The 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited Ultimate
The top-of-the-line Hyundai SUV will give competitors a run for their money.
The redesigned front fascia of the 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe with its new headlights and brushed aluminum grille makes it one of the more attractive SUVs/crossovers on the market. Hyundai didn’t take too many chances with the body but it certainly has the right combination of hard creases and bold body lines. The Monaco White hue my test vehicle was adorned in is the optimal color in my opinion because of how it pops against the brushed aluminum accents. The 19-inch wheels are a welcomed addition as they provide some visual balance to the vehicle.
The 3.3-liter V6 under the hood produces 290 hp and 252 lb-ft torque which is good enough to get around but doesn’t do much if you need to pull out in traffic. Under immediate acceleration, there is a bit of delay so drag racing other soccer moms is definitely out of the picture. Thankfully, you still get around 20 MPG in the city which is pretty impressive for a vehicle that seats six.
And of course, because it’s a Hyundai it comes with a pretty substantial warranty program. Five year / 60,000-mile bumper to bumper, 10 year / 100,000-mile powertrain and five year / unlimited mile roadside assistance. If that doesn’t add a little confidence into your purchase decision, I don’t know what does.
Hyundai has certainly put a lot of effort into creating beautiful, functional interiors. The front seats are not only attractive and comfortable, they're also heated and ventilated which is on par with most luxury SUVs. The massive panoramic roof is definitely a plus and comes as a standard feature on this particular model. Outside of the dated blue lighting and a couple low end plastics here and there, the interior certainly feels as if it could be in a much more expensive vehicle.
The eight-inch touchscreen navigation system comes with Android Auto which wasn't much help for me as an iPhone user but appreciated nonetheless. The system was easy to use and the Infiniti premium sound system was stellar. The Santa Fe also came equipped with the optional Ultimate Tech Package which includes smart cruise control, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection and lane departure warning. All of these features are well worth the $2100 addition. The mutli-view camera system was also a major plus as it was quite useful.
SPEC
2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited Ultimate
PRICE (AS TESTED): $42,885.00
POWERTRAIN: 3.3-liter V6; 290 hp, 252 lb-ft
MPG (COMBINED): 20 MPG
