This post was originally published on Autocar
Hyundai’s seven-seat SUV embraces boxy design and goes hybrid-only
Large, seven-seat SUVs like the Hyundai Santa Fe have generally superseded people-carrier MPVs in Europe. While some may lament the loss of the clever use of space for which MPVs were known, it takes only one glance at the Santa Fe to see why buyers aren’t looking back.Here stands not a fancy van but something that trades an MPV’s excessive head room for a raised ride height, to give some off-road ability (or its suggestion) and no small degree of road presence.The latter is enhanced by the Santa Fe’s sheer size, which is close to that of a BMW X5 and makes it the biggest car in Hyundai’s UK range (the even larger Palisade is sold in America). Let’s see if it has the cleverness and sophistication to match the design appeal.