2020 Hyundai Santa Fe Active-X Diesel: Private Fleet Car Review

This Car Review Is About: The newly added, to the Santa Fe range, Active-X trim level. It brings the Santa Fe into line with its smaller sibling, Tucson. There’s one transmission, two engines, and four trim levels now, being Active, Active-X, Elite, and Highlander.

How Much Does It Cost?: It’s a bit more than expected, at $47,020 plus on-road costs for the petrol fed 3.5L V6, and $50,050 plus on-road costs for the 2.2L diesel. That’s a increase of $3,030 compared to the Active but $5,050 cheaper than the mid-range Elite.

Under The Bonnet Is: Hyundai’s familiar 2.2L oiler, driving the front and rear wheels via a mostly on-song eight speed auto. 147kW is the peak power, however the numbers to look at are 440Nm from that comparatively small engine. Compare that to the 336Nm at higher revs inside the 3.5L petrol V6 and immediately there’s a sense of why the diesel is, on paper, a better choice.The diesel has a starting weight of close to 2,000 kilos yet returns an economy figure of 8.6L/100km on our 70/30 urban to highway test. Hyundai quote 9.9L/100km for the urban cycle and 7.5L/100km on the combined from the 71.0L tank. Towing is rated at 2,000 kilos braked.

On The Inside It’s: A seven seater with the delightfully easy pull-strap system for the third row. The driver’s seat is manual lever arch in movement, not powered. For the Active-X, the extra trim means leather bolstering for the seats with black or dark beige being available. There is privacy glass at the rear. Being a Santa Fe, interior room is no issue. There is 995mm of head room for the centre folding row and 917mm for the third row. Leg room is 1,048mm to 1,120mm up front, and a whopping 1,001mm for the centre. The rear has 741mm. These are courtesy of the wheelbase of 2,765mm. 547L to 1,625L is the cargo space available. Thankfully, Hyundai fit a full sized spare wheel too.There is no DAB nor satnav natively, relying on smartphone connectivity to provide those. However a nice touch is the vented glove-box, rain sensing wipers, push button start, and auto headlights. The dash itself is a pair of deep scallops with a switchable binnacle design for right and land hand drive markets and this sits above a dark grey, diamond shape embossed, strip that runs from either side. There’s soft touch material for the rook lining and pillars. the front seats have seat pockets for the centre row passengers, who also gain a pair of charging sockets and airvents, including a roof mounted outlet.On The Outside It’s: Got a satin chrome finish to the door handles, courtesy light at night, and 10 spoke, dual blade, turbine style wheels of 18 inches in diameter. Hankook supplies the rubber at 235/60 from their Ventus range. Folding mirrors hide puddle lamps as well. The exterior is now around two years old, with the eyebrow LED driving lights that many people believe are headlights and use them that way at night. The actual headlights have been dropped further down to bracket the Hyundai grille in their own recessed section. A strong feature line joins the upper edge of the driving lights with the tail lights. Indicators here are down in the lower bumper rather than at a safer, eye-height level inside the tail lights.What About Safety?: It is typical Hyundai, meaning there is virtually nothing missing. Under their SmartSense banner, the Santa Fe Active-X has forward collision avoidance and autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot assist, driver attention warning, high beam assist, lane keep assist, rear cross-traffic collision avoidance, rear occupant alert, and adaptive cruise control with stop-go. So if you manage to crash this you’ve stamped yourself as special, and not in a good sense. There is also a rear view camera with guidelines on the screen, tyre pressuring monitoring (across the range) and six airbags.What About Warranty And Servicing?: Warranty is standard at five years and unlimited kilometres. Servicing is variable and comes under a couple of options.

On The Road It’s: Mostly benign and easy to drive. The torque of the 2.2L is light-switch variable from a standing start, and requires both a gentle foot and an understanding of how some engines go from mild to wild. That peak torque is available between 1,750 to 2,750 rpm and it comes into play very quickly. What this means is a gentle squeeze of the go-pedal is required, otherwise it’s the more typical, and still annoying, deep breath then kapow as the torque suddenly arrives, rather than a more linear delivery. That’s the bad news.

