I'm a lucky basterd. I get to drive new cars every week and when a road trip comes up, I usually try and get my hands on something nice. A few weeks back, I went on the drive of my life: I drove a smart fortwo to beyond the Arctic circle and back down to Vancouver for a total of nearly 5,300 km. If that wasn't the road trip to murder all other road trips, I don't know what could ever be.
Now, the fortwo may not be your first pick as a long-distance hauler but you may not be in the position to cover the distance in a BMW 550i GT or a Lexus GX 460 either. What I drove down to Toronto from Montreal, for the auto show, was something that could very feasibly be parked in your driveway at this very moment: a Hyundai Santa Fe.
Styling for a cause
The first generation Santa Fe was nothing short of lacking for taste. A colleague of mine famously referred to it as a pork-face on wheels. Although my opinion of the old Santa Fe may have been less harsh, it was one of the least attractive CUVs available. Hyundai saw to that when they introduced the new Santa Fe back in 2006 (2007 model-year) with a completely revised body and cabin. What a difference a year makes!
Although the styling of the Santa Fe is a little more generic, it is nonetheless attractive and because of this, it is now on the shopping list of many consumers. 2010 marks the mid-model-cycle refresher-cum-facelift for Hyundai's midsize utility offering. The new front end and revised rear end are what stand out as the most obvious changes. Some moulding and wheel designs are also new.
The cabin did not play host to as many upgrades as the exterior but then again, it didn't need too. The dashboard layout is still very good and fit and finish are tops in this category. My only qualm was the driving position; although the steering wheel adjusts for reach and rake, I was unable to get fully at ease. The front seats are in part to blame as support was limited, especially for my trek to Toronto and back. Passenger volume remains high with plenty of room for five adults and all their gear.
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| With reliability ratings always on the rise and a competitive pricing, who could ask for anything more... (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |
Now, the fortwo may not be your first pick as a long-distance hauler but you may not be in the position to cover the distance in a BMW 550i GT or a Lexus GX 460 either. What I drove down to Toronto from Montreal, for the auto show, was something that could very feasibly be parked in your driveway at this very moment: a Hyundai Santa Fe.
Styling for a cause
The first generation Santa Fe was nothing short of lacking for taste. A colleague of mine famously referred to it as a pork-face on wheels. Although my opinion of the old Santa Fe may have been less harsh, it was one of the least attractive CUVs available. Hyundai saw to that when they introduced the new Santa Fe back in 2006 (2007 model-year) with a completely revised body and cabin. What a difference a year makes!
Although the styling of the Santa Fe is a little more generic, it is nonetheless attractive and because of this, it is now on the shopping list of many consumers. 2010 marks the mid-model-cycle refresher-cum-facelift for Hyundai's midsize utility offering. The new front end and revised rear end are what stand out as the most obvious changes. Some moulding and wheel designs are also new.
The cabin did not play host to as many upgrades as the exterior but then again, it didn't need too. The dashboard layout is still very good and fit and finish are tops in this category. My only qualm was the driving position; although the steering wheel adjusts for reach and rake, I was unable to get fully at ease. The front seats are in part to blame as support was limited, especially for my trek to Toronto and back. Passenger volume remains high with plenty of room for five adults and all their gear.
 |
| The dashboard layout is still very good and fit and finish are tops in this category. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |