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Vehicle Tests > Middleweight Match-up
Middleweight Match-up
Issue: December 2006
Words by Isaac Bober Photos by Guy Bowden
Hyundai Santa Fe, Ford Escape and Suzuki Grand Vitara get in the ring to see which fights above its weight.
With fluctuating fuel prices, drivers are looking for a cheaper alternative for city and open road use, making the soft/offroad market the biggest automotive battleground. Case in point Hyundai Santa Fe, Ford Escape and Suzuki Grand Vitara. These three models have plenty to offer the punters, and like Subaru Forester and Toyota Rav4 have become the latest must-have fashion accessory. But what's really flicking switches about these soft-roaders is that they're not just one-trick ponies.
While this current crop is more refined and car-like than ever they're still pretty good off the beaten track. And they don't hurt the hip pocket at the bowser. Also there's a make, model and engine capacity to suit just about everyone and indeed their image, too.
Yep, this segment no longer just covers V6s (read: Frontera, Pathfinder and Cherokee), it now includes four-cylinders, turbos and even diesels. But that's not for us, not today anyway. Enter Santa Fe, Escape and Grand Vitara. We did ask Toyota for a Rav4, but they were unable to provide one.
Sure this lot's more soft-roader than offroader but these fourbies, which combine ability with affordability, are right on the money for your average, slightly adventurous family.
That said there are some differences between them. The Suzuki is the only one of our trio that its manufacturer is happy to call a 4WD; it's got the full system with reasonable low-range gearing (a 1.970 reduction). The Escape and the Santa Fe aren't quite as sophisticated. The Escape offers an on-demand AWD system via its rotary blade coupling (RBC), but when the going gets too tough a dash-mounted switch allows you to lock the diff offering a 50:50 drive split. The Hyundai, however, offers full-time AWD and, like the Ford, you can lock the diff, which offers a permanent 50:50 drive distribution.
Of the three, Hyundai's Santa Fe at $42,990 (our test car was the Elite variant) is easily the slickest looking. From various angles there are even hints of Volkswagen Touareg and Subaru Outback, but the rounded, slightly bulbous profile is all Hyundai.
While the Santa Fe is the best looking it's also the longest (at 4675mm) and the heaviest (1893kg). For motivation the Santa Fe runs a 2.7-litre DOHC 24-valve CVVT (constant variable valve timing) V6 that pumps out 138kW (at 6000rpm) and 248Nm (at 4000rpm). It's roughly the same engine that Hyundai's sporty Tiburon runs, and while it's not packing a lot of oomph, when you consider its weight, it never actually feels laboured.
By comparison, Suzuki's Grand Vitara ($30,990) is the smallest of the trio, measuring just 4005mm and weighing only 1640kg - it's also probably the most rugged-looking. Like the Hyundai it also runs a 2.7-litre DOHC 24-valve V6 which huffs out 135kW (at 6000rpm) and 250Nm (at 4500rpm) and while that's down a touch on power it's up on torque compared to the Korean. This engine is a carry-over from the old Suzuki XL-7 and while it's great in low to middle revs it gets a little harsh at the top end.
Our spoiler for this fight is the sporty-looking four-pot Ford Escape XLT ($33,490). Its 2.3-litre DOHC 16-valve inline four-cylinder with variable valve timing smacks out 109kW (at 6000rpm) and 199Nm (at 4000rpm). Where it loses out in terms of outright power the Escape more than makes up for it by being a hell of a lot lighter than the other two (1574kg).
The Ford has also been given a recent face-lift bringing it more in line with the look of the Territory and indeed Falcon sedans. It's now a rather pretty and determined-looking car. All three cars run a four-speed auto; the Santa Fe has sportshift for that semi-manual experience.
Right, time to weed-out the nancy boys. Around town and out on the open road both the Hyundai and Suzuki instantly impress. The Suzuki, thanks to its small size, is able to get into the tightest of parking spots and even the Santa Fe, despite its size, never feels too big around town. The Escape, which feels the fleetest of foot, is equally as good if not better, and only the rough shift of its gearbox knocks off some of the shine.
Leaving the city behind and getting into the twists and turns of a coastal road the cars are all fairly evenly matched. And despite the Escape's power disadvantage it never feels under-gunned, indeed, it's actually more than capable of showing the other two a clean pair of heels. And it doesn't get rough at the top end like the Suzuki, nor does it run out of puff. Indeed, for a four-potter it's got the mid and top-end urge of a six-cylinder.
