Driven: 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport 2.0T

The Hyundai Santa Fe Sport 2.0T is now a few years into its life cycle and no longer the freshest crossover ute on the block, though the turbocharged, range-topping variant of Hyundai’s hotly-selling crossover continues to stand out where powertrain refinement and winter driving dynamics are concerned.

A few years back, when this new Santa Fe was the freshest new crossover in the segment, your writer had the opportunity to take in a four-hour evening highway drive that started in Sudbury, Ontario at 38 below, and went south to the Greater Toronto Area, passing through the nastiest single-trip concoction of winter driving I’d ever seen.

Clear and cold turned to wet and slushy, and then to deep, rutted powder across all highway lanes, with no plows in sight, on that evening.

Long story short, I found the headlights could have been a bit stronger, though for a feeling of being backed up, safe, locked-on and confident as every conceivable form of hazardous winter condition passed beneath, the tester had hit the mark. Note that the unit was wearing a set of winter tires, perhaps its most important safety system.

Today, Santa Fe Sport 2.0T’s driveline and support systems remain some of its strongest assets, in nasty weather conditions and otherwise.

The two-litre turbo engine is eager and potent from very low revs, and can be driven under 2,000 RPM with thrust to spare, and barely a peep from the engine bay. There’s a low-RPM effortlessness thanks to the heap of low-end turbo torque, and called upon, the little beast of an engine rockets things along with urgency.

Then there’s that really good AWD system. Even with extremely light throttle in deep snow, all four wheels are powered. In most situations, four-wheel traction is engaged secretly, as the vehicle comes to rest. Translation? You almost always accelerate from a dead stop with the rear wheels getting at least a little power.

Forget so-called slip-and-grip AWD systems, Santa Fe Sport requires extremely minimal wheelspin, if any at all, to auto-engage four-wheel traction. When deemed necessary, rear wheels receive additional power quickly — within one to two revolutions of the front wheels. They get a good serving of the engine’s power, too. Hyundai says a fast-acting electro-hydraulic clutch in the AWD system’s rear coupler is to thank.

From the driver’s seat, you feel the system scrambling and clawing away at the surface beneath for grip, instead of waiting for rear-wheel traction to be engaged in no rush, as you sit, spinning the front wheels and digging yourself in. When required for added grip in extremely slippery situations or deep snow, Santa Fe Sport even has a driver-selectable LOCK mode, which sets the AWD into a 50/50 split, provided speeds don’t exceed about 40 km/h.

Both the ABS and Electronic Stability Control systems feel expertly tuned, too. Straight, predictable and consistent stopping power comes under hard braking on any slippery surface, the Santa Fe squirming only slightly as braking power is dosed out on a wheel-by-wheel, inch-by-inch basis to keep the nose pointed straight.

The ESC system prefers to allow slight overpowering of the wheels, using the capable and instant-acting AWD system to fling snow from the tire treads as a means to movement, rather than shutting down the throttle and leaving you all but paralyzed as you try to pull out of the Costco parking lot at a traffic light.

All said, Santa Fe Sport’s support systems feel tuned and calibrated for confidently sporty capability in severe conditions. Ride quality adds to that confidently sporty feel: it’s on the stiff and sporty side, with a layer of softness dialed in around the edges of the stiff-set shocks, so ride quality is typically very complaint, though shoppers after a floating-on-a-cloud ride won’t find it here.

Fuel mileage on my watch, this time around, landed at 11.2L/100km, including plenty of highway driving at a good clip.

Up front, there’s at-hand storage galore, two power outlets and two USB ports atop the deep central dash storage bin, and a proper dual-tier covered centre console and armrest.

Rear seats are grown-up ready, and easily switch from reclined to erect to folded flat for maximum space and comfort. Rear seat passengers get first-class treatment thanks to the panoramic glass roof overhead, and even privacy shades like you’ll find in a Rolls Royce. Heated rear seats were a hit with passengers on my watch, too, and headroom is particularly generous — even with the panoramic roof.

In back, a nice wide and long cargo hold with under-floor compartments will help families stay organized, while a cargo cover keeps your stuff out of sight. A new power tailgate finds itself on the equipment list in this top-grade model now, too, complete with a clever system that auto-opens the hatch if you stand behind it, still, for about three seconds. This is handy if you’ve got an armful of toddler or groceries.

Today, the cabin design is only average for the segment, with a layered look to some of the details and trim, some wood grain accenting for a touch of sophistication, clear and crisp instruments that appear high-tech and vivid, and a large central stack of controls, knobs, and a big touch-screen, top and centre. It’s neat and tidy and pleasingly modern, though numerous competitors have now stepped ahead in terms of design and materials.

Two further winter-friendly systems to note. First, are the heated rear seats. A small touch, but one that’ll make you the office carpool hero in the colder months, and get big thumbs-up from the kids. Second, is the design of the Santa Fe’s door and rocker panel area.

The door skin extends to the very bottom of the vehicle’s body, meaning snow and ice and slush and grossness build up on the door, not the rocker panel you step over, where it’ll wind up all over your khaki cuffs. Open the door, and you’ve got a clean surface to step in over, every time.

Other notes? The Driver Selectable Steering Mode (DSSM) system offers three steering modes (sport, normal, comfort) which are toggled via a button on the steering wheel.

A neato idea, but I found all modes other than ‘sport’ to be too light and quick at highway speeds, where steering inputs could feel like they were startling the Santa Fe a little, causing it to lurch when an input was received.

Ultimately, Santa Fe Sport hits hard for space, functionality and perhaps especially in use of its powertrain and support systems to turn in a stable and confident driving feel when the going gets nasty.

THE SPECS

2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport

-2.0T Limited

-Engine: two-litre four cylinder, turbocharged and direct injected, 264 horsepower

-Drivetrain: automatic all-wheel drive with lock mode

-Observed average mileage: 11.2L/100km

-Transmission: six-speed auto

-Features: Panoramic sunroof, heated steering wheel, heated rear seats, rear-seat sunshades, Infinity audio system, keyless engine start

-What’s hot: Loaded with features, plenty of power, slick AWD system, nice overall ride

-What’s not: some dated materials on board, may ride too stiffly for some drivers

-Price as tested: $37,995 (Santa Fe Sport 2.0T Limited)