2021 Hyundai Santa Fe Elite Diesel: Private Fleet Car Review.

Hyundai’s waved the makeover wand over its longest serving SUV nameplate and it’s a mix of quiet revolution. There’s been a nose job and a refresh of the interior, bringing the Santa Fe up fair and square into the gunsights of its sibling, the Sorento, and into a sharper focus against competition from Japan and Germany. There are four models; Santa Fe, Active, Elite, and Highlander.Pricing starts from $48,933 for the entry level petrol version, $52,134 for the same and with a diesel. The Elite starts from $59,000 and moves to $62,214 with white paint. Metallics, such as the Magnetic Force on our review vehicle, bump the diesel to $62,944. These are driveaway prices for our location. The top of the range Highlander is $66,783 and $69,984 in white.

Slightly changed are the engine and transmission. It’s the “familiar” 2.2L (whereas it’s slightly smaller than before at 2,151cc) capacity diesel, with oodles of torques, all 440 of them from 1,750 to 2,750rpm and 148 kW (up one kW) with a weight reduction of 19kg thanks to the use of alloys. It drives the four corners via a torque-split all wheel drive system. Connecting the two is a slick eight speed “wet” (thanks to oil-submerged clutch packs) dual-clutch auto.

Except, in this case, our Elite spec had an urge to creep forward at a stop sign or red lights, with a surge and back off, a surge and then back off. It’s not a phenomenon we’ve experienced in either of the Korean brand’s SUVs. What we did see was 5.4L/100km on the freeway with a final overall average of 7.4L/100km. Hyundai says there is a fuel economy change of up to 19% compared to the previous package.Changed though is the front and noticeably. It’s a change that brings it closer to the recent addition to the Hyundai stable, Palisade, and strengthens the imaging with coming models, we suspect. Hyundai are using LED technology to define a look, and in the Santa Fe there is a line that runs vertically in a T shape from the eyebrow driving lights down into the restyled and slightly repositioned headlights.The grille is a mix of bigger plates laid horizontally and meshed in a hexagonal pattern. The upper sections loses the dressing the previous model has and the whole design sees the grille compressed vertically to join the new headlights. Underneath there is a redesigned intake and alloy-look strip that runs into a fairing which funnels air into the leading edge of the front wheel-well. This varies in colour depending on trim level.Hyundai have minimised the body cladding around the wheelarches for a cleaner look. The wheels themselves are a funk black and alloy design at 20 inches of diameter, with 255/45 Continental Premium Contact 6 rubber. The rear has a powered tailgate which opens to the familiar pull-strap third row seats and capacious cargo section, complete with rear section aircon controls, USB and 12V. The rear lights have the same external design and appear to have been only lightly restyled inside.Inside there is the floating centre console with a USB and 12V socket in the nook, push button Drive/Neutral/Reverse/Park selectors (seen in Active, one level blow, and rotary/push dial for tarmac and off-road modes. The lower section has two cup holders, a USB port, and an interesting twist on the wireless charge pad. Initially, after noting the Qi sign indicating such, a phone was placed vertically. Yes, vertically, into the marked space. It wasn’t until a slight push had a flap underneath open that the phone could be pushed down to sit safely and engage the wireless charging. Cool, space-saving, effective. There are a pair of USBs for the second row seats.For the driver, the Elite stays with a separate binnacle and 10.25 inch touchscreen in a double arch upper dash design. The binnacle has the two analogue dials still and the font is of a different, almost Star Trek, style. The touchscreen is a widescreen style and houses plenty of sub-menus including the lifestyle sounds such as walking on snow or a fireplace crackling. OK then…Sounds came from a Harman Kardon system with very good depth clarity all round.

