As the resident “mom” on staff, it's often left to me to disprove a car's family-friendliness or conversely show how versatile it can be. With a baby seat, stroller, countless bags for weekend stays at the grandparent's, grocery trips, and play dates with other moms, the task is often easier than it looks.
So, when I was handed the keys to our 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport SE long-term tester (after already driving the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe 2.4L a few weeks earlier), I was happy to put it to the Mom Test.
Turbocharged drive
I love me a good turbo drive. True, it's not quite the same as driving my Subaru WRX, but the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport SE still packs a punch that keeps this SUV feeling energetic on the road. The 2.0L turbocharged GDI is responsive and lively, even in our cruddy winter conditions.
While the transmission felt jerky upon start-up in colder conditions, once warmed up the shifts are smooth. I did, however, wish for flappy paddles on the steering wheel for more spirited driving, and so rarely used the sport mode shifting. While not a deal-breaker, it would be a nice addition for upper models such as our long-term tester.
Visibility in the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport SE is extremely good from the driver's seat. I was hard-pressed to find a blind spot I couldn't deal with; and thanks to the back-up camera, had oodles of confidence no matter how tight the parking lot.
Family-sized comfort
First and foremost; installing a baby seat in the back of the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport SE is fairly simple. True, the leather seats are a bit of a pain in the cold (they get stiff in the cold, and so make it difficult to push the seat hooks through the seam for installation), and because they harden up in winter conditions, the seat also needs constant tightening/adjusting to keep it properly in place.
That aside, the Hyundai Santa Fe offers oodles of space in the front and back. With a baby seat installed, the rear is still able to swallow up two adults and the trunk is plenty big enough for a stroller and a trip to the grocery store and elsewhere.
Even when packed up with all the goods and family members, the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport SE still felt nimble. Even under heavy acceleration to merge on the highway (with a fully loaded trunk), I was never left wanting or wishing for more power under my right foot. There is very little noticeable turbo lag as well, which is a nice touch.
And as far as gas mileage goes, I observed numbers in the 11-12L/100km range, with mostly highway driving and a few days around town.
Wear and tear
With just over 8,000 km on the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport SE so far, this is a well-worn-in vehicle. While not “old” by any means, it's beginning to show signs of daily driving, for sure. Of note: the driver's seatback is loose. Upon acceleration and hard breaking there is a noticeable wiggle in the seat. While not alarming, it is rather obnoxious and something we’ll get the dealer to fix when we next return.
I'm known for liking my road-trip tunes, especially at high decibel levels; however, when I cranked the tunes on our long-term tester, I noticed an audible crackle coming out of the front passenger-side speaker. Turns out I'm not the only one who likes her music loud.
Miranda approved
While our previous Auto123.com back-up vehicle used to be treated like the resident leprosy patient, our 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport SE long-term tester is quite the opposite; and I'm very much looking forward to my next turn behind the wheel.
So, when I was handed the keys to our 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport SE long-term tester (after already driving the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe 2.4L a few weeks earlier), I was happy to put it to the Mom Test.
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| Photo: Sébastien D'Amour |
Turbocharged drive
I love me a good turbo drive. True, it's not quite the same as driving my Subaru WRX, but the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport SE still packs a punch that keeps this SUV feeling energetic on the road. The 2.0L turbocharged GDI is responsive and lively, even in our cruddy winter conditions.
While the transmission felt jerky upon start-up in colder conditions, once warmed up the shifts are smooth. I did, however, wish for flappy paddles on the steering wheel for more spirited driving, and so rarely used the sport mode shifting. While not a deal-breaker, it would be a nice addition for upper models such as our long-term tester.
Visibility in the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport SE is extremely good from the driver's seat. I was hard-pressed to find a blind spot I couldn't deal with; and thanks to the back-up camera, had oodles of confidence no matter how tight the parking lot.
Family-sized comfort
First and foremost; installing a baby seat in the back of the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport SE is fairly simple. True, the leather seats are a bit of a pain in the cold (they get stiff in the cold, and so make it difficult to push the seat hooks through the seam for installation), and because they harden up in winter conditions, the seat also needs constant tightening/adjusting to keep it properly in place.
That aside, the Hyundai Santa Fe offers oodles of space in the front and back. With a baby seat installed, the rear is still able to swallow up two adults and the trunk is plenty big enough for a stroller and a trip to the grocery store and elsewhere.
Even when packed up with all the goods and family members, the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport SE still felt nimble. Even under heavy acceleration to merge on the highway (with a fully loaded trunk), I was never left wanting or wishing for more power under my right foot. There is very little noticeable turbo lag as well, which is a nice touch.
And as far as gas mileage goes, I observed numbers in the 11-12L/100km range, with mostly highway driving and a few days around town.
Wear and tear
With just over 8,000 km on the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport SE so far, this is a well-worn-in vehicle. While not “old” by any means, it's beginning to show signs of daily driving, for sure. Of note: the driver's seatback is loose. Upon acceleration and hard breaking there is a noticeable wiggle in the seat. While not alarming, it is rather obnoxious and something we’ll get the dealer to fix when we next return.
I'm known for liking my road-trip tunes, especially at high decibel levels; however, when I cranked the tunes on our long-term tester, I noticed an audible crackle coming out of the front passenger-side speaker. Turns out I'm not the only one who likes her music loud.
Miranda approved
While our previous Auto123.com back-up vehicle used to be treated like the resident leprosy patient, our 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport SE long-term tester is quite the opposite; and I'm very much looking forward to my next turn behind the wheel.
 |
| Photo: Sébastien D'Amour |
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