by Larry Lark
Herald Special Sections Writer
I’m not sure where it’s going to end.
The folks at Hyundai have upped the ante again. This time its sights were set on the 2017 Santa Fe Sport AWD sports utility.
And once again, the vehicle has been dramatically improved, with embellishments spanning the gamut from a fresh interior design and LED lighting signatures, to additional infotainment, convenience and safety technologies.
It all comes at a price. My tester cracked the $40K barrier when the Ultimate Tech Package was added, but in my mind – at least – it’s worth the extra dough.
The Santa Fe Sport was a trusted companion on a recent golf junket to Highlander (Wenatchee) and Rope Rider (Suncadia) golf courses with my brother and two golf buddies. My Santa Fe Sport tester was the two-row version that seats up to five adults with a cargo capacity that held four full-size golf bags, four overnight bags, a small cooler and various sundries – with very little room to spare.
Powered by a powerful, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 240 horsepower, the Santa Fe Sport ascended Stevens, Blewett and Snoqualmie passes without complaint. In fact, when passing zones presented themselves, the engine accelerated quickly past slower, Memorial Day drivers.
With a full load – and a bit of a lead-foot driver – the Sport still managed to provide a respectable 22 miles per gallon down the highway.
For those looking to transport up to seven passengers, a third-row version is available and powered by an acclaimed 3.3-liter Lambda II V6 engine, with 290 horsepower. All Santa Fe engines utilize high-pressure direct injection and dual continuously variable valve timing. A six-speed automatic transmission is standard, along with active cornering on all AWD Santa Fe models.
But let’s get down to the nitty gritty. The stuff that kept four old men (well, at least one, but I’ll keep his name out of this) occupied during the long trip over and longer trip back.
The panoramic sunroof kept backseat passengers bathed in sunlight – sometimes too much. But the power shade quickly put smiles back on their faces. The navigation system with eight-inch screen was primed to help, but not needed as we had a passenger riding shotgun smarter than the nav.
Tunes were spun via the USB port that powered my iPod – and amplified by the QuantumLogic Surround Sound with Clari-fi Music Restoration Tech. Other goodies included leather seats that could be dialed in (heated and ventilated front), dual-zone climate control, multi-view camera system, Bluetooth and more.
The optional Ultimate Package adds smart cruise control, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning and an electronic parking brake.
Those features enhance the standard vehicle stability management system with traction control, tire-pressure monitoring and a blind-spot detection system.
Oh, almost forgot. The Santa Fe’s power liftgate function was a Godsend, allowing hands-free access to the rear cargo area on multiple occasions.
2017 SANTA FE SPORT
BASE PRICE: $38,250
AS TESTED: $40,820
Base price includes destination charge. Vehicles are provided by the manufacturer. Prices may vary at local dealerships.
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