When I last left off with our long termer, I was extremely saddened to see it go. I have had the opportunity to drive quite a few SUVs since I last gave up the keys, but I still found myself missing the 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport 2.0T. While the specifications obviously haven’t changed on this Canyon Copper SUV, I found I had a much different experience with the Hyundai this time around. During the first week I had the Santa Fe, I found myself using it as part of my usual routine, this included travelling to and from school and work via highway, and shuttling around family members. This week however, I did not have to make my usual commute to Oshawa for university. During this week I put the Santa Fe through some challenges, to see if it could assist me when I went outside the norm of my boring commuting life.
Firstly, I have to state that during this second time around, Toronto and the surrounding area experienced temperatures below the seasonal average. At one point I noted the temperature was -35 degrees Celsius with the wind-chill factor. For any of my readers that do not live in Canada or a northern climate, you will just have to imagine what it is like for your brain to go numb and for you to feel bitter cold, right down to the bone. That morning I realized I had to assist my father in transporting some items from the local hardware store to my grandfather’s home in Oshawa, Ontario. The items included some wood, a few bags of tools, and some groceries.
Thanking my lucky stars for having an SUV with folding rear seats I set off to meet my dad at the hardware store. When I got into the 2015 Santa Fe it was deathly cold. After hoping for the best I pushed the ‘Engine Start’ button. It felt like the starter was giving all it could for an eternity to get the 2.0-liter twin-scroll Turbo GDI inline 4-cylinder to crank over, but eventually the Santa Fe fired up to life. The tachometer quickly shot up to just over 2,500 rpm. Our long termer was practically frozen solid. I made a quick dash to turn on both the heated seats and the heated steering wheel. I knew that within minutes I would be able to feel my hands again.
After letting the Santa Fe idle to warm up, I set off on my journey. Immediately I noticed the 6-speed automatic transmission felt a little bit more sluggish and slow to shift. I knew right away this was a result of the cold and was normal for any car that had been left outside in the subarctic temperatures, but it still reminded me to be thankful I was not like my neighbour who was in the process of getting his car boosted after his car failed to start. Our Hyundai remained loyal even in its frozen state, and refused to leave me stranded.
When I met with my father to pack the things into the Santa Fe, I wanted to move quickly because the weather was not getting any warmer. After opening the rear hatch with the overhead button, I knew I had to lower the rear seats in order for the wood to fit, so I made my way back into the frigid weather and lowered the backseats with the help of levers that were on either side of the rear trunk area. However, with great disappointment, the rear seats do not quite fold completely flat. This worried me at first, but removing the rear seat head rests makes enough room for the rear seats to drop completely down, and for my legs to have enough room to actually drive the vehicle.
With a fully loaded cargo bay, I did feel the Santa Fe to be heavier than usual, but the Santa Fe still performed marvellously. The 269 lb-ft of torque fed to all 4 wheels handled the added weight, with no loss in performance whatsoever. However, I did notice that thanks to the added cold, and the added weight, I averaged in the area of 15L/100km.
The Santa Fe has proved to be versatile, no matter what you throw at it. Whether it is a foot of fresh snow, an expedition in subarctic weather with a full cargo or a road trip with just you and your friends, the 2015 Santa Fe Sport 2.0T Limited can handle it all. While its competitors can probably get by accomplishing the same feats, I still feel that the Santa Fe Sport is at the top of its class. If I had to go out to a Hyundai dealership today, and had the opportunity to pick anything on the lot I would not hesitate in asking for an identical vehicle; I would even opt for the same colour.
2015 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport 2.0T Gallery
See Also:
Long-Term Test Introduction: 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport
