Bucket Seat: Hyundai Santa Fe 2.2D Executive

Hyundai's Santa Fe has been around for years and has always been the brands flagship SUV in the stable, that was until recently when the ginormous Palisade was launched locally but I'm not here to talk about that one, but rather the Santa Fe. Did you know Santa Fe means "Holy Faith" in Spanish? I just Googled that now because it is an odd name to give to a car, not sure of the Korean's are deep into religion or just like the town in New Mexico? Either way the latest rendition of this model see's a drastic change in design of the front which forms part of Hyundai's new design language and boy does it look good! Even though this model has been dethroned as their biggest model, the Santa Fe still does hold presence as I will elaborate on in the design aspect of this review but after spending some time in this car, its has its fair share of niggles but what you will appreciate is the honesty about itself and if you think it photographs well, you should see it in the metal!

DESIGN

As mentioned just a few lines up, the new Santa Fe has presence, and that is thanks to the bold new styling of the front of the vehicle with that massive new grille, its finished off in a brushed aluminum like look and really is the cars most stand-out feature when looking at it dead on. From a glance it oks like a fishnet texture but upon closer inspection, it gives a metal chains look. The front headlamps are integrated with the lines of the grille that extend outwards to the sides but at split, both horizontally and vertically by the new LED daytime running lights when illuminated look like the letter T, not sure if this was a specific design aspect but it looks kinda cool. The whole design seems smooth and well though out, with just the right about of creases and folds, that make the appearance of the car rather  elegant. The wheel arches are well pronounced with an extra edging to accentuate the large rims, which are 18" alloys in a stylish 5-spoke laser cut pattern. Moving to the rear, that's where most of the old styling remains with a familiar rear lights which follow the crease of the car with a solid read piece linking the two lights. Additional reflective lights adorn the rear bumper with skidplates at the bottom to match the front. The interior of the Santa Fe has a very modern look to it, with a floating center console which is finished in leather and plastic. The patterns and styling of the cabin are very arty and easy on the eye. 

PERFORMANCE

I had with me the 2.2D Executive model, which is the bottom of the two models offered locally. Its a front wheel drive SUV with a 2.2-litre diesel engine that produces 148kW and 440Nm of torque. The motor is tied to an 8-speed DCT box which isn't a CVT but I did have some niggles with at first with gear selection but that was mainly due to my heavy foot but over time I figured how to get the best from it. When driven properly the Santa Fe can give you between 8-9L per 100km, I managed to get it down to 8.2L per 100km on a long distance trip which I mainly used the cars cruise control to regulate the speed. The drive of the car is pretty good, given the size and weight you'd think there might be times when it would struggle but the car seems to get better as it goes. There were a few grips I had with the steering when full lock is done, you get a plastic knocking noise which annoyed me but it was soon forgotten as you straighten out and be on your way. 

COMFORT

I don't think you can fault the level of comfort afforded to you in the Santa Fe, the seats are large and luxurious, with a diamond stitching upper which is also on the second row seating. It's expected to have this sort of luxury in a large SUV like this, the 3rd row seating is finished off in the same leather but are much thinner in-terms of cushioning. They're very easy to lift and fold back into space to allow for greater trunk capacity. They also feature cup holders as well as addition storage space for mobile phones or other items. Second row passengers get to enjoy two USB ports for charging, aircon vent which is controlled by the front, seat pockets for storage and electric windows and moving to the front, driver and passenger have dual climate-control aircon and a leather wrapped dash. The center console is laid out quite differently with the gear-selectors being push buttons, which are normally reserved for high-end sports cars but here are Hyundai adding them to their Santa Fe. It does get a bit tricky when you're not used to it but it's refreshing to see. The drive mode dial is large prominent with PDC and camera buttons clearly placed. The float console has additional storage below which features a USB port as well as 12V socket. The rubberised mat makes sure that items place there don't go sliding around. The cars infotainment screen is large and features pre-loaded mobile apps for ease of connectivity with a multi-function steering wheel to control all aspects of the cars communication and vehicle information. 

VERDICT

Overall the Santa Fe solidified its value in the Hyundai stable to me, its a luxury large SUV with comfort features and finishes that would normally cost you a lot of money in European rivals. The cars drive is a smooth one and leaves you refreshed rather than tired. The design of it is bold and eye-catching, it exudes presence on the roads and it gets the attention it deserves. While we know there is a bigger model available now from Hyundai, I still think this would be the ideal sized SUV for a large family, with the option of having the two extra seats in the rear, mind you much of the luggage space does get compromised with the seats being utilized. I really enjoyed my time with the Santa Fe but I'm still intrigued to see how the larger Palisade goes but I guess I have to wait for that one. 

