1st Place: 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe XL Limited, Michael Bettencourt
This whole offering-more-for-less formula is the not-so-secret recipe that just keeps on working for Hyundai – in sales and comparison test wins. Here the Xtra Large Sante Fe triumphs over the rest of these three-row haulers by capturing 11 categories in total, tied with the pricey but universally popular Ford Flex, which is also much larger than the Hyundai. The Santa Fe XL was the brilliant but shy kid in school, not raising attention to itself with any outgoing look or biting sense of humour, while continually handing in top-class A+ after A+ work.
The Hyundai scored a clean sweep of all interior design categories, with its lovely two-tone leather treatment that felt the richest here, even at a price that was the third lowest in this group of magnificent seven family-mobiles. This fully loaded model included rare niceties like a gaping panoramic roof, heated steering wheel (“Best thing since beer in a can,” opined connoisseur Peter Bleakney) and heated rear seats. Other nice touches included a regular 110V outlet to recharge the young ‘uns various toys without an adapter, plus rear sun shades to help keep babies comfortable, or even better, asleep – a hugely precious option for many sleep-deprived parents.
Ford’s Minecraft-ready boxiness meant the Flex just pipped the Hyundai for the highest-scoring SUV when it came to exterior style, its square-ish proportions loads more distinctive than anything else here. Distinctiveness/weirdness may work well at a high fashion show or to get the buzz going about Lady Gaga’s latest crazy outfit, but judging by Flex sales, those same values don’t translate quite so well to popularity for schoolyard shuttles. Still, from the Santa Fe’s perspective, being the second best-looking person in the room is never a bad thing. Unless you’re alone.
No, the Santa Fe’s strengths lie in the more practical, some may say more mundane aspects of SUV ownership. Hyundai scored top marks again for second-row roominess (and outclassed its Kia cousin for third-row space and access), the related ease of child seat installation, cabin storage and the lowest NVH score. But where it really blew everyone away was in its Overall Value score, where it finished head and shoulders above the rest with all the features we really wanted (heated steering wheel!) and quality of engineering mixed with no-nonsense practicality at a great price.
By the end of our long day of back-to-back driving of all seven of these machines, a quick poll of everyone’s favourite machine was nearly unanimous: the homegrown/built Ecoboost-powered Ford Flex as the dominant choice, and not just because it’s built down the road in Oakville. But those raised hands quickly came down when asked if the Ford would win this comparo, taking price into consideration. For that, the Hyundai Santa Fe XL seemed the consensus winner. And thus it was, another overall A+ effort on four wheels from Hyundai.
Pricing: 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe XL Limited
Base price: $29,999
Base price (Limited AWD, Saddle Leather): $43,199
Options: None
A/C tax: $100
Freight: $1,760
Price as tested: $44,959
