Hyundai Santa Fe 2000 test drive - 2004 SUV

Under the sun New Mexico

Such a car has been waiting for a long time. Still - Koreans with their efficiency and active policy in foreign markets simply could not help but put their player in such a quickly developing class as light SUVs. Therefore, when in the winter of the year before last at the Detroit car dealership, Hyundai Motor supplied the supposedly conceptual model Santa Fe, everyone realized that before the entry of this machine, a few months remained in a large game. And it is true: exactly a year later, in the same place, in the capital of the American auto industry, he debuted a serial car with the same name and with almost the same appearance, and a few weeks later in Geneva the SUV was officially introduced to the European public. However, the inhabitants of the Old World should not be seduced: Santa Fe is oriented primarily on the overseas buyer. Evidence? Firstly, the design of the machine was engaged in the development of the California Center of the Company, and secondly, up to two -thirds of the annual exported cars - namely 80,000 pieces - will be shipped to North America. Finally, Santa Fe is nothing more than a city in New Mexico, where sales of models will surely be record.

What is the new Hyundai, for the development and preparation for the production of which 27 months of labor and more than 200 million dollars are spent? This is a five -seater car with a load -bearing body and completely independent suspension: front macherson and rear multi -link system. There are two main versions of the car: front -wheel drive and with a drive for all wheels. In the second case, we are talking about the automatic connecting of the rear wheels, that is, under the regular conditions, the Santa Fe 4WD remains front -wheel drive, however, when slipping the front axis wheels, part of the torque is up to 40% - through the viscosity axis, can be thrown into the rear axle wheels. Such a restriction of the distribution of torque (as a rule, similar transmission can transmit up to 95% of the moment to wheels with better clutch) naturally reduces the off -road qualities of the car, but significantly improves highways, making its behavior more predicted and controlled for a person without sports driving skills. This transmission was developed by order of the Hyundai Motor, the Austrian-Daimler-Puch, by the Austrian Motor, was successfully used by Koreans on models that have been supplied only to the domestic market only. Four power units are offered to choose from: gasoline, working volumes 2.0, 2.4 and 2.7 liters, as well as a two -liter turbodiesel that has just appeared.
The gearbox can be mechanical or automatic, capable of working in manual mode. The Santa Fe tested for us is an all -wheel drive, with a 2.4 -liter engine and mechanics.

The design of the machine left a double impression. On the one hand, a sufficiently integral appearance is not without echoes of bio -design, in profile - concise and easily recognizable. On the other hand, the super -sulgressive nasal part is pumped wings, a hood of a complex relief flowing into a huge bumper of the radiator cladding, two slotes of air intakes and large fog of the tumulus. With the third, frankly Asian back with an abundance of chubby shapes and a mass of lights of different colors and sizes. All this somehow gets along in one car, does not cause rejection and looks quite pretty. But not one hundred percent original - more than once we caught ourselves thinking that Santa Fe is very similar to the gaz -3106 chieftain!

Inside us, a gray tissue-plastic interior met us. Emphasize that the word gray refers exclusively to the uncomplicated color scheme of the interior, but not to its convenience. Yes, and the design is by no means flawless - the front panel seemed to us the most interesting detail, smoothly flowing into the door sheathing and taking away side deflectors directly to the door handles. The dash panel framed by the trump card is modest, but the information displayed on it is very intelligible. The central console will not delight lovers of a large number of buttons and toggle switches, however, how conveniently, the round handles of control of microclimate are conveniently equipped with hooks! There are enough other little things that are precisely components of the concepts of comfort - for example, large buttons of locking door locks or an eyeglass with electronic clock above the heads of the driver and his neighbor. We also include a mirror with automatically turned on in anti -linen visors. There are three backlights in the cabin in the cabin, four cup holders and two outlets for 12 volts - one on the second row of seats, the other in the cargo compartment. Services of mirrors and glasses are already considered for granted. And we would put a bold sign in the minus in front of the glove box, which the front passenger’s knees prevent to open.

Now - about the organization of the driver's workplace. To moderately, the hard seat is equipped with additional adjustments in height and the degree of lumbar support, as well as heating. At the same time, the landing remains in the current high, and in steep turns, the side support of the back seems weak. The steering column is adjusted in height, and the range of its movement with more than enough for a person of any complexion. Two front airbags are installed on Santa Fe, and the right - with the de -Tector of the presence of the front passenger, that is, in the absence of it, it is turned off. Review of the back is not too good because of the small glass of the trunk door, so when maneuvering in the city stream it is better to rely on external mirrors. To whom the expanse is the rear passengers: there are plenty of places for both two and three, the reserve of space is enough both in the legs and above their heads.
 