Otherwise it’s as easy to drive as can be imagined. The eight speed auto surges, or “flares” in conjunction with the engine revs initially but is otherwise fluid, smooth, quick to react. the engine is a free-revver, allowing for bare flexing of the right ankle to see overtaking done easily, or simply waft along in relative quiet. Rolling acceleration is pin your ears back quick too, with the eight speed auto silently responding to the demand and dropping down through the cogs easily before climbing back up with the same sense of quiet.

Steering can feel heavy, which is strange given it’s quick in having just 2.5 turns from lock to lock. Heavy, though, only at very low speeds; get the Santa fe Active-X up and running and it lightens up slightly, with still a sense of weight in the effort.

Naturally there are drive modes and we drove ours mostly in Smart, the learning mode that adapts the transmission and engine package to suit the driving style. Otherwise there are also Sport, Comfort, Eco, which are preprogrammed and can be very handy depending on the intended drive route. The suspension itself seems more attuned to Sport with the MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear feeling quite taut. It easily absorbs the smaller yumps and bumps before tightening up, decreasing rebound and floatiness.The brakes bite well however the vented front discs are just 320mm. This brings in that fine line of measuring the speed against the rate of slowing, as more than once the brain said the effort was spot on yet the gap to the vehicle in front was closing quicker than expected.

At The End Of the Drive. The Active-X is that ideal gap-filler and also adds extra appeal to the Santa Fe. The spec level seems to fit the younger family that are tech-savvy by using teh smartphone compatibility for audio and navigation, but not necessarily chasing some of the upper luxury features. By having the seven seats, with the completely flat folding third row, it provides them that flexibility for the family as well.

2021 Kia Carnival Comes Forth.

Kia has unveiled its long awaited fourth generation Carnival. Standing out in a SUV dominated landscape, the new Carnival has been given a handsome looking makeover.Kia’s signature is the “Tiger Nose” grille and this now extends widthwise via the front lights to further dominate the bluff nose. Slimmer headlights incorporate LED Daytime Running Lights at either end. The Carnival will feature a full tail-width light bar, similar to the look as shown on the Korean release Stinger. It loses weight visually for the rear of the Carnival.

Depending on specification, Carnival will have 17, 18, or 19 inch alloys. Eight colours for the skin will be available, and a “floating island” roof is a stand out, thanks to blacked-out A And B pillars, along with the new signature for the C pillar, a fin that abuts the rear of the sliding door.

Kia have shortened the front overhang, and moved the A pillar rearward to give a longer bonnet to the popular people mover. The chin has the familiar black urethane airdam.The chassis is new and provides better interior packaging, enhancing and providing a more useful interior. Kia calls the philosophy “Spatial Talents”, with a futuristic feel including a wider panoramic screen dash and haptic feedback tabs. The drive selector is now at a more “fall to hand” position at the centre console’s base.

Interior room improves thanks to an increase in the wheelbase, up to 3,090mm. Width is up slightly, by 10mm to 1,995mm. In length, an extra 40mm has been added for a full 5,155mm. This adds 30mm to the rear overhang and increases room for both cargo and third row passengers.

With the middle and rear rows laid flat, cargo is up to a class leading 2,095L. With the third row up there is a huge 627L. Loading items in is now easier with a lip drop of 26mm.For the driver is a 12.3 inch digital display, along with a 12.3 inch infotainment screen. The two are linked by one piece of glass for a seamless, future inspired, look. Voice recognition tech is on-board with both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. In a market dependent sense, Kia Live will allow for information such as live traffic updates, weather updates, remote destination provision, and potentially even parking information.

An unusual feature is the Rear Passenger View & Talk. This allows the driver to keep their view ahead whilst using a small camera and microphone to check on and converse with the passengers behind them. The rear seat passengers also may be able to operate the infotainment system.The SmartFob provides a higher measure of hands-free operation for the powered sliding doors and tailgate with a presence sensor opening or closing the doors if read for three seconds. A safety feature embedded in the Carnival’s extensive package is SEA, Safe Exit Assistance. Sensors will monitor traffic and stop the sliding doors from opening if traffic is detected. This is aimed at the family users with smaller children eager to disembark. HDA, Highway Driving Assist, is Kia’s Level 2 autonomous driving technology. This brings the Carnival into a different level of safety, with a front view camera and radar reading forward traffic and adjusting braking, acceleration, and steering if required.

A new safety system is Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (RCCA) and this works by automatically braking the Carnival if sensors detect oncoming rear traffic. Other features such as Lane Following Assist (LFA); Highway Driving Assist (HDA); and Surround View Monitor (SVM) will be available on a market dependent basis.

Power will come from either a 216kW/355Nm petrol V6, a 200kW/332Nm petrol V6, or the grungy 2.2L diesel with 148kW and 440Nm. The latter will already be familiar to many, and has also been given a makeover with new injectors, balance shafts, and a different exhaust system for better emissions. Transmissions will be the very good eight speed auto across the board. Underneath are completely revamped front and rear suspension components with a new IRS and a new “skeletal cross member” up front. This provides a better geometry to improve ride and sharpen handling. Liquid filled suspension bushes further improve ride quality. The body is comprised of different styles of steel, adding flexibility where required, strength where required.

No pricing has been as yet released for the Australian market, with sales expected sometime in Q4 of 2020.

2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT: Car Review.

This Car Review Is About: A car that embodies every male stereotype when it comes to cars. Brawny, hairy chested, muscle-laden etc thanks to the powerplant and exhaust notes. There are a staggering eight variants of the Grand Cherokee and the SRT is the second from the top behind the slightly harder edged Trackhawk.

How Much Does It Cost?: List prices is $92,450 plus on road costs. Premium paint, such as the Diamond Black Crystal on our review vehicle, is $895. Using the Jeep website, it comes up with a drive-away price of $98,343.Under The Bonnet Is: 6.4L of pure joy. It’s the Hemi V8, one step down from the supercharged 6.2L V8 fitted to the Trackhawk. Running on 98 RON, it produces 344kW and 624Nm of torque at 4,100rpm. But there is a price to pay for that sheer exuberance. Our best economy figure was 12.3L/100km and that on a gentle highway run with a maximum speed of 80kph. The overall average was closer to 16.0L/100km from a 93.0L tank.

Jeep themselves quote 20.7L/100km on the urban cycle, 10.1L/100km for the highway, and 14.0/100km for the combined. the engine has fuel saving technology, effectively running as a V4 on cruise mode.

The transmission here is an eight speed auto, and apart from some staggering when cold, is as good an eight speed auto as you can get. It’s well ratioed to take advantage of the torque, and a 4.9 second sprint to 100kmh backs that up. There is launch control fitted and this dials the engine up to 1,800rpm before flinging the 2,289kg (dry) SRT to the horizon.On The Inside It’s: Packed with the bits and bobs you’d expect from a near $100K machine. There’s carbon-fibre look trim that spreads from door to door, stitched leather look trim on the dash, heated and vented seats, a heated steering wheel, aircon and USB ports for the second row seats, and a thumping Harman Kardon audio system. Front and centre is the UConnect infotainment system that doubles up on some areas with hard press buttons. It’s also home to the drive mode settings that are access from the centre console. There is a dial that provide easy access to the varying programs however it’s the 8.0 inch screen that shows the Street/Sport/Track modes for the engine, suspension, steering, and others, allowing personalisation across the board, so a driver can have Street steering, Sport suspension, and Track transmission.The seats are leather trimmed with the centre section a suede material. It’s immediately a warmer feel to the touch and for cold areas it saves that initial unwelcome cold thrill. The seats do warm quickly, as does the tiller, when activated. The centre console cup holders have blue LED lighting, and a nice convenient feature is the powered steering column. Up front is a 12V socket (one for the rear in the cargo bay) and a pair of USBs. These are hidden under a soft-touch door that’s the same alloy look material as the console.In front of the driver is a full colour LCD screen and Jeep have cleverly sectioned it off to display different kinds of information. The centre is the main dial for the rev counter and displays the launch control information. The left side shows the screen selected info graphic, the right the driven gear, top left the expected range and top right the temperature and more drive mode info. It’s a clever look and most effective, as it directs the driver’s eyes to the important info. Unusually, indication and wipers are on the same stalk, not a left and right lever setup Design wise the dash look is also easy on the eye, and the elegant “W” shape to the actual dash envelopes both front seat passengers.The second row passengers have plenty of room for legs, head, and shoulder, and having independent vents plus their own pair of USB ports emphasises the family friendly aspect of the Grand Cherokee SRT. There’s plenty of cargo space as well, 782L, with access via the standard powered tailgate. Jeep also fit a full sized spare here, thankfully. Oddly, the switch to lower the tailgate isn’t on the base of the door, like everyone else, it’s on the inside left. What this means is that any person pressing that needs to be quick to move out of the way.On The Outside It’s: Big, blocky, and imposing in the black over black colour scheme fitted. The badges are blacked out, the 295/45/20 Pirelli P-Zero rubber wrap blacked alloys, and at 4,846mm in length, it’s up there as one of the bigger SUVs. Having a height of 1,749mm means it stands tall against many and also means stepping into the Grand Cherokee SRT is easy. Wide opening doors also assist here.The bonnet has vents, nostrils, if you like. Unlike nearly everyone else, they’re functional, not merely a plastic garnish. This helps the big engine breathe at speed. The major design look hasn’t really changed in a few years so there are the same slimline headlights with integrated LED indicators, which dim the headlight running lights when activated. Underneath are a pair of LED cornering lamps.On The Road It’s: Largely dependent on which drive mode is selected. Street has a soft suspension feel, and the mass of the Grand Cherokee SRT becomes noticeable. There’s more body movement and at times it was a little stomach-queasy. Latch onto the Sport mode and immediately the big machine settles down, becomes more stable, and feels more controllable via the right foot.

That right foot is also responsible for the volume of the twin exhausts. It’s a muted, distant, rumble from start-up, although with an initial bark. Gentle driving has that subterranean rumble a constant, and it’s when the right ankle flexes in anger, that noise increases in volume and note, changing from that rumble to a full on fight between two lions. There’s a truly astounding feeling experienced as the pitch vibrates the rib cage, whilst simultaneously pinning the body back into the seats. Even with the windows up there is some serious pounding on the ears, and this brings in the hard edged snarl as revs climb.The steering wheel is on the large side, not just in the heft of the wheel but the diameter. It brings a bus-like feel to how the Grand Cherokee SRT is steered, with a more bent armed stance. It’s not uncomfortable but neither is it right for a longer armed sporting drive. This is important as the big tyres would tramline noticeably at times, with the wheel needing constant driver attention to overcome the pull of the rubber on the road.Having a variable suspension made testing them interesting. One long and flat road was home to the changes and it became obvious that the settings will appeal to different driver styles. As mentioned, Street came across as a softer and wallowy style, Sport noticeably tighter and overall our pick. Track goes tighter still and then becomes too jittery, too jarring, even on a relatively flat road. Of course, the name itself strongly hints at where its intended environment lays.Big Brembos haul down the SRT easily, and without fade constantly. The pedal has a light feel to start and progressively feels heavier as the pedal travel increases. Transmission wise, there is the SelecTrack off-road capability however there is no two speed transfer case in deference to its more tarmac oriented engineering.

Economy wise, it can be driven to a limit. On our return journey, the estimated range was 95km. The trip distance is 75km. We arrived at the changeover point with 90km expected range left and an economy of 15.6km/100km…What About Safety?: Jeep has ensured that the range lacks for nothing. Only the entry level model, Night Eagle, misses out on a driver’s kneebag, Blind Spot Monitoring, and Rear Cross path (Traffic) Detection. In a driving sense, the Night Eagle also misses out on the Adaptive Cruise Control. Otherwise, the range, including the SRT gets the full kit of safety features which includes Trailer Sway Control and Rain Brake Support.

What About Warranty And Service?: Five years or 100,000 kilometres with a 12,000 kilometres or 12 month service cycle. Capped priced servicing is $399. Roadside assistance is now standard for the lifetime of the warranty.