Passengers sit in leather clad seats however the Elite dips out on heating and venting for the front. The centre row are manually flipped and when they do they go flat to provide a surface from the tailgate through to the front seats. Close to 1,650L is the total capacity when in this configuration. The centre row passengers also have window shades for extra comfort that slide up from their own nook.Elite doesn’t want for safety either, missing out on a very short list of items seen only in Highlander. It misses out on the Blind Spot View Monitor in a digital dash display plus the Surround View Monitor, Parking Collision Avoidance Assist-Rear, Remote Smart Park Assist, and has a four sensor, not six, Park Distance Warning system. There’s airbags everywhere except in the centre console and a driver’s kneebag.On-road performance is “typical Hyundai diesel”. In layman’s terms that means the torque makes it very drivable, the suspension makes it fun and comfortable to be in, the grip is solid and tenacious, and rolling acceleration makes it safer on the highways. Insulation levels and a refined engine just work so well in keeping noise levels down, the steering is beautifully weighted and calibrated with 2.53 turns lock to lock, meaning quick response when required in turning and changing lanes.

The final drive ratio has the engine turning over, at freeway speeds, just below 1,750rpm, allowing a cog or two to change the revs up into that band where maximum torque is on tap. When dropping into Sport mode, selected via the dial, the electronics hold those gears longer and transfer more control over the engine to the driver’s right foot. Smart mode seemed, unusually, less sure of itself that normal, with the dual-clutch delay in engaging gear more readily apparent.

Bump absorption is stellar, with the big 20 inch wheels and relatively thin sidewalls unaffected by most road imperfections, as was the steering. It was only the larger and sometimes unavoidable ruts that had a minor bang-crash feel, yet the steering was again unaffected in bump-steer. In normal road situations then, the Santa Fe “wafts” and the ups and downs are briefly noticed and just as quickly forgotten by the suspension’s tune.Ease up to a stop sign, a red light, and the brake pedal has immediate feel. Intuitive for the driver is how any brake system should feel and the Santa Fe Elite has this well sorted. Travel is perfectly modulated and at any point the foot knows exactly what pressure is needed for the appropriate stopping distance.

Warranty is the standard five years and unlimited kilometres, with online servicing costs provided for each vehicle.

At The End Of The Drive. The Santa Fe in Elite trim wants for little in comparison to the Highlander and for those that don’t need those features such as heated/vented seats, a couple of extra parking sensors, and the like, it’s a relatively bargain. A starting point for info is here.

We thank Hyundai Australia for the review vehicle.

2021 Volvo XC90 T8 Recharge PHEV: Private Fleet Car Review

Hybrid technology is becoming a way of life in the automotive world and ranges from the everyday car to the ultra luxury. Somewhere in between is Volvo and their hybrid SUV “Recharge” offerings. The big ‘un, the XC90, is now partially electrified and available as a Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle or PHEV.Complete with a solid list of standard equipment and extras, their is a Manufacturer’s recommended list price and as driven price of $114,990 and $120,715.

The key to what turned out to be a surprisingly rapid and agile big SUV is a 2.0L petrol fed engine that is both supercharged and turbocharged. The EV part comes from a battery that assists and electric motor that produces, says Volvo, 65kW and 240Nm to work with the petrol powerplant’s 246kW and 440Nm. That torque figure comes in at 2,200rpm and runs to 4,400rpm.

This endows the hefty, at 2,315kg, XC90, with ferocious speed, albeit limited to 180kph as a top speed. It will easily see the freeway limit in 5.5 seconds, and overtake others at a rate that would have Superman blink in astonishment. Along the way, Volvo says economy is rated at 2.1L/100km from a 70L tank.Herein lies the rub. The battery, when fully charged, offers just 35km of range on battery power alone. In conjunction with the drive modes, such as (mild) off-road, and the Polestar engineering mode, this is possible but in the real world mostly not. To extract the best out of the combination, it’s highway cruising that needs to be employed as the battery runs down to a point that it no longer really assists but will supplement in a reduced capacity. To that end we saw a final overall figure of 6.4L/100km, in itself a better than respectable figure for the mass of the XC90 Recharge.The Four-C Active Chassis suspension is height adjustable thanks to electronically controlled airbags being employed and does so with the drive modes programming. It’ll also lower in height when the XC90 Recharge is switched off via the centre console located rotary dial. Here one would think that the ride quality is not that good. It’s the opposite, and although not quite completely dialing out the artificial feel airbag suspension setups have, it’s never anything less than comfortable.