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine	2.2L Diesel
Gear Box	8-Automatic DCT
Torque	440Nm
Power	148kW
0-100km/h	7.9 seconds
Price	R769,500

 

Bucket Seat: BMW 420i Gran Coupe

From a person that never saw the point of a Gran Coupe when it was first released to someone who swears its the best possible form of car on the market now, one can only imagine how eagerly I was awaiting my chance to test the revised BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe. Having attended the launch a few months back and getting the opportunity to thrash it around some of the twisty testing roads that Mpumalanga had to offer, it already showcased some great attributes but I needed to spend more time with it, figure out what makes this revised model so much more special than the original. BMW spent a lot of time expressing how with this new model, that Four Means More, and having looked at market trends from buys of the 4 Series, scrutinizing everything from what engine was more popular to what extras were most wanted in the cars, they could suit the revised model to what they think the buyer would want. 

DESIGN

If one has to take a quick glance at the car, not much has really changed in the design of the Gran Coupe, the car has grown by millimeters here and there thanks to a redesigned chassis but it isn't easily seen with the naked eye but can be experience when inside the car. The most striking features of the revised design is the lights, both the front and back lights have seen a make-up artist and had some details and eyeliner added to them, the results are outstanding. The cars now have ditched Xenon technology and have opted for LED, with the new 4 Series coming with Bi-LED lights as standard with the option to upgrade to the Adaptive LED lights which is more evident with it's hexagonal design, which is quite prominent and give the car so much character. The 420i GC which I had on test had the standard Bi-LED head lamps which also look great. On the inside, some nice touches were added, with extra chrome detailing, give the car a more premium feel. 

PERFORMANCE

The original 420i engine didn't leave much to the driver in terms of excitement or performance, the new engines that come from the 3 Series have been introduced into the 4 Series range and has made a load of difference. The engine packs quite a punch and pushes out 135kW with 290Nm of torque to get it going. The car was extremely responsive in all driving modes, Sport + is the most fun mode to drive it in but it has that usual problem of making the car extremely thirsty. Driving around in Eco Pro mode isn't as bad as it seems and I had it in this setting for most of my time. Don't expect a fast response to the throttle though as it tries to minimize high revving and long accelerations for obvious reasons, it even warns you when you're over doing it. 

COMFORT

When having a look at the 4 Series, there is one thing you have to remember the car is a Coupe, the Gran Coupe is still essentially a coupe but with 4 doors. So the ride and stance of the car still remains true to its Coupe heritage. The car sits much lower than your regular sedans and this just makes thins so much more better for the driver. The passenger also gets a good kick from this as well being at this low seating position, almost makes it feel race car-ish. Seating configuration is suited for 4 people as the car does have bucket seats both in the front and back but you can seat 5. As mentioned before, BMW have given the entire line up new chassis which have been redesigned to give the driver a better driving experience, with stiffer suspension, modified dampers, updated ABS which is very evident with the shortened breaking distance. The cars boot is quite big and with the ease of the automatic tailgate makes it very easy to pack an unpack the car.

TECH

Normally when getting a test car from BMW, we used to getting a press car with loads of extras, unfortunately this time around, we were given the bare essentials if you would like. How I said earlier about BMW noticing trends in their customers? Well they chose to equip the car with the extras that were most chosen when buyers purchased their cars. So nothing fancy but still enough to get excited about. Most essentially is the professional Sat-Nav which comes with the large infotainment screen. The layout of the menu has changed and is taken from the new 5 Series with tile formats. Not entirely sure if the hand gestures package is offered in the 4 Series though. Bluetooth telephone and Audio streaming should be a norm now but BMW still has the audio streaming as an optional extra but I think that might change soon with Apple Car Play connectivity and Android Mirror screening. 

VERDICT

As I said from the beginning, this derivative of the 4 Series is my favourite and there's nothing that can change my mind about it. Yes the price of the 4 Series has gone up from the last but that is why BMW was drumming in the 4 Means More tag line, essentially saying that the 4 Series has become more of a premium luxury sports coupe with it offering the customer more as standard and actually works out to their benefit. This car will definitely make my 10 car garage, simply because  how it fuses practicality and sportiness in a car. There's not many sportbacks out there that can do this with so much ease and fun. 

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine	2.0L
Gear Box	8 Speed Automatic with paddles shift
Power	135kW
Torque	290Nm
Top Speed	250Kph (electronically limited)
0-100kph	7.5 Seconds
Price	R651 400

Bucket Seat: Toyota Fortuner 2.8 GD-6

If you haven't already noticed, Toyota have a new Fortuner on the market and my god does it look good! It's one of the best selling SUV's on the market for the past few years and with good reason to. Yes, I now am reviewing Toyota's, their name and heritage in South Africa is really high up there with the Germans, apart from being cheaper, they're also the most reliable and a major plus is the re-sale value, it's for this reason that the Japanese manufacturer dominates the NAMSA stats every month with their Hilux being the best sold bakkie in SA for a good few years now, with competitors coming and going they remain the one constant there. I am utterly delighting that Toyota have given me this opportunity to drive their latest addition to a market favourite, as I drive a Toyota this also gave me the chance to see the advancements that have come along in their new cars.