At The End of The Drive. Jeep is undergoing a transformation, with a recognition of issues when it comes to customer service. We’ve been on the receiving end of nothing but marvellous service due to two previous review vehicles suffering serious issues.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT exhibited no issues at all. You’d expect that for a vehicle price knocking on $100K. It’s a product for a certain market, and the SRT’s heart is that big V8. It’s both the appeal and the letdown. The appeal because it’s so much fun to listen to, to experience the sheer urge and exuberance of that Hemi. The letdown is simple; that enjoyment is at a price, being how quickly the 6.4L engine can drain the tank.

However that engine shutdown feature can assist and hopefully at another time a proper highway cycle run can be driven, but we did see just how relatively efficient gentle driving could be.

The Grand Cherokee range can be explored here.

Peugeot 3008 GT-Line: Private Fleet Car Review.

This Car Review Is About: Peugeot’s rather cute 3008 mid-sizer SUV. There are three trim levels, being the Allure, GT-Line, and GT, a slightly odd naming choice.

What Does It Cost?: The GT-Line is one a drive-away special, at $49,990 plus an extras pack which includes a glass roof and special leather seats. The Allure and GT are also on a drive-away special. $39,990 for the Allure and $55,990 and the GT also includes the extras.

Under The Bonnet Is: A 1.6L turbo 95RON petrol four for the Allure and GT-Line, with a 2.0L diesel for the GT. Transmission for the GT-Line is Peugeot’s EAT-6 auto, a reworking of the torque converter style that feels like a dual-clutch transmission.Spin the engine out to 6,000 revs and peak power is 121kW. Peak twist comes in at just 1,400rpm, and there are 240 torques to play with. The Efficient Automatic Transmission six speed is a bit of a handful at zero velocity, just like a DCT, however is pretty usable when up and running.

Economy for the 1.6L four varies quite a bit. 9.8L per 100km for the city cycle, 5.3L for the highway, equaling an average for the combined of 7.0L/100km. We finished at 8.5L/100km for our mainly suburban cycle which really shows out the positives and negatives of a car’s drivetrain.On The Outside It’s: Not as big as it looks. It’s compact in length at just 4,447mm in length yet the curvy styling makes it look longer. Height is 1,624mm allowing for good headroom inside, and width is 1,826mm sans mirrors. The wheels are good looking machined alloys and grey painted with Michelin rubber for an overall size of 205/55/19.There is a powered tail-gate with a low loading lip making loading a week’s groceries a doddle, black polyurethane from front to rear, and a front end splashed with chrome for the grille & driving light surrounds. There’s also a strip above the moulding that links the front and rear doors. There is an alloy look plate for the chin of the front end. the headlights are slimline and feature the shark-fin insert Peugeot’s stylists have chosen to identify their SUVs. This is also the start of a strong line that draws the eye downwards to the alloy chin. It’s almost the same at the rear, with a signature triple “claw” look in the rights. It’s not unfair to say the 3008 is a pretty car with plenty of Gallic flair, yet it was invisible to many, with barely a head turned here and there. What does is the clearly define puddle lamp logo at night.On The Inside It’s: A true delight visually. The seats that come as part of the extras pack are jet black, white stitched, and have a thick diamond design. There are memory settings for the driver’s seat, and venting on a separate switch as the heating switches are up on the dash. Here also are switches, looking like aviation style activators, for the audio, navigation, vehicle settings etc, and they’re sinfully easy to operate. Front and centre is the 8.0 inch touchscreen, the hub for most of the 3008 GT-Line’s functions including aircon. It’s perhaps here that manual controls as an adjunct wouldn’t go astray as trying to adjust on the move is, like all touchscreens, a distraction. Audio is DAB equipped and the quality is superb.Peugeot go for that French chic look with a grey, almost denim feel, material that sweeps from the ends of the dash into the doors. The upper section draws a line that rolls around from one door to the other and encompasses the base of the windscreen. Right down the centre is a classy looking chromed strip that forms a “c” and also delineates the passenger’s section from the driver’s. It’s a scrumptious interior, it looks and feels fantastic, A visual feast is had in the driver’s binnacle and Peugeot call this the i-cockpit. This full colour 12.3 inch diameter screen can show a number of different displays, such as a pair of traditional dials (lit in a glorious golden bronze) or virtually nothing, and plenty in between. The smaller main touchscreen is the same, with a very tidy layout and doubling up on some of the features the tabs below activate. The centre console has a deep bin, accessed via bifold doors, plus the cup holders are illuminated in a soft blue light. This also lights up the rim of the glass roof. Unlike the dash display, which has the differing looks, the blue is the only colour available.

