2019 Hyundai Santa Fe XL

Hyundai hopes the game-changing Palisade will arrive towards the end of 2019 as a 2020 model, but until then it's rejigged the Santa Fe line-up and naming scheme for 2019 with the three-row derivative, now called the Hyundai Santa Fe XL. It seems a little strange, but what was the two-row Santa Fe Sport is now all-new and dubbed the Santa Fe and what was the three-row Santa Fe is now dubbed the Santa Fe XL. The latter has also received a mild redesign to tide it over in its final year. In the midsize SUV class, numerous rivals offer three-row alternatives, and with the new Subaru Ascent joining the mix last year and models like the Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander, the Santa Fe XL could well be a desperate attempt to retain market share until the Palisade launches. Both trim derivatives are powered by a 3.3-liter V6 generating 290 horsepower and 252 lb-ft of torque, driving either the front pair or all four wheels through a six-speed automatic gearbox. The Dodge Durango, Subaru Ascent, and Mazda CX-9 are chief rivals to the Santa Fe XL in the US, but all start at a higher MSRP.

With the same drivetrains, it's the specification that separates the two Santa Fe XL trims. The base SE starts off at $30,950 in FWD guise with cloth upholstery and limited features, excluding licensing, tax, registration, and a $1,045 destination charge. Moving up to the Limited Ultimate comes with a starting MSRP of $39,650, but adding a few options with all-wheel drive and the Optional Tech Package, will set you back in the region of $43,400, making it nearly $13,000 more expensive than the base model XL.

From behind the wheel, there's a lot to like about the Santa Fe XL. Primarily it's the way in which it doesn't feel as large as its XL nomenclature suggests. Large crossovers often feel as such, making them ungainly and awkward to use, but out on the road the Santa Fe XL shrinks around the driver and there's a good sense of where its extremities are in relation to lane markings and road edges. This is great, and it makes maneuvering parking lots an easy affair.

The XL also offers a great deal of shielding from road and wind noise, though the same can't be said for its ability to shield the occupants from the bumps and poor road surfaces. The front end feels solid and tied down, but the rear end lacks this same composure. That's likely due to the stiffened suspension to accommodate an extra row of passengers back there, but the rear gets skittish and unsettled on bumpy surfaces and larger bumps send it bouncing. It compromises the levels of comfort for all occupants, as the vibrations picked up at the rear work through the chassis and unsettle all three rows of occupants.

The steering is decent but lacks feedback, and at mid-level speeds requires more input than we'd like to get the change of direction needed. But that's not exclusive to the XL.

There is however one glaring problem with the XL's drive, and it's the way it delivers its power. On paper, and in practice, the V6 motor has good power and torque. But try and accelerate through a briefly open gap in traffic, a foot jammed to the carpet, and there's a noticeable delay as you first wait, then hope and pray for a response. When it arrives, there's decent punch, but the responses need to be better than this.

The new Santa Fe XL isn't the first seven-seater crossover to sprint to mind with options such as the Toyota Highlander, Mazda CX-9, and new Subaru Ascent on the market, but it does represent a huge value-for-money option against those rivals and many others. However, there are compromises, chief among which is cramped third-row seating and relatively small cargo volume, while we're also not fans of the troublesome throttle responses, sub-par consumption figures, and the jittery ride quality. We wouldn't rate the Santa Fe XL a class-leader, but if you're in the market looking for a left-field choice, you could do worse. Our tip would be to wait until Fall rolls around, by which time the Palisade will be along to replace the XL, meaning you should find some pretty good deal on this outgoing model.

It may seem an expensive step up from the base derivative, but the standard Limited Ultimate in front-wheel drive guise strikes the best value for money proposition. Additional exterior styling enhancements are more appealing, while the standard leather upholstery, larger infotainment system, and addition of a panoramic sunroof, second-row captain's chairs, heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, and standard navigation ensure it's got enough creature comforts to justify the price. But it also receives additional safety features in the form of a multi-view camera, rear park sensors, smart cruise control, lane departure warning, and auto emergency braking with pedestrian detection, making the Limited Ultimate a safer family option even though it loses a single seat in the process.

In the three-row crossover category, the Honda Pilot stands out as one of the best. While both offer three-row seating, the Pilot has better accommodation in the third row for taller occupants, and ingress and egress are easier too. It boasts more cargo space as well, and its engine is more responsive, while also being more frugal. The Pilot is better to drive, with greater levels of composure on a wider array of surfaces. The Santa Fe XL, however, offers huge value for money with a high number of features at an impressive price, and with an infotainment system superior to that of the Pilot. But ultimately, the Pilot is better in most aspects and is a recommended pick in this segment.

The Santa Fe XL is one of the cheapest 7-seater SUVs in the USA, and it packs in a fair amount of technology for the price. But while the Mazda CX-9 may be more expensive than the Santa Fe XL, it borders on premium in feel and specification levels. While the Mazda's third-row of seats may not offer much more than the Hyundai, the front two rows are spacious and luxurious, and all the details throughout the cabin ooze class. The Mazda offers high levels of safety and infotainment connectivity, matched by the Santa Fe XL, but the material quality is superior on the Mazda. The Mazda extends its superiority to its drive, with a driver-focused suspension and a potent turbocharged engine that performs vastly better than the Hyundai does. The Mazda may be more expensive, but it's superior in just about all aspects.