2015 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport AWD 2.0T Review
The 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport AWD 2.0T’s intuitive infotainment system and potent engine make it a crossover worth considering.
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Pros
Cons
- Falls short in fuel economy compared with competitors.
- No streaming music options or apps.
The 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport has a lot going for it: more horsepower, more cargo room, and more airbags than some of the more formidable competition, like the Honda CR-V and the Ford Edge ($42,940.00 at Truecar) . And while it’s smaller than its seven-passenger sibling, the Hyundai Santa Fe, the interior of the Sport is roomy and comfortable, and the car comes with a generous helping of standard features. The four-cylinder turbocharged engine in our tester was surprisingly potent, though at an estimated 19 highway/27 city/22 combined miles per hour, it falls short in fuel economy compared with other crossovers in its class. That aside, the 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport AWD 2.0T is definitely worth considering, especially if you value space, comfort, and engine performance.
How Much?
The 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport comes in two trim levels: The base Sport starts at $24,950, while the turbocharged 2.0T that we tested has a base price of $31,250. Our tester was an all-wheel-dive model, which starts at $33,000, and included the pricey $4,360 Ultimate Package option, for a total sticker price of $38,350 after $125 carpeted floor mats and $875 shipping and handling were added.
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What Does It Come With?
The 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport 2.0T is equipped with a four-cylinder 265-horsepower turbocharged engine and six-speed automatic transmission. The 2.0 already has such standard features as hill-start assist, keyless entry, a Driver Selectable Steering Mode, and a hands-free smart liftgate that opens when the key is in close proximity. The 2.0T trim adds side mirror-mounted turn-signals, automatic headlights, push-button start, an 8-way power driver seat and 4-way power front passenger seat, heated front seats, an electroluminescent gauge cluster with a color LCD trip computer, Hyundai’s Blue Link telematics system, HD Radio, a rearview camera, and several driver assist systems.
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On top of this, the Ultimate Package includes 19-inch alloy wheels, HID headlights, LED taillights, a panoramic sunroof, ventilated front seats and heated rear seats, rear parking assist sensors, a heated steering wheel, special door sills and badging, a 12-speaker Infinity audio system, and an 8-inch touch screen infotainment system with navigation.
How’s the Tech?
The Hyundai Santa Fe Sport’s 8-inch in-dash touch screen is augmented with a series of buttons below it, with a large volume knob/power button in the center. The setup is intuitive, and extremely easy to operate on the fly; the 8-inch screen provides a large and bright canvas for info and some very detailed but clear-cut menus. The upgraded Infinity sound system can be used to listen to AM/FM/SiriusXM radio, CD, or a portable device connected to a USB port, aux-in jack, or wirelessly with Bluetooth. Unfortunately, there are no streaming music options such as Pandora or Spotify available.
The Blue Link telematics system sticks to the basic, although it does include useful features such as a fuel finder, and Google search that works while in the car via voice. A companion Blue Link smartphone app provides remote door lock/unlock and starting, which is convenient.
How Does It Perform?
The 4-cylinder turbocharged engine in the 2.0T delivers punchy V6-like power. The six-speed automatic transmission shifts a bit too slowly for our tastes, but probably won’t bother most drivers. And there’s a Shiftronic manual setting for when the driver wants more control over shifts. The ride is about as smooth and quiet as they come in this vehicle class, while the Driver Selectable Steering Mode’s three settings — Normal, Sport, and Comfort — add a variety of feels to suit different driving styles.
Should I Buy It?
The 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport competes in one of the best-selling volume-vehicle segments, which means it faces tough competition. And it’s becoming even more competitive thanks to the recently redesigned Honda CR-V, as well as the Toyota RAV-4, the Ford Edge, and our Editors’ Choice, the Buick Encore ($26,534.00 at Truecar) . Many of these crossovers have better fuel economy and more comprehensive tech, but the 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport 2.0T one-ups them in engine performance, as well as space and comfort, making it worth a test drive.
2015 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport 2.0T AWD
Sport is a word that’s affixed to a lot of unlikely iron, particularly in the world of SUVs. But the latest Santa Fe Sport may just be worthy of the designation.
Perspective: This Hyundai comes in two sizes, the two-row, five-passenger Sport and the three-row, seven-seat model, which is badged simply Santa Fe. Riding a 106.3-inch wheelbase, the Sport is, predictably, lighter and handier than its bigger cousin, which has 3.9 additional inches between its axles.
