How come the more technologically advanced SUVs become, the more old fashioned they seem to get.
Kia’s strong-selling Sorento and its twin-beneath-the-skin Hyundai Santa Fe are but two cases in point.
Both have been fully redesigned over the past year, each taking a giant-sized bite out of their lucrative and competitive market segment.
A key part of Hyundai’s range for almost two decades, this newest, freshest variant of the Santa Fe looks like it just arrived from the 1970s with its squared-off styling and its faux four-wheel drive capabilities.
OK, it’s retro-fashion. But it’s an odd form of evolution.
Of course the Koreans are not alone, by a long-stretch - just new players in this growing field.
Toyota could be blamed - it first started building off-roaders like this one in the 1970s, with the rough-riding LandCruiser.
Five decades on, the most recent LandCruiser 300 series could easily be mistaken for any of the Cruisers built over the past 30 or 40 years.
Same goes for Nissan with its unstoppable Patrol, due to be replaced in 2025.
Mitsubishi has already kicked off a pre-release campaign for an all-new Pajero which looks intriguing. And boxy.
So what's behind the design revolution?
It started with Range Rover, the undisputed grandfather of luxury SUVs, which has basically used the same shape for half a century. What’s more, despite their massive bulk the famous British brand simply makes its cars more gorgeous every model.
There's no looking past Mercedes-Benz and its boxy, military-looking G-Wagen - the toughest-looking of any SUV on the Australian market.
So popular are these squared-off machines that desperate buyers are bypassing Benz dealerships - which are quoting a delivery wait of more than a year - and buying straight off the internet, for a premium of up to $100,000 and a price approaching $500,000 for AMG versions.
Whoever’s spreading it, there’s no question Hyundai has caught the retro bug with this hairy-armed, all-new Santa Fe landing on Australian shores.
As usual for most Korean models, the biggest sales competition comes from homeland marques, and that’s no different this time - even though the Santa Fe’s gum-boots styling is the polar opposite to the refined Sorento.
Once inside the cockpit of the Hyundai, it's evident the makers have delivered an aesthetic that looks tough, without feeling it.
Hyundai’s initial boast is about a handful of new interior features - starting with the vastly expanded interior space and effort showered upon the Santa Fe’s three-row seating arrangement.
The car’s “bi-directional” console gives front-seat passengers and rear occupants a good view of the big, curved 12-inch control screen.
Next is the UV-C Sterilisation tray, a device that hangs from the back of the front passenger seat and automatically sanitises “frequently utilised items”.
And if the steriliser doesn’t draw enough attention, how about the captain’s chairs in the second row, which offer easy ingress and egress? The chairs fully swivel to create a conference effect between the middle and rear-seat passengers. Bound to please the older kids.
Another feature is not necessarily aimed at the kids - an elongated tailgate which provides shelter during the weekend soccer matches or checking out the sunrise while on a beach getaway.. Hyundai calls it the “open for more” concept which is based on the company’s expectation of what will attract millennial and Gen-X buyers.
As rough-and-tumble as it looks, the Santa Fe is immaculately bred and feels as quiet and calm as any SUV.
Tested here is the Santa Fe Hybrid, a sensible and utterly seamless addition to the car’s already impressive dynamics and refinement. With just 1.6-litres and assisted by a turbo-charged GDI Hybrid engine, its performance is jaw-dropping, not to mention the thirst that dips below the coveted 5L/100km barrier.
The Santa Fe will be offered with three trim line ups as well as the two powertrains, all offering a choice of two or four-wheel drive.
HYUNDAI SANTA FE HYBRID
* HOW BIG? Bigger by miles than the model it replaces, the Santa Fe’s interior space benefits from the squared-off silhouette.
* HOW FAST? Surprisingly so. The combined hybrid motor delivers 172KW and 367Nm - more punch than many six-cylinders in this segment.
* HOW THIRSTY? The hybrid delivers some impressive economy figures with 5.6L/100km which is made more impressive by its effortless performance.
* HOW MUCH? The Santa Fe Hybrid tested here retails for $55,000.