Up front is a double wishbone transverse link setup, with the rear a integral axle transverse leaf spring composition. Together they bring a wholly adept ride and handling package to the XC90 Recharge, along with the grip levels thanks to the 22 inch double spoke black painted and diamond cut alloys. Pirelli supply the rubber and they’re 275/35s from the famous P-Zero range.Although a thin sidewall, the suspension is clearly tuned with that in mind, such is the poise and lack of bump-thump displayed. And those wide tyres add so much tenacity in being able to corner harder and longer when enjoying that flexibility from underneath the bonnet.

Steering is precise, and mayhaps too precise for some used to oodles of understeer or numbness. It’s perfectly weighted and for the size of the wheels and rubber, there’s a pleasing lack of “ponderous”. It’s more a delight than it has the right to be, and nimble enough in the feel to make it a small to mid-sized hatch rather than the large SUV it really is.

Rolling acceleration delivers in that “pin you back in the seat” manner, especially when the battery is charged. Although untimed, that quoted 5.5 seconds, too, is on the mark from a seat of the pants point of view.Recharge of the battery from the brakes is on a graduated level. Drive, once the ignition dial is switched, is engaged by a simple tap forward or backwards lever just ahead of the switch, and a tap back from Drive changes the amount of braking regenerative force that feeds the battery. Although needing a very long hill to make any appreciable impact, there is enough noticeable retardation and a small increase in range seen in the dash display.

Volvo have kept the fact that it’s a PHEV quiet. Apart from the numberplate fitted, there is the charge port on the front left fender and a badge on the powered tailgate with “Recharge”. Aside from the hole for that charge port, which opens at the press of a hand to reveal a weatherproofed, covered, port, it’s an invisible PHEV presence.The exterior is otherwise unchanged, from the Thor’s hammer driving lights and indicators to the LED rear lights, it’s a curvaceously boxy body. Inside there’s luxury in the form of the Bowers and Wilkins audio, leather seats, the integrated tablet-style infotainment screen, and LCD dash display. Run a drive destination into the navigation and the centre of the LCD driver’s screen shows the map. There is also a subtle, and almost lost, HUD display.Rear seats have their own climate control and the capacious cargo area (651L to 1,950L) has plenty of high quality carpeting and switches for the powered tailgate. There is a bag for the charge cable and a hook to hang it from. There is also a cargo blind which was in the way when it comes to moving the third row seats and no obviously apparent storage locker for it too.Controls for the car are embedded in the touchscreen, with climate control including venting/heating for the front seats, safety features, and smartapps such as Spotify and TuneIn included. The tablet style screen works on swiping left and right for the main info, and a pulldown from the top for settings and an electronic instruction manual.

Our review car came with options fitted; Climate pack which has heating for the windscreen washers, rear seat, and tiller at $600. The centre row seats has powered folding headrests at $275, whilst metallic paint is a hefty $1,950. The Nappa leather covered seats in charcoal to match the trim is $2,950.It’s a Volvo so those letters can be pronounced “safety”. Volvo has their CitySafe package, with Pedestrian, Vehicle, Large Animal, Cyclist Detection, and Intersection Collision Mitigation. Intellisafe Assist has Adaptive Cruise Control with Pilot Assist, Collision Warning with Auto Brake (which picks up parked cars on corners…), and Intellisafe Surround that includes Blind Spot Information System, Cross Traffic Alert and Rear Collision warning (which stops the car from moving if sensors pick up an obstacle), and airbags throughout the cabin.At The End Of The Drive. There is something to be said for the brands, in the automotive sense, that are leading the charge (no pun intended) towards hybrid and fully EV availabililty. Brands such as Jaguar have announced they’ll be fully EV by 2025, for example. Volvo, under the chequebook auspices of Geely, continue to produce the classy and safety-oriented vehicles they’re renowned for, and push towards a more expansive hybrid range.As potent as the petrol engine is on its own, the short distance available from battery power alone and as a backup for hybrid driving detracts somewhat from the intent, especially for our wide brown land. In Europe where you can drive through seventeen towns in the time it takes to sneeze four times, it’s a different story.