Style

While I may think the new Fortuner looks stunning, I soon found out that to the general public it was more controversial than great. I'm happy to say that most of the responses were positive because it's a bold step Toyota took in their design,with the old one it was just a Hilux made into an SUV, with this it follows more in the lines of what they're doing at Lexus but having that unique Toyota touch. The lines on the car are much sleeker, angled in all the right places and sharp edges that make the vehicle stand out in the crowd. The lights are fantastic with the BI-Beam LED's and the visuals at night are something else. I even took the opportunity to get some night shots to showcase how good they look. The overall shape is good symmetry from the front to the back, raised suspension with  17" rims gives the Fortuner that extra rugged look but the chrome detailing still add's that luxurious touch. 

Performance

The vehicle I had was the top of the range diesel models, the 2.8 GD-6 Auto, the GD Hi engine range replaces the D-4D engines which were quite a hit in the older models. Whilst the D-4D engines were good, these new GD Hi engines are superb, with high torque, power when it's needed and fuel economy that will leave you smiling. With such a big SUV like this, you'd expect yourself to be at the pumps more than often for a refuel, granted I had a diesel, I still found that my day to day short distant running around gave me a fantastic return.

I was please to see that Toyota have added three driving modes to the car, Eco, Normal and Power, all of which say what they mean. I had it in Eco mode for most of the time and I hardly found the car taking strain or down changing to get extra power form the lower gear. With the 6 speed automatic gearbox, the Fortuner also came with paddle shifts, which I found a bit odd for an SUV but none the less I tried it out on Power mode and it was damn good fun on the open road. Smooth and seamless changes when you trigger, the only thing I did have an issue with is the length of the paddles, if they could extend it just a bit to the out circumference of the steering wheel it would be great. 

Comfort

If you follow me on Snapchat (if you don't, look to the left for my ID), you would have heard me go one about the interior finishes of the Fortuner, especially the leather. My family have owned Toyota's our whole lives, from Corolla's to Camry's of which my dad won't part with his 2013 as he says there is no car like it but the point is I have never experience different leather qualities like this before. They soft touch and feel of the leather on the dash along with the hardy yet comfortable leather on the seats, such a contrast but so damn good! I was truly impressed and so were the many passengers I gave rides to during the time. 

Simple things like having cushioned leather side walls on the center Radio and AC cluster makes such a big difference as many drivers rest their leg there while driving. The Fortuner is a 7 seater and I just had to try it out, sitting in all the seats including the ones right at the back, all of which are comfortable for adults. The interior is finished off in a mixture of aluminium and wood covered high quality plastic trimmings that add that elegance to it. It really is a major improvement to what we are used to in Toyota and I'm glad all this didn't affect the pricing. 

Tech

Lets start off with key-less entry, a must have in cars over 500K in my opinion, then those Bi-Beam LED's, apart from looking great they actually serve a good purpose on the road. With direct illumination across a 4 lane highway without hampering oncoming traffic, switch over to brights and you can practically light up the whole place. Impressive lighting tech from Toyota it has to be said. The infotainment screen for was a bit of a let down, it just seemed lacking. Maybe in an update they will add more options to it, at the moment it has blue-tooth audio integration with your cellphone and access to your phone book. It also gives you an Eco view of the car, along with reverse camera.  Noteworthy things that they could add in the future is Satnav, PDC's, yes it didn't come with park distance control, something you would need in car this size and maybe some apps. The touch screen was great and what I like is it didn't leave much fingerprints on it but just above that you'll find the trusted old digital clock, while many said they should give it rest, I quite liked it, almost like a homage to Toyota's of the past.

Storage

Like with many 7 seater SUV's, with all the seats in place, there leaves not much room in the trunk but with the Fortuner they were clever with the design, they took the spare tyre out of the boot and mounted it under the vehicle, hence the need for the raise suspension but this gives the boot more height and able to store more things in it. Folding the back two seats is easy enough but what may need to be re-looking is the clamps that hold them as many a time whilst being folded up I found them falling out when taking sharp bends. It does give you a bit of a scare up front.

Off Road

I didn't get a chance to test it's full potential off road but took it out on a few gravel trails which suffice to say was a piece of cake for the Fortuner. I didn't have to change any settings as the normal driving mode did the job. With a high ground clearance and big tyres, I don't see this car facing any major challenges off road and true to tradition I'm sure it can manage just about any terrain. 

Verdict

I'm sure you can tell from most of this write up or if you follow me on Twitter and Instagram that I honestly loved the new Fortuner, yes there are some small issues I have with it but nothing major. The only one I would say that might be an issue is the engine noise in the cabin, if Toyota can borrow some of the tech from Lexus to sound proofing the cabin it would be a winner. I knew before I got the car I would be impressed with it but little did I know why it would impress me so much and as I mentioned before, the model I had was one below the top of the range petrol V6 but the top of the range diesel model, the pricing for them is superb if you had to compare them to the others on the market. I don't need to say much more to sell you this car because if you just take a look at how many are on the road already, you will know for yourself that many others share the same sentiment. 

Specifications

• 2.8 litre GD Hi 
• 6 speed automatic gear box with paddle shift
• 130kW
• 450Nm torque
• Consumption: 8.5ltr/ 100km
• 0-100kph in 10.8 seconds
• Price: R613,200