fe anyway.