Comfort, kit and enduring aesthetics make the Hyundai Santa Fe utilitarian and upmarket

The South Korean car company began selling this Santa Fe model name way back at the turn of the century, when it was one of a precious few mid-sized SUVs that eschewed bluff, upright off-roader-style looks in favour of a softer, more car-focused appearance. That subdued look was carried through to the anonymous-looking second-generation car, which debuted in 2006. By the time of Santa Fe v3, the big 7-seater’s lines had become a little more streamlined but were never going to inflame desire. Practicality trumped passion.

Enter version 4. You might have noticed that Hyundai – along with sister company Kia – is in the midst of one of the auto industry’s most admired design revivals of recent years, intent on chucking out the bland and bringing character and dynamism back to their ranges. Inspiration has come from old and new, and the advent of electrification has provided a particular spur for fresh looks.

The Santa Fe is offered only as a plug-in hybrid, finely timed for the global renaissance of that practical and flexible powertrain – if done correctly. Whilst Chinese manufacturers are pushing a new breed of ‘super-hybrids’, which only use their compact ICE units for charging and not for driving the wheels, the Santa Fe is available as a regular hybrid or a PHEV.

The latter is perhaps the best option as it can be switched pretty seamlessly between pure electric power and electrically-assisted ICE. It’s not a car for hustling, although the e-boost means overtaking is not a white-knuckle experience, more for sedate cruising and long-distance leisure trips. To that end, Hyundai is pointedly pushing the Santa Fe’s skills as a car camper – a good platform upon which to mount a tent, while the cabin below offers all mod cons for leisurely stays off-road.

As is expected in a car of this size, the Santa Fe contains plenty of cubby holes for squirreling away everything from snacks to maps, with twin wireless phone charging pads and USB slots aplenty scattered throughout the cabin. In the Calligraphy edition, there’s also Nappa Leather and ‘premium front relaxation seats’ that can fully recline. Handling and ability away from the tarmac has also been upgraded, with a terrain mode selector and ample ground clearance.

Visually, the Santa Fe has an arrestingly bluff front three-quarter view, with body colour panels on the bumpers, chunky wheelarches and a no-nonsense glasshouse that emphasises the scale and precise geometry of the cut lines. There’s no superfluous swooping sculpture or slashing curves; this is a deliberately boxy design with near-perfection execution.

Things are slightly more skew-whiff at the rear, where the low placement of the pixel-inspired rear light bar unbalances the whole ensemble. Big ‘Santa Fe’ graphics evoke the large logo approach of old school 4x4s, a weighty statement that’s slightly undermined by the incongruous ‘Plug-in’ logo at bottom left. Other neat touches include an assist handle hidden in the C-pillar, making it easier to haul oneself up to reach anything stashed on the (optional) roof rack.

Any car that pairs seven plush leather seats with cupholders and power sockets and a Bose stereo system is erring on the side of luxury. Some might even argue that true ‘utility’ vehicles no longer exist, thanks to the steady premiumization of the modern car market. The Hyundai Santa Fe is a fine example of how function keeps getting fancier. It’s a car that cloaks steely competence with elegant design, suggesting that form and function are both in it for long run.

Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy edition, from £57,635, Hyundai.com, @HyundaiUK