Five reasons to be excited about the new Hyundai Santa Fe

SUVs have been around for a long time, but in recent years its popularity has surged dramatically. This is especially the case for compact SUVs and crossovers - offering the high driving position and road presence of an SUV, without the enlarged footprint and bulkiness of traditionally bigger SUVs of the past. Most manufacturers are pumping out new models to tap into this increased demand for such cars. Hyundai, too, has gotten into the act with the recently launched Hyundai Kona.

You could say, then, that the Hyundai Santa Fe is something of a stalwart of this more 'traditional' kind of SUV - it has space for seven, and is focused on the comfort and practicality of accommodating a full family. We recently drove the new fourth generation model, and came away quite impressed by the significant strides forward the model has taken. So, if you are looking for a seven-seater SUV, here are five reasons why you should be excited about the new Hyundai Santa Fe.

The Santa Fe's sharp new design is headlined by the slim head lights and Cascading Grille

1. Sharp new looks

We suspect that a big part of the new Santa Fe's appeal will be its completely new exterior design - it's sharp, athletic and handsome, and clearly draws a lot of inspiration from the Kona.

It is certainly a big departure from previous generations, which were all quite painfully bland. Perhaps more importantly, it also makes the Santa Fe stand out visually from other SUVs on the road.

The third row of seat will comfortably accommodate kids and smaller-sized adults

2. Space for seven

To be clear, the Santa Fe isn't a full-size SUV. It's a mid-size SUV with seven seats, going up against the likes of the Honda CR-V and the Kia Sorento. We're glad to report that the Santa Fe will properly seat seven people.

The third row isn't reserved solely for small children, either. Details such as the dedicated third row air-con vents show that Hyundai has clearly considered these passengers when designing this car.

The new Santa Fe features a wealth of safety systems to keep occupants safe

3. Extensive safety equipment

The Santa Fe is equipped with an extensive suite of safety equipment. Rear Seat Occupant Alert and Safe Exit Assist are Hyundai's newest technologies, making their debut on the Santa Fe.

Additionally, the Hyundai SmartSense package also includes Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist, Blind-Spot Collision Warning and the Surround View Monitor System.

The cabin is notably quieter, more comfortable and more refined than before

4. Improved cabin refinement

Another significant improvement of the new generation Santa Fe is the refinement inside the car. Beyond just having new modern technology, such as Qi wireless charging and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, the Santa Fe is notably quieter and more refined.

Build quality has improved as well, with the use of better materials. Overall, the car feels more cohesively and better put together.

Both petrol and diesel engine variants will be offered in Singapore

5. You've got choices

According to Hyundai authorised distributor Komoco Motors, both petrol and diesel variants of the new Santa Fe will be offered for the Singapore market.

However, exact details and specifications of the different variants have not presently been made available as we approach the car's official launch in Singapore. In the mean time, feel free to check with Komoco Motors to find out more.