However, the word “lighter” merits an asterisk. Hyundai lists curb weight for this particular Santa Fe as 3706 pounds, not too porky for an all-wheel-drive crossover in this class. However, our test unit weighed in at a rather pudgy 4021, partially thanks to a substantial load of optional features. Mass, of course, is the implacable foe of performance, but the Santa Fe surprised us with a zero-to-60-mph sprint of 6.6 seconds.
That’s pretty close to tops in this class, a tribute to the power traits of the optional 2.0-liter turbo. At 264 horsepower and 269 lb-ft of torque, its output is robust by compact-SUV standards. But its most endearing virtue is midrange response. The turbocharger comes online almost instantaneously, delivering a habit-forming surge, and if the six-speed automatic isn’t particularly gratifying in manual mode, its programming makes it intuitively responsive when it’s operating in full automatic.
Fuel economy for the 2.0T is so-so by class standards at 18 mpg city and 24 highway, per the EPA. We averaged 18 mpg in mixed driving.
Surprisingly Nimble
It’s always easier to enjoy a vehicle that’s quicker than most of its ilk, but it’s easier still when its responses aren’t reminiscent of a dinghy struggling through a riptide. Hyundai has made a few subtle tweaks to the Santa Fe’s suspension for 2015—firmer bushings, revised rear geometry—that lend a little more urgency to its zigs and zags.
The chassis team also enhanced the electric power steering system with a new microprocessor that lends a little more sense of connection when the driver switches to the Sport setting of the program. The ratio could be a little quicker—it’s three turns lock-to-lock—but its accuracy stacks up well versus competing crossovers.
Downsides? The damping could benefit from some attention, as a little more compliance would be helpful on lumpy pavement and freeway expansion joints. Braking performance is respectable at 168 feet from 70 to zero mph, albeit with hints of fade after repeated stops. But both braking and grip would improve with a more aggressive tire than the all-season rubber worn by our test example.
On the other hand, the 235/55-19 Continental CrossContact LX Sports made the most of the Santa Fe’s all-wheel-drive system and were remarkably effective during a Michigan snowstorm that put many SUVs into the ditch (and also kept us off of our test-track skidpad).
Back to that “Sport” label. Does the Santa Fe measure up to the unerring footwork of the Mazda CX-5? Not quite, but the distinction isn’t huge, and the Santa Fe is quicker. In this teeming segment, the Santa Fe exhibits more sport than most, and it doesn’t give away much, if anything, on the overall agility index.
Hyundai Family Value
Typical of Hyundai, the Santa Fe offers good value for the money, provided the buyer exercises some restraint. A basic front-drive Santa Fe, with the naturally aspirated 2.4-liter four, starts at $25,825. Base price for a 2.0T with AWD is $33,875, which includes a lot of cool standard features—a power rear liftgate, leather, heated front seats, electroluminescent gauges, and driver-selectable steering modes among them. Not to mention handsome interior decor and lots of interior volume—enough to swallow a snow blower, important during an upper-Midwest winter.
Our Santa Fe was equipped with the Ultimate package, which added, among other goodies, 19-inch aluminum wheels, navigation with an 8.0-inch touch screen, a panoramic sunroof, a 12-spreaker Infinity audio system, ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, and a heated steering wheel, which is as welcome to cold-weather dwellers as heated seats.
The package also added $4350 to the bottom line, and at $38,350, it’s a little harder to perceive the Santa Fe as a bargain. But it’s still easy to perceive it as one of the more desirable entries in the compact-crossover derby.
Specifications
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, 4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door hatchback
PRICE AS TESTED: $38,350 (base price $33,875)
ENGINE TYPE: turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline 4-cylinder, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injection
Displacement: 122 cu in, 1998 cc
Power: 264 hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque: 269 lb-ft @ 1750 rpm
TRANSMISSION: 6-speed automatic with manual shifting mode
DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 106.3 in
Length: 184.6 in
Width: 74.0 in Height: 66.1 in
Passenger/cargo volume: 108.0/35.4 cu ft
Curb weight: 4021 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 6.6 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 16.9 sec
Zero to 120 mph: 29.5 sec
Rolling start, 5-60 mph: 7.1 sec
Top gear, 30-50 mph: 3.3 sec
Top gear, 50-70 mph: 4.6 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 15.0 sec @ 94 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 122 mph
Braking, 70-0 mph: 168 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: Unseasonable
FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway driving: 18/24 mpg
C/D observed: 18 mpg
Tony was smart, well read, funny, irascible, cantankerous, opinionated, friendly, difficult, charming, honest, and eminently interesting to be around. He loved cars, car people, and words. but most of all, he loved racing. The Car and Driver writer, editor, and racer passed away in 2018 at age 78.