2017 Hyundai Santa Fe XL: large in its title, not in its drive

Hyundai got a jump on 2017 by releasing a few of those model-year vehicles ahead of most automakers. One of those is the highly popular Santa Fe SUV, and we got our hands on its XL Limited trim version for a test drive.

The 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe XL can be had in either six-passenger or seven-passenger form. The price difference is minimal with the six-passenger actually clocking in at $400 more, but with that comes the comfort of captain's chairs for the second row.

• Also: 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe XL: A Test Drive In My (Snowy) Backyard
• Also: Mazda CX-9 Vs. Hyundai Santa Fe XL: Two Asian Vehicles For Transporting Your Clan

This latest model sees a few changes, but it doesn't drastically stray away from the Santa Fe that launched back as a 2014 model-year vehicle. Most of the changes can be found on the exterior with new headlights, grille, taillights, bumpers and wheel design. All of these changes help to give it a more refined, sportier look led by its hexagonal grille and sharp lines for more presence.

The Santa Fe's interior sees a shift for the better with a new centre stack that features an upgraded eight-inch touchscreen at the higher trim levels that's well organized, with only a few key buttons to worry about. On top of that, the SUV is treated with leather upholstery in the captain's chair package that supplies heated comfort to all seats in the first two rows.

The leather goes well with the faux wood touches, yet the appearance of plastic is still present. This might appear as a negative, but the plastic touches seem to blend well with the rest of the styling and its incorporation is understandable given the brand. Rounding out the best interior features is Android Auto – a system that allows you to tap into your mobile android device for navigation and other applications.

Cabin space is always a big factor when researching SUVs and the Santa Fe XL is no slouch in this department. You may have one less seat in this version, but that also opens up extra space for the rest of the passengers. The second row has ample headroom and legroom to stretch out and enjoy a lengthy road trip, while enjoying the comfort of armrests. Like any third row, room is not ideal, but it's not horrendous and the second row can slide forward for more room, if needed.

An interesting find in the XL was that its climate control functions can be found and used in the third row – an odd spot where the likes of kids would be typically found. On top of that, the third row receives cupholders and a spot to place your sunglasses.

When the third-row seats are up, there's not that much room to talk about with only 383 litres of space, but that can expand to more than 1158 litres if the third row is folded flat.

As you perch yourself into the cushiony leather seating, place it into drive and slowly push down on the accelerator, you will be pleasantly surprised by the smooth and crisp nature of the drive. Under the hood is a carryover 3.3-litre V-6 that produces 290 hp and 252 lb.-ft. of torque that's matched to a six-speed automatic transmission.

Every driver will be slightly different when it comes to their driving habits, so Hyundai has created a new drive mode selector with choices of Normal, Sport and Eco. On most occasions, I opt for the more spirited Sport drive, and came out impressed by the sheer speed and acceleration that this 1840-kg, all-wheel-drive SUV had in it. The modes don't change too much, but in sport you will sense a brisk initial acceleration and it maintains that responsiveness to throttle inputs at higher speeds.

Steering and handling is a great way to determine the agility of a larger SUV. Whenever I cannot feel the length or weight of one – I know we have a winner. Handling the Santa Fe XL was no different than many other large vehicles such as the Nissan Pathfinder or Ford Explorer. The all-wheel drive system allowed it to stay balanced and smooth, while staying quiet. There were multiple times I had to tackle some bumps on the road, and the XL glided over those with little vibration.

As for fuel economy numbers, the Santa Fe XL managed 11.9 L/100 km on a 175-km driving stint with 65 percent city driving. That slots in more in the middle-of-the-pack with room for improvement.

The 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe XL offers up a great package for families that want those added technological amenities, a quality drive and room for six at a reasonable price. At a price of $44,799 for the Limited trim with all-wheel drive, the Santa Fe can get pricy considering the starting price begins at $32,199 for its front-wheel-drive model. Just keep in mind, if you do want power being shifted to all four wheels, you will need to add close to $5,000 from that low price.

Hyundai has become a popular value choice of late, but other companies like Honda and Toyota have tried to make headway with newer versions in the Pilot and Highlander, respectively. The Santa Fe XL may be a little older in the tooth, but that styling still holds true and it's a choice that I don't see much fault with.