[TEST DRIVE] Hyundai Santa Fe returns boxier, but is it appealing?

The Hyundai Santa Fe made a name for itself as one of the most sought-after family-hauling SUVs, but it has long been defined by its soft curves and gentle roofline rather than the boxy, muscular look that some of its rivals have chased.

Santa Fe is back after five years with a complete overhaul [HYUNDAI MOTOR]

PAJU, Gyeonggi — The Hyundai Santa Fe made a name for itself as one of the most popular family-hauling SUVs for more than two decades, but it has long been defined by its soft curves and gentle roofline rather than the boxy, muscular look that some of its rivals have chased.

That changes — dramatically — this time, with the most fully revamped Santa Fe in five years, which brings a drastic styling change to the SUV and upgrades its tech and safety.

Once named Korea’s favorite SUV after it became the first Korean car to sell 100,000 units in a year, Santa Fe gradually lost its popularity in recent years due to a lack of uniqueness and fell behind many rivals, such as the Hyundai Palisade and Kia Sorento.

The Korea JoongAng Daily recently got behind the newest three-row gasoline-powered SUV on a 100-kilometer (62-mile) journey in Paju, Gyeonggi.

The fully revamped Santa Fe [HYUNDAI MOTOR]

Exterior-wise, Santa Fe underwent a complete overhaul with a muscular and boxy body, and H-shaped headlamps, ditching the Hyundai’s recent most common seamless horizontal headlamps.

The squared-off rear end, which shocked customers the most, and the almost flat 90-degree tailgate, are a throwback to an old-school trucky SUV.

Looking at the new Santa Fe, from all angles, it reminded this reporter of the current Land Rover Defender. From some angles, some would even argue that it is the reincarnation of the Land Rover Discovery in the early 2000s.

With length increased by 45 millimeters (1.8 inches) from the previous model and height upped by 35 millimeters, the car offers spacious interior space and headroom.

The rear of the Santa Fe [HYUNDAI MOTOR]

A dual wireless charging system is available which can charge up to two smartphones simultaneously, the first Hyundai car offering the feature.

Despite the huge size, the car boasts astonishing quietness during driving. The test drive was undertaken during a heavy storm, but the noise was barely noticeable.

Trunk capacity stands at 725 liters (191 gallons), even larger than Kia Carnival’s 630 liters, which can carry up to four golf clubs and four Boston bags.

Simply pressing a button in the trunk, the second and third-row seats fold down. A 185-centimeter-tall (73 inches) person lied down in the cargo with both arms at full stretch without any difficulties, a plus point for avid fans of chabak, the latest type of camping in Korea amid the pandemic where travelers sleep inside their car.

Trunk capacity stands at 725 liters, even larger than Kia Carnival’s 630 liters, which can carry up to four golf clubs. [SARAH CHEA]

A USB port is placed in the third row, which can be a plus to camping lovers. [SARAH CHEA]

A USB port is also placed in the third row.

Santa Fe comes with two powertrains: a 2.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine that generates up to 281 horsepower and 43 kilogram-meters of torque, and a 1.6-liter hybrid that has a maximum of 235 horsepower and 37.4 kilogram-meters of torque.

A total of 10 airbags are equipped, compared to the previous model that had three.

After a two-hour test drive, the car recorded 10.6 kilometers of fuel economy, in line with the official claim of 11 kilometers, though the air conditioner was on for the entire test course.

With all the drastic changes outside and inside, the price has got heftier. The sticker price of the gasoline model starts from 35.5 million won ($26,800), up 24 percent compared to the previous model.

A hybrid option starts at 40.31 million won, without applying the tax credits from the government.

Sales began Aug. 16, and over 60,000 units were sold, of which half were hybrids.

The latest Santa Fe is a three-row SUV that can carry up to seven people [SARAH CHEA]

BY SARAH CHEA [chea.sarah@joongang.co.kr]