There are large pockets with protrusions for bottles in the doorway. The seat is folded in a ratio of 1: 2, and both parts of the back can be adjusted along the angle of inclination. The cargo compartment is perfectly adapted for transportation of luggles of any kind: there is a stretching mesh and eye -linen for attaching the cargo, and several containers are hidden in the floor for multi -caliber objects. The horizontal curtain that closes the contents of the trunk from prying eyes can be attached in one of two positions. I really liked the handle of the back door, massive and reliable; On the back of the door there is a large recess, taking up the door, it is convenient to close the door. In the best American traditions, the glass of the rear door opens separately, facilitating the transportation of long, but light things. The only thing that does not fit well into our conditions is a spare wheel suspended from the bottom from below the body.

Santa Fe behavior on the road was a complete surprise for us. By controllability, this SUV is able to argue with many cars! The car reacts to the turn of the steering wheel with amazing speed and excellent accuracy and, most importantly, for a moment without losing connection with the driver. The degree of returning effort on the steering wheel changes depending on the angle of rotation of the wheels, the speed of movement and quality of the clutch of the tires with the road, and with such complete information, you can safely go into battle. In any case, never still rebuilding in a dense city stream on an SUV from a row in a row, sometimes quite sharp, they did not give us so much pleasure.
 
When passing high -speed turns, Santa Fe tries to accurately copy the actions of a front -wheel drive station wagon - the car has some insufficient turning, deftly dinging into the rotation without the slightest hint of a drift. And the general feeling of the unreality of such manners for a machine of this class is enhanced by the meager rolls of the body. Probably, there is no need to talk for a long time about what, winning in controllability, Santa Fe lost in smoothness: although the car suspension is very energy intensive and does not save before any potholes, it is not able to ignore the majority of road uneven, so such a thing, such a thing, such a thing. As a shaking, an SUV is not alien.

145 horsepower for almost a two -ton car is not so hot, but it would be enough if it were not for the gearbox. Probably, in the pursuit of decreasing fuel consumption and compliance with tough environmental requirements, the designers stretched the transfer numbers of the transmission, turning overclocking on a car into a tedious occupation. Rather, Santa Fe is created for measured driving - then you rejoice at the large moves of the pedals and a good torque on the bottom, and the possibility of using each transmission in a wide range of speeds. By the way, even a turbodiesel resembles a low voice with a characteristic whistle than a gasoline power unit. If you crush the accelerator pedal, then nothing happens: the engine grins displeasedly, but the car does not want to accelerate. And only when the arrow of the tachometer is selected to the mark of 4000, does the pickup occur, and Santa Fe seems to come to life. This lasts up to 6500 rpm, from which the red zone begins. That is, the motor itself is gambling, but, constrained by the gears of the gearbox, he is not able to demonstrate his abilities. It turns out that you can travel dynamically without lowering the momentum below 3500-4000 and putting up with the noise of the engine.

On snowy roads, Santa Fe is no worse than on the highway. Acceleration is accompanied by a strange chattering in the front wheels - this is how the anti -circus system that uses standard brake mechanisms to slow down the wheels. In quick turns, you encounter the same demolition of the front axle, but, unlike other all -wheel drive cars, it will not work to go through the turn - the transmission will not allow. Under these conditions, the skid can be triggered by the discharge of gas, but not by adding it. If you accelerated more than the supplied, to pay off speed without loss of control over the machine will help ABS. As for the off -road qualities of the car, that is, cross -country ability, Santa Fe with a clearance of 21 cm and all -wheel drive will not capitulate either loose snow, or before sand, or before blurred primer. The main thing is that the tires are suitable. And for other exploits, this machine is not intended. There are real all -terrain vehicles on that.

The overall impression of acquaintance with the car is as follows: we met a passenger car of increased capacity and increased cross -country ability. And in appearance the most SUV. This curious symbiosis of qualities costs about thirty thousand dollars - so much is asked for Santa Fe in this configuration. What does the appearance of Japanese cars have a new strong competitor.
   
      
 

A source: Wheel magazine [No. 47/2001]