Passenger space in the rear is more than adequate for leg and head room, whereas shoulder room is ideal for two adults, three being a tad squeezy. However two ISOFIX brackets make for no problems for the family. Aircon vents are a nice touch too are are the rubber studded alloy pedals and the slightly awkwardly located smartphone charge pad.The cargo space is decent enough for most people at 591L, and increases to 1,670L with seats folded. Underneath the cargo floor is a space saver spare. There’s some extra cargo space here if needed but more for smaller items.On The Road It’s: A very enjoyable drive, but. That “but” is the DCT feel to the transmission. The drive selector is a pistol-grip style with a button on the right hand side to unlock before a rocker back or forth for Drive or Reverses. park is electronic and situated on the far top end. From Start the transmission takes a few moments to engage when moving from Drive to Reverse, and vice versa. Coupled with the turbo lag it’s not always the best combination, especially when trying to get across an intersection.

Highway driving through the gears shows that it’s a slick, swift, smooth, and quiet change, but also leaves the driver wondering why the eight speed hasn’t been fitted for better economy. Manual changing is available via the paddle shifts on the column, and Sports mode is typical in that it does little more than hold gears longer. There’s a typically linear turbo response, with an easy progression forward, and only occasionally does it feel that 240Nm wasn’t enough. It’s no sink you into the seat rush, but it’s not a sports intended SUV either. Steering is rapid in response, with only a hint of numbness on centre. Having the smaller wheel brings in its own feeling, with a sense of a lesser need to expend energy, but without losing that sense of touch as well.

It’s the same with the suspension. It’s not quite as well tuned as the RAV4, for example, but nor is it excessively soft or lacking in composure. It absorbs most normal road irregularities well enough, and rebounds a little more than one would expect. Not that it ever threatened to lose a modicum of composure, however, but in the ride stakes it’s been left behind by the latest as this is a design nudging four years old in a retail sense.However it doesn’t mean that some aspects of the 3008 GT-Line’s tech should be ignored. It was one of the first to have traffic sign recognition and its GPS tie-in with speed-zones was 100% in a location and change of limit sense. The reverse camera was crisp in detail, with the screen showing plenty of definition and without the “fish eye” distortion seen elsewhere. One touch windows have a “pinch” function, that automatically lowers a raising window if the pressure sensor detects and arm/leg/head where it shouldn’t be.

What About Safety?: The screen also shows a 360 degree camera view, parking assistance is standard as are front and rear sensors. Blind Spot Alert, AEB with camera and radar sensing, auto high beam On/Off, and Lane Departure are standard also. Airbag wise it lacks only a driver’s kneebag. On the road the sensors also indicate the forward distance alert, ensuring a driver is visually aware that they may be just that little too close to the leading vehicle.

What About Warranty And Service?: Five years is the warranty, along with unlimited kilometres. Servicing is 12 monthly in cycle, or 20,000 kilometres for the 3008. The pricing as of August 2020 was $471 for the first major service, $786 for service 2, $471 for service 3, $799 for service 4, and $484 for service 5. Prices were obtained here.

At The End Of The Drive. Peugeot has had a strong presence at times here in Australia, and at others it seems to slip under the radar. The 3008 is one that deserves a little more love as it’s a stunner inside and out, especially with that black seat trim. pricing has always been a hiccup, and even at just on $50K it may be easily overlooked. That would be a disservice as there is plenty of value with areas such as the safety system being of a high level, the sheer feel of the cockpit, the soft ambient lighting that adds class, and the (for the most part) easy to live with drive-train. Book a test drive here.