02/11/2025

theSunday Special XIV ON SUNDAY NOV 2, 2025

Two tone leather steering wheel.

Captain seats.

Digital instrument cluster.

look menacing in your rearview mirror at night. HYBRID OR PETROL? Hyundai has tailored the Santa Fe’s pow ertrain offerings to appeal to a wide spec trum of drivers, launching three distinct variants in the local market. The Prime and Prestige trims feature hybrid powertrains built around a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Mated to a six-speed automatic trans mission and driving the front wheels, these variants generate 235PS at 5,500rpm and 367Nm of torque between 1,000 and 4,000rpm. This setup delivers a balanced blend of efficiency and performance, making it ideal for daily commutes and long-distance travel. At the top of the range is the Calligraphy variant, which takes performance up a notch with a 2.5-litre turbocharged engine. Producing 281PS at 5,800rpm and 422Nm of torque from 1,700 to 4,000rpm, it offers a more dynamic driving experience. This variant comes equipped with an 8 speed dual-clutch transmission and fea tures all-wheel drive as standard. WHICH IS BETTER? Well, at the end of the day, it all comes down to personal preference. The hybrid variants have a calm and col lective feel while driving. The power deliv ery feels seamless and smooth, with less engine noise spilling into the cabin. However, while driving, we did notice that you will not feel the speed that you are actually driving. For example, on the highway, we thought we were at a steady 80-95kmh; however, when we looked at the speedome ter, we were at a whopping 130kph! This can be dangerous in the wrong hands, as hitting the brakes and bringing the car to a stop at that speed will take time. If you are unable to estimate the stopping distance and the amount of time needed to hit the brakes, you are bound to crash, unless you somehow manage to do some hard braking and manoeuvring. But then again, this is just a user error. Step into the Calligraphy variant, and you will not notice the difference in the front until you put your foot down on the throttle. I found this powertrain to be much more suitable for the SUV because it felt at home. I could feel the power when pushing it. The engine sounds roaring through the cabin when flooring it enhanced the whole experi ence.

12.3-inch infotainment display.

Physical temperature knobs.

Dual smartphone holders.

Gear selector.

So it is safe to say that comfort during long-distance travelling will not be an issue. FINAL THOUGHTS Although priced at RM270,000, it is worth buying. I do not mind paying a little bit more for comfort and quality, which most SUVs lack nowadays. People would rather choose cheap options and compro mise on quality, and then complain about how bad it is. The Santa Fe offers comfort, quality, lux ury and does not compromise on safety and performance. SPECIFICATIONS Calligraphy Engine: 2.5 litre T-GDi Power: 281PS Torque: 422Nm Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch HEV Prestige Engine: 1.6 litre turbocharged Power: 235PS Torque: 367Nm Transmission: 6-speed automatic trans mission Price (as tested): RM270,000 (2.5 T-GDi HTRAC Calligraphy) RM245,000 (HEV Prestige) We like: Performance, looks, comfort and quality We don’t like: Not parked in our garage

monitoring with active collision avoidance. It also features front and rear cross-traf fic alert with automatic braking, a door opening warning, rear seat reminder, and automatic high beam. Stepping up to the Prestige variant enhances safety further with second-gen eration AEB that detects oncoming vehicles and provides evasive steering assistance, reverse AEB, dual blind-spot view cameras, and a convenient remote parking feature that can be activated via the Hyundai “H” logo key. The airbag count has also been increased to 10, now including a driver’s knee airbag, centre airbag, and rear side airbags, while stability control remains a standard feature across the range. SPACIOUS ENOUGH FOR GIANTS There are some cars out there that look big from the outside, but step inside and you might feel a little claustrophobic. The Santa Fe, however, is spacious enough for giants to travel. The expanded body dimensions trans late to noticeably greater interior space, especially in the second and third rows. Both legroom and headroom have been improved to better meet customer expecta tions for comfort. The third-row seats now recline an addi tional 10°, offering what Hyundai describes as best-in-class spaciousness, while entry remains effortless thanks to a convenient one-touch tilt-and-slide mechanism for the second-row seats.

This is a whole new world compared to the hybrid variant. Yes, unlike the hybrid variant, there is a little bit more turbo lag when flooring this 2.5-litre from a stand still. However, it feels natural, and I have no complaints about that. This powertrain will feed your ego while driving. It gives you a more commanding feel and asserts dominance over other cars on the road. During our drive and stay in Desaru, we noticed that there was a blacked-out version of the Calligraphy that belongs to the Managing Director of Hyundai Motor Malaysia. With this powertrain and that blacked out look, people are bound to stay away from you on the road. Though it is big and boxy, the stability during corners and high speeds impressed us. The Calligraphy variant felt lighter and more agile during tight corners. There is no need for you to be testing this on public roads but if ever there is a situation where quick manoeuvres are needed, it will defi nitely do the job. SAFETY For a big car, safety most definitely plays a crucial role, and the Santa Fe is not lack ing. It comes equipped with a comprehen sive suite of advanced driver assistance sys tems as standard. These include autonomous emergency braking with front cross-traffic alert, adap tive cruise control with stop-and-go capa bility, lane centring assist, and blind-spot