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What's particularly good about these cars is that they all sit on a monocoque chassis with independent suspension using McPherson struts at the front and multi-link rear suspension. This gives them distinctly car-like ride and handling. Indeed, pitch into a corner and there's very little body roll, and the steering, which is rack-and-pinion in each fourby, is direct and full of feel, especially in the Escape. Indeed the Escape has more of a raw, hot-hatch feel to it than the cruiser feel of the other two.
There are so many things to like about the Ford, like its sharp steering, but not enough attention has been paid to the suspension, which is over sprung and underdamped. This makes the Escape harsh and bouncy over rough and corrugated roads. But the Santa Fe isn't perfect either. In comparison, it seems to be under sprung and overdamped and becomes crashy on square-edged hits. On the other hand, the Grand Vitara, despite its shorter wheelbase, smothers humps and bumps with aplomb.
Turn off the road and onto the sand and the Ford, even with its diff locked, instantly struggles. Its four-potter, which is so strong on the blacktop, really struggles to keep the thing moving on the beach. Indeed the only way forward is to manually select first gear and rev the bejesus out of it. It's not pleasant and progress is incredibly slow. That's in stark contrast to the Escape's ability to blast the others into the weeds, in a straight line, on the road.
On the other hand the Hyundai is actually pretty good in the sand, which, due to its weight disadvantage, was a real surprise. That it makes better progress than the Ford is really all down to its gearbox, the Santa Fe's five-speed auto is a real gem and is beautifully matched to the engine. In places where the Ford was in first and revving right to 5000rpm, the Santa Fe was pulling comfortably in second gear and only revving to around 4000rpm - the meat of its sweet spot. That said, the Hyundai's 'box has the advantage of being able to adapt and alter its shift patterns to suit the driver's inputs.
But neither car is a patch on the Suzuki. Indeed, so good is the Grand Vitara that it didn't need to have its diff locked. In first gear the little Suzuki absolutely ripped through the soft stuff - it's geared perfectly for grunting its way through when the going gets rough. But its tyres that have a more aggressive pattern than the other cars' road-biased tyres help too.
Inside, it's the Suzuki that has the pick of the interior, and the quality, when compared with Suzuki's of yore is a massive leap forward - all of the controls are well laid out, too. While there's plenty of room for four adults to sit comfortably, there's not a lot of luggage space (398 litres), blame the short wheelbase.
The Hyundai's interior is actually pretty good, and like the Suzuki all of the controls are easy to reach and even easier to follow. But the seats are shocking and don't offer anywhere near enough lateral or under thigh support. It offers the most amount of rear luggage space, though, with 969 litres.
The Escape feels fairly basic by comparison, and dare I say it, dull. Its drab grey interior and hard plastics aren't up to the same standard as either the Hyundai or the Suzuki. That said, it feels the most light and airy inside and the white-faced dials lend a nice sporty touch - it also has 935 litres of rear luggage space.
On test the Suzuki was the lightest drinker returning 15L/100km, the Hyundai Santa Fe wasn't too far off that returning 15.7L/100km. The Escape, however, guzzled 16.2L/100km (blame its high-revving in the sand for that). A strict blacktop based test would have probably seen the Escape come out on top.
In the end it's a pretty close call. The Escape has plenty of go, is comfortable enough and is excellent on the open road, which is where these cars will spend most of their time, anyway, but it lacks the class and offroad ability of the other two. So it's not the winner.
Then there's the Hyundai Santa Fe, which is the biggest, and best looking soft-roader of the trio. But because of its limited ground clearance and its weight it's not the winner either.
Nope, it's the little big man Grand Vitara that takes home the silverware today. And that's really because it's more of an all-rounder than the other two. It's not as quick as the Ford and it's not as snappy looking as the Hyundai but it is the cheapest ($30,990), yet it doesn't feel it, and it's just more capable.
Words by Isaac Bober Photos by Guy Bowden
Hyundai Santa Fe, Ford Escape and Suzuki Grand Vitara get in the ring to see which fights above its weight.
With fluctuating fuel prices, drivers are looking for a cheaper alternative for city and open road use, making the soft/offroad market the biggest automotive battleground. Case in point Hyundai Santa Fe, Ford Escape and Suzuki Grand Vitara. These three models have plenty to offer the punters, and like Subaru Forester and Toyota Rav4 have become the latest must-have fashion accessory. But what's really flicking switches about these soft-roaders is that they're not just one-trick ponies.
