Hyundai Santa Fe (06-12) - Review

The Santa Fe is exceptionally comfortable, helped by the excellent ride quality and very little road or engine noise. This makes it great for long distance travel, although on twisty roads the excessive body roll can be unpleasant for those in the back. There's plenty of room for rear passengers though and the seats are soft and cosseting, albeit somewhat lacking in side support. If you opt for a seven seat model (if buying new this adds around £1,000 to the price) you'll find them more spacious than most offroaders with a third row. They're still only really suitable for kids but adults can fit and the space feels less claustrophobic than alternative seven seat cars. All cars get conditioning as standard while CDX models (later Premium) and upwards have automatic dual-zone climate control and an electrically adjustable driver's seat.

This a key strength and with a cavernous standard boot space of 969 litres - that's huge compared to most family cars and even more than a Range Rover - the Santa Fe is ideal for active families. Even if you opt for the seven seat version, the clever fold flat system means that with the extra seats folded down, boot space is just as generous. The second row almost folds flat with a slick action where the seat cushions move forward and down automatically. Access to the rearmost seats isn't that straightforward, as you can only get in from the passenger side, but this isn't a major problem.

The Santa Fe's interior is good enough to be compared with any mainstream car at this price. The fit and finish is first rate and the integrated audio system looks far classier than the aftermarket versions fitted to previous Hyundais. Although the wood-effect trim is obviously fake wood, it doesn't look at all bad. The instruments are backlit with a soothing blue. CDX models and above have high quality perforated leather seat facings. Hyundai has paid much attention to detail, with damped grab handles and steering-wheel audio controls on CDX and above. It a shame then that the steering wheel is only adjustable for height and not reach, but this was remedied when the model was revised in 2009. The cabin was also given a more modern appearance with carbon fibre effect trim replacing the wood and a redesigned steering wheel with neater stereo controls.