The Kielder Forest area of Northumberland can feel remote at the best of times. Add heavy snow to the equation and life can become quite challenging.
Along with my old school pal Nick, who had brought his shovel just in case, we were determined to watch the Anglo Caledonian Rally on the iconic special stages in northern England and the Scottish Borders.
Our long-held plans would have been derailed by Storm Bert had it not been for the impressive capabilities of the Hyundai Santa Fe.
On the road across the top of the reservoir embankment at Kielder Water, a number of vehicles attempting to get into the rally stage had got hopelessly struck in several inches of snow. It seemed that 'Killer Kielder' - where many world rally champions have crashed over the years - was already living up to its reputation.
Happily for us, the only use of the shovel was to help others dig out of the thick snow. Once back inside the Santa Fe, we were able to warm up rapidly thanks to creature comforts such as the heated seats and heated steering wheel.
Sadly, the weather put paid to that special stage of the rally, but we were able to see the cars in action just five miles away on a more accessible part of the route.
The vehicle has undergone a radical transformation in exterior and interior design, prioritising lifestyle-based functionality while enhancing rear cargo capacity. The length has been increased by 45 millimetres, providing a spacious interior and best-in-class terrace-like space.
The design of the dash is beautifully laid-out, with the dual panoramic curved display integrating a 12.3-inch cluster and a 12.3-inch navigation screen. It looks excellent and, combined with plenty of soft-touch materials and ambient lighting, gives the cabin a special feel.
A multitude of storage spaces are dotted around the cabin, while there have also been significant improvements in legroom for better passenger comfort.
The flexibility of the interior space is fantastic, with the second and third row of seats capable of folding completely flat to create a perfectly level loading space. With the seats folded away, a couple of six footers could sleep in the back and stretch out in some degree of comfort, further emphasising the vehicle’s versatility.
We tested the self-charging hybrid variant, with the powertrain producing a combined 215PS and 367Nm of torque. For a large vehicle, it picks up well and is good for a 0-62mph time of 9.8 seconds – feeling quicker in real world driving conditions. Official fuel economy figures suggest the vehicle will return a combined 38.6mpg, but we found ourselves a good 10mpg short of that figure on average, although the dreadful driving conditions necessitated a lot of slowing down and speeding up again.
A new top-level Calligraphy trim has been added. Tested here, it features 20-inch black alloy wheels, Premium Relaxation front seats and Nappa Leather seat trim, as well as black finish styling elements.
During this review, it was great to test the Santa Fe in such raw conditions, and we shouldn’t be surprised by its superb performance........ after all, Santa and the snow go together well!
Hyundai Santa Fe hybrid
ENGINE: 1.6-litre petrol-electric hybrid
PRICE RANGE: £46,775 to £58,635
ECONOMY: 38.6mpg combined and emissions of 165g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-62mph in 9.8 seconds and top speed of 112mph
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