While this current crop is more refined and car-like than ever they're still pretty good off the beaten track. And they don't hurt the hip pocket at the bowser. Also there's a make, model and engine capacity to suit just about everyone and indeed their image, too.
Yep, this segment no longer just covers V6s (read: Frontera, Pathfinder and Cherokee), it now includes four-cylinders, turbos and even diesels. But that's not for us, not today anyway. Enter Santa Fe, Escape and Grand Vitara. We did ask Toyota for a Rav4, but they were unable to provide one.
Sure this lot's more soft-roader than offroader but these fourbies, which combine ability with affordability, are right on the money for your average, slightly adventurous family.
That said there are some differences between them. The Suzuki is the only one of our trio that its manufacturer is happy to call a 4WD; it's got the full system with reasonable low-range gearing (a 1.970 reduction). The Escape and the Santa Fe aren't quite as sophisticated. The Escape offers an on-demand AWD system via its rotary blade coupling (RBC), but when the going gets too tough a dash-mounted switch allows you to lock the diff offering a 50:50 drive split. The Hyundai, however, offers full-time AWD and, like the Ford, you can lock the diff, which offers a permanent 50:50 drive distribution.
Of the three, Hyundai's Santa Fe at $42,990 (our test car was the Elite variant) is easily the slickest looking. From various angles there are even hints of Volkswagen Touareg and Subaru Outback, but the rounded, slightly bulbous profile is all Hyundai.
While the Santa Fe is the best looking it's also the longest (at 4675mm) and the heaviest (1893kg). For motivation the Santa Fe runs a 2.7-litre DOHC 24-valve CVVT (constant variable valve timing) V6 that pumps out 138kW (at 6000rpm) and 248Nm (at 4000rpm). It's roughly the same engine that Hyundai's sporty Tiburon runs, and while it's not packing a lot of oomph, when you consider its weight, it never actually feels laboured.
By comparison, Suzuki's Grand Vitara ($30,990) is the smallest of the trio, measuring just 4005mm and weighing only 1640kg - it's also probably the most rugged-looking. Like the Hyundai it also runs a 2.7-litre DOHC 24-valve V6 which huffs out 135kW (at 6000rpm) and 250Nm (at 4500rpm) and while that's down a touch on power it's up on torque compared to the Korean. This engine is a carry-over from the old Suzuki XL-7 and while it's great in low to middle revs it gets a little harsh at the top end.
Our spoiler for this fight is the sporty-looking four-pot Ford Escape XLT ($33,490). Its 2.3-litre DOHC 16-valve inline four-cylinder with variable valve timing smacks out 109kW (at 6000rpm) and 199Nm (at 4000rpm). Where it loses out in terms of outright power the Escape more than makes up for it by being a hell of a lot lighter than the other two (1574kg).
The Ford has also been given a recent face-lift bringing it more in line with the look of the Territory and indeed Falcon sedans. It's now a rather pretty and determined-looking car. All three cars run a four-speed auto; the Santa Fe has sportshift for that semi-manual experience.
Right, time to weed-out the nancy boys. Around town and out on the open road both the Hyundai and Suzuki instantly impress. The Suzuki, thanks to its small size, is able to get into the tightest of parking spots and even the Santa Fe, despite its size, never feels too big around town. The Escape, which feels the fleetest of foot, is equally as good if not better, and only the rough shift of its gearbox knocks off some of the shine.
Leaving the city behind and getting into the twists and turns of a coastal road the cars are all fairly evenly matched. And despite the Escape's power disadvantage it never feels under-gunned, indeed, it's actually more than capable of showing the other two a clean pair of heels. And it doesn't get rough at the top end like the Suzuki, nor does it run out of puff. Indeed, for a four-potter it's got the mid and top-end urge of a six-cylinder.
read on below advertisement
What's particularly good about these cars is that they all sit on a monocoque chassis with independent suspension using McPherson struts at the front and multi-link rear suspension. This gives them distinctly car-like ride and handling. Indeed, pitch into a corner and there's very little body roll, and the steering, which is rack-and-pinion in each fourby, is direct and full of feel, especially in the Escape. Indeed the Escape has more of a raw, hot-hatch feel to it than the cruiser feel of the other two.
There are so many things to like about the Ford, like its sharp steering, but not enough attention has been paid to the suspension, which is over sