2013 Hyundai Santa Fe XL Preview

By ,

Highlights*
The 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe XL stands out from the regular, short-wheelbase Santa Fe Sport with a new 60/40-split third-row seat that boosts seating capacity to seven while increasing versatility. It can also tow up to 5,000 pounds.

Lowlights*
The lone engine option with the Santa Fe XL is a 3.3L V6 which means buyers can't take advantage of the Santa Fe Sport's 264-horsepower turbocharged 4-cylinder.


Pricing and equipment
Starting at $29,999, the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe XL comes standard with heated front seats, sliding and reclining second-row seats, 7-passenger seating, and 18” alloy wheels. AWD models retail from $34,999. The top-of-the–line model is a 6-passenger Santa Fe Limited ($42,899), which replaces the middle bench with individual captain's chairs. Equipment includes premium items such as 19” wheels, HID headlights, a proximity key with push-button start, a 4.2” TFT display screen, and a 10-speaker Infinity audio system. A Saddle Leather “version” is also available, with limited exterior colour choices (only three), and a saddle leather interior, of course, for an extra $300 only.

Options
Customers can add to their 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe XL luxurious optional amenities such as heated/cooled front seats, heated rear seats and steering wheel, a power liftgate, and a panoramic sunroof, just to name a few.

Fuel consumption
The bigger Santa Fe XL remains a fuel-efficient crossover, with ratings of 11.7L/100km (city), 8.0L/100km (highway), and 10.0L/100km (combined).

New for 2013
The Hyundai Santa Fe was completely redesigned and re-engineered for 2013. This latest generation hit the market last summer with the smaller, 5-passenger Sport variant (a direct evolution of what we used to know), while the Santa Fe XL is freshly arriving in showrooms.

Styling
Despite riding on a 215-mm longer wheelbase, the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe XL's proportions look just right. Save for the larger wheels and newly designed fog lights, exterior styling is basically a carbon copy.

Cargo capacity
The trunk of the Santa Fe XL can hold 383 litres of cargo when all seats are occupied. Fold them down, and you wind up with an impressive 2,265 litres of space for goodies.

Powertrain
As mentioned earlier, the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe XL exploits a 3.3L V6 with gasoline direct injection (GDI), and all-wheel drive is optional. Output is rated at 290 horsepower, while maximum torque amounts to 252 lb-ft. It's all handled by a 6-speed automatic transmission with SHIFTRONIC manual mode.

Warranty
The 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe XL comes with a 5-year/100,000-km comprehensive limited warranty, identical coverage on the powertrain, plus three years of roadside assistance.

Safety
In the U.S., the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) awarded the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe XL with a 5-star crash rating. Look for safety features such as seven standard airbags, ABS with electronic brake force distribution, electronic stability and traction control, downhill brake control, and hill-start assist.

Competitors
Chevrolet Traverse , Ford Explorer , Ford Flex , Honda Pilot , Mazda CX-9 , Nissan Pathfinder , and Toyota Highlander

Photo: Hyundai

* Based on expert reviews.