For the driver, it’s a sports car in a big car body, and just happens to be able to carry up to seven people in comfort and knowledge of safety thanks to the famous Volvo safety heritage. In the competition area there are the three German brands against it, and in a purely EV sense, Tesla’s Model X, complete with its lights and door dance routine for entertainment value. In a tough market segment, sometimes the difference can be small to see in value but Volvo assures that the extra range capability is coming. That will help the XC90 increase its appeal.

Thanks to Volvo Australia for the provision of the 2021 XC90 T8 Recharge.

Nissan X-Trail Updates For 2021.

Nissan has provided the X-Trail SUV with a solid list of updates for 2021, bring the mid-sized and popular machine into line with its competition.Across all trim levels, Nissan adds in Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. For the ST-L and above, Intelligent Driver Alert (IDA) is added, whilst for the ST and TS models, DAB audio, finally, has been added. One hopes the screen interface has been updated too and it seems so as they say the next-gen infotainment system for 7.0 inch touchscreens will be standard. The ST-L trim level also has new 18 inch wheels. The ST and TS level also will have voice recognition added in.The X-Trail also sees an increased safety presence and it’s extensive. Model dependent, buyers will see items such as the aforementioned IDA, plus Forward Collision Warning, Intelligent Cruise Control, Intelligent Emergency Braking and Intelligent Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection. The front (model dependent) will have an Adaptive Front Lighting System, Blind Spot Warning, and Moving Object Detection. Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Lane Departure Intervention, and Around View Monitor, will also be seen.

ST and TS will share 17 inch alloys, idle stop/start for the diesel engines, rear view camera, and Intelligent Emergency Braking with Forward Collision Warning plus Vehicle Dynamic Control. The diesel will be a five seater only, a curious choice given the better, low revving, torque characteristics of diesels which make them far better for carrying passengers.

ST-L has a leather accented tiller and seats, with the front seats having eight and four way power adjustment for the driver and passenger. Ti takes the luxury touches even further with heated door mirrors, LED headlights with self-leveling and swiveling, rain sensing wipers, plus a motion sensing tailgate. Rear seats have heating elements as does the steering wheel, whilst a glass roof can open to share the sounds from an eight speaker Bose audio system. 19 inch alloys underpin the Ti.

Motorvation comes courtesy of a 2.0L petrol engine with 106kW and 200Nm, and 2.5L with 126kW and 226Nm. A 2.0L diesel offers 130kW and 380Nm and that’s available from 2,000rpm. Economy for that is quoted as 6.0L/100km (combined). The smaller petrol engine is quoted as 8.2L/100km (ST manual) with the 2.5L at 7.9L/100km and available in the ST, ST-L, and Ti. Tanks are 60.0L for all models.

The 2WD-only 2.0-litre powered X-TRAIL ST uses a smooth-shifting six- speed manual transmission, whereas all 2.5-litre variants (available in both 2WD and 4WD) are mated to Nissan’s Xtronic CVT with manual mode (MCVT). This transmission’s broad gear ratio coverage and low-friction design help deliver strong acceleration and fuel economy. The AWD systems have a console centre dial with 2WD, Auto (torque split on demand) and Lock.

Pricing starts from $30,665 (plus ORC) for the ST manual, $32,665 (plus ORC) for the CVT five seater and $34,265 (plus ORC) for the seven seater. These are two wheel drive only. The ST CVT AWD is an extra $400. TS AWD diesel auto starts from $37,465 plus ORC.

