I drove ‘2026’s greatest automobile’ that is not a BMW or Audi – that is what it is like | EUROtoday

I’ll fortunately admit I’ve not been the world’s largest fan of the latest stratospheric rise within the recognition of SUVs (Sport Utility Vehicles). Being fully sincere, for those who don’t have kids or canine (plural) to hold round, I’ve questions over why you’d go for a automobile outsized to your wants.

A very good hatchback or small property will do nearly as good a job as its excessive driving SUV equal and can use much less gasoline and be a greater drive on the identical time. At least, that is what I believed.

At the tail finish of February, I had CarsGuide’s 2026 automobile of the yr (a Hyundai Santa Fe) on take a look at for per week and the decision I reached has modified my view on SUVs ceaselessly.

We had on take a look at a Hyundai SANTA FE Hybrid Ultimate, 1.6T 239PS Hybrid 6AT, Automatic, 4WD. In layman’s phrases that’s a giant £55,895 petrol hybrid SUV with seven seats, a giant boot, and a few good non-compulsory extras connected.

The automobile in query is 4.8m lengthy, 2.2m vast, 1.72m excessive and comes with 5 doorways. Boot area with the seats up is round 620litres, however with them down is anyplace between 985 to 1,949litres. So far, so sensible and versatile. But there’s extra.

Slot your self into the motive force’s seat and that is the place the intrigue actually begins. The Santa Fe’s system can keep in mind what place you prefer to have the seat in and has a system the place it can save you your place. This means whenever you open the door, the steering wheel and seat transfer aside. When you’re in they transfer into your most well-liked place; helpful for those who’re switching between drivers.

The infotainment is a mix of buttons, dials, contact screens and haptic contact pads. Most of your time utilizing the system is thru the close to sprint vast contact display in entrance of you. In phrases of ease of use it’s proper up there, though adjusting the heated seats and aircon on the transfer is a bit fiddly with the contact pads.

Above the motive force sits the controls for the panoramic sunroof and beneath their left elbow is a really deep and cavernous cubby gap which was sufficiently big to suit our filming tripod. It was lined with some type of non clean materials on the backside, so those that like consuming sweets within the automobile greatest save these for the come out tray.

Overall, in our spec no less than, I discovered it to be a cushty and liveable place to be with no awkward aches after a very long time on the wheel throughout a weekend spin to Caffeine and Machine for a espresso.

This journey was a great alternative to have a correct look inside and marvel on the sheer variety of charging stations – wired and wi-fi – contained in the automobile.

The center row of seats are, just like the entrance, heated. Furthermore, they got here with entry to the cavernous central compartment and blinds that passengers can pull up above their home windows.

The rear seats reveal themselves simply sufficient with toggles atop and behind to allow them to be folded out whether or not somebody is coming from the boot or by means of the rear set of seats. Returning the center row to their electrically assisted unique place is a bit fiddly, however it’s not the worst system on this planet.

The third row of seats comes with its personal charging ports and aircon techniques which is all properly and good. However, it was identified to us by one household that for those who don’t use the third row that usually, having aircon that the second row passengers can’t entry is a bit pointless. Something to type out within the facelift?

This was the place the Hyundai actually modified my thoughts about the way forward for SUVs. Every particular person I talked to concerning the automobile identified how large and lengthy it was.

But right here’s the factor, it could look large, lengthy, and heavy, however it doesn’t really feel like that. It feels by means of the controls like a hatchback or a small property. Driving throughout London (whose potholes it dealt with with backbone softening ease) to see buddies, it was simple to overlook how large a automobile you have been in.

The automobile felt much less like an elephant and extra like an athletic and energetic golden retriever. Yes, you’re very removed from the entrance and rear of the automobile, however the steering provides you excellent suggestions while being.

On the highway, the hybrid system engages in a continuing balancing act between charging the battery and transferring you alongside. It can run on electrical solely mode for some time, however very hardly ever hangs round in there for very lengthy. There are driving modes, however truthfully simply depart it in Eco and ignore Sport. There are terrain modes, displaying there are some off highway contingencies in place for once we return to winter.

I feel lots of this comes from the truth that the automobile seems to be and feels real, it’s actually not about being sporty in any respect. Yes, the engine pulls properly, however it doesn’t look sporty and it isn’t sport, and that’s the purpose. It pulls off the cool, boxy styling schtick higher than Land Rover’s Defender, and it’s reasonably comfy. On the highway it’s not thrilling to drive, however it corners very flat; there’s just a little low velocity understeer, however that’s to be anticipated.

It received’t win lap time assessments or set B roads alight, however that’s not what it’s for; its household targeted. Even the dreaded lane help (essentially the most pointless function in fashionable automobiles) isn’t that intrusive, a lot so I didn’t at all times really feel the necessity to flip that blasted factor off on a regular basis.

Is the Hyundai Santa Fe excellent? No. I do really feel the facilities of the third row of seats must be moved to the second row, or no less than the second row ought to have the identical choices because the third.

The haptic contact pads must be changed by buttons, and the 4 cylinder engine sounds very stretched when it’s revved onerous or charging the battery. There have been a number of events once I was on the town at sub 20mph speeds and the battery is 50 %, however the engine continues to be charging it and I believed ‘Why isn’t it ready till the battery is at 20 % to start out charging?’.

In the grand scheme of issues these are solely little or no issues to think about; and it has modified my thoughts that SUVs aren’t all leaning an excessive amount of in the direction of the S aspect of the acronym. If you’re on the lookout for a succesful household SUV that isn’t German or British, give this a glance.

Christopher’s verdict: 7.5/10