Hyundai Santa Fe review

The squared-off blocky themes of the outside carry on in here. The main dash is a nicely trimmed horizontal pavement, and the centre console is mostly oblongs. But the double-width screen forsakes the linear rule. It's curved towards the driver.

The screen system works with all the pleasing logic we've come to expect from the Koreans, and there are plenty of extra physical switches for stuff you grab fast: hi-fi, climate, parking cameras, drive mode.

The transmission selector is a big stalk, freeing up even more space in the centre console for storage. It's a double-deck piece of furniture, like you'd find on an EV. Useful space beneath, top deck to hold cups and charge phones. As well as a glovebox ahead of the passenger, on some versions there's a small lidded compartment that's a UV steriliser. Not for your hands, silly: it only works with the lid shut. Gimmick? Yes, but it shows that Hyundai thinks about these things. As does the front centre armrest lid: that does a double-flip, so it can be used by the people in the front or middle rows.

All around the cabin are USBs, charging mats, vents, lights, speakers and cupholders (we counted 16 of them). No-one's going to feel second-class.

What about the space?

The middle bench is split two thirds to one third, and both sections slide and recline independently. They're limo-like if the third row is vacant, but otherwise there'll be requests from the back-back to slide forward a little. No biggie. Seats six and seven have OK legroom with a bit of compromise from those in front, and adult headroom. They too recline a little, but in a moderately upright position there's useful baggage space behind.

If you do without them the boot has a lower floor and more capacity. As a five seater the measurements are 711 litres, expanding to 2,032 with the seats folded. Those are huge volumes, a match for full-size rivals such as the Discovery 5 and XC90. Yet outwardly the Santa Fe is smaller. Have the rearmost seats and the floor space doesn’t change, it just sits a little higher.

Hyundai also expects you might put stuff on the roof, so has even built little handles into the external side trim so you can pull yourself up to reach it. Hmm. There are already roof rails there that are better positioned to do that. Gimmick.