ST-L is two wheel drive five and seven seater, and AWD, with $38,525, $40,125, and $40,525 plus ORC. Ti is AWD only and starts from $45,965 plus ORC and includes tan leather and no extra cost.

A Class-C Update From Mercedes.

Mercedes-Benz have updated their evergreen C-Class saloon and Estate with what Gordon Wagener, the chief design officer of the Daimler group said reflected the desire to apply “sensual purity”. It’s due for release in the northern hemisphere’s summer season.

Mercedes-Benz C-Klasse, 2021 // Mercedes-Benz C-Class, 2021

The new C-Class will feature both forms of hybrid tech, being petrol and PHEV, and will run 48V technology. The battery alone will power the C-Class for up to 100 kilometres, the company says. The petrol engines will be four cylinders from what M-B call FAME (Family of Modular Engines). Along with turbocharging both the petrol and diesel engines the C-Class will have, M-B add in an ISG or integrated starter-generator. This provides low speed assistance using a 48 volt on-board electrical system that ensures functions such as gliding, boosting or energy recovery. Fast re-engagement has seamless switching from off to on when at lights or a stop sign.

Two engines with petrol will be available, one of 1.5L, the other of 2.0L. 125kW/250Nm for the C180, 150kW/300Nm for the C200 and C200 4MATIC from the 1.5L, with 190kW/400Nm for the C300 and C300 3MATIC versions. A pair of 2.0L diesels factor in, with 147kW/440Nm and 195kW/550Nm. Top speeds are limited at the upper end of the range to 250kph.

The plug-in hybrid C-Class will operate in all-electric mode in many cases thanks to an electric output of 95 kW (129 hp) and an all-electric range of around 100 kilometres. For many areas in Europe this could mean little to no ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) usage. The battery is an in-house design and built in a “pouch configuration” with 96 cells, with a total capacity of 25.4kWh. There is an internal cooling system fitted, managing heat discharge in any driving environment. The high density structure allows a charge rate of 30 minutes to full from empty using a 55kW charger. An 11kW charger is standard.

Mercedes-Benz C-Klasse, 2021 // Mercedes-Benz C-Class, 2021

Energy recovery rates can be driver controlled via rocker switches in the console across all driving modes except for Sport. Lifting the foot from the accelerator has the regenerative system act like brakes, slowing the C-Class whilst simultaneously feeding back energy to the battery. Mercedes-Benz have engineered in two additional driving modes which will enable the driver to take advantage of what the powertrain offers: BATTERY HOLD: Maintaining the charge state of the high-voltage battery is given priority, e.g. when intending to drive in a city centre or green zone later on; selection of the most suitable drive configuration by the hybrid powertrain system, depending on the driving situation and route, and ELECTRIC: Electric driving up to 140 km/h, adjustable energy recovery rate in overrun mode, adaptation of Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC for electric driving, activation of the combustion engine using a pressure point of the accelerator pedal (kick-down).

Extra tech sees optional rear-axle steering with 2.5 degrees of angle reducing a turning circle to 10.5 metres. These have the rear wheels in an opposite direction in steering at speeds up to 60kph, then align with the direct front steering above 60kph. The rear steering also effectively reduces the steering ratio to 2.1 turns lock to lock, down from 2.35.

Notable changes to both the saloon and wagon have seen increase to the overall dimensions. The previous model saloon jumps from 4,686mm to 4,751mm in length, the Estate from 4,702mm to 4,751mm. Width is up by 10mm and 20mm respectively to 1,820mm each. Both share an increased wheelbase of 2,865mm, up from 2,840mm each. Luggage capacity for the Estate ranges from 490L to 1,510L, with a slightly lower load lip, and the rears eats have a 40/20/40 split for extra versatility. A powered tailgate is standard across the range.

Australian delivery dates are yet to be confirmed.

Mercedes-Benz C-Klasse, 2021 // Mercedes-Benz C-Class, 2021