Version review

Hyundai Santa Fe 1.6 TGDi Hybrid Premium 5dr 4WD Auto Review

Why the overall winner won

Best small SUV

Best family car

Best small electric car

Best luxury car

Car of the Year Awards 2023 >>

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The 'self-charging' hybrid (HEV) is nippy enough with 0-60mph taking 8.4sec in our tests. True, there's a slight delay between you pressing the accelerator pedal and the car surging forwards, but it isn't pronounced enough to really annoy.

1.6 TGDi Hybrid

Hyundai has transformed itself from a maker of oddball hatchbacks that sold in small numbers in the UK, to a major rival to the likes of Ford, Vauxhall and Volkswagen.

The Korean firm’s Ioniq Hybrid is particularly impressive, having beaten the trend-setting Toyota Prius when we tested the cars back to back.

Meanwhile, at the extremes of the Hyundai range you find the tiny i10 city car – a four-time What Car? award winner – and the stylish yet family-friendly Santa Fe SUV.

As a bonus, all of these cars come with the reassurance of a five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty, whereas most of Hyundai’s rivals offer only three years and 60,000 miles of cover.

HYUNDAI

SANTA FE

We reckon Premium trim makes more sense than Ultimate; you still get loads of standard kit, including adaptive cruise control, heated leather seats (front and the back) and keyless entry.

Premium

1.6 TGDi Hybrid Premium 5dr 4WD Auto

16-tgdi-hybrid-premium-5dr-4wd-auto

Rear wash/wipe with intermittent wipe setting

Electric adjustable/heated/folding door mirrors

Electric front/rear windows/one touch/anti trap

60/40 split folding slide/recline seats 2nd row

Lane departure warning system with lane keep assist - LKAS

Parking - rear view monitor with parking guidance dynamic

Hyundai Santa Fe

There’s loads to like about the Hyundai Santa Fe, including its huge boot, seven-seat practicality and impressive roster of standard equipment. The regular hybrid will make more sense to most buyers, but the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) is a no-brainer if you're a company car driver. Either way, stick with Premium trim rather than Ultimate. 

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Plenty of space for all passengers</li> <li>Large boot with lots of clever storage solutions</li> <li>Good fuel economy and running costs</li> <li>All-round comfort</li> <li>High-quality interior finish</li></ul>

We define a large SUV as anything longer than 4.5 metres. These cars aren’t usually particularly cheap to buy or lease, so in return we expect a roomy cabin, a lengthy list of standard equipment and excellent cruising refinement. A few models in this class are two-wheel drive, but the vast majority have four-wheel drive for at least a modicum of off-road ability.

The Mazda CX-5 is firmly road-focused, but its 2.0-litre petrol engine is a strong, refined performer, making it looks good value for less than&nbsp;£25k. If you can stretch the budget a fair bit, the Audi Q5 provides a combination of comfort, driving prowess, quality and space that's hard to beat. Unlike some rivals, it can't be had with seven seats, though.

A more affordable, yet well-equipped alternative is the Peugeot 5008. It’s more than capable of coping with family life&nbsp;– and all versions have seven seats as standard.&nbsp;

Car of the Year Awards 2023 >>

Hyundai Santa Fe 1.6 TGDi Hybrid Premium 5dr 4WD Auto Review

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40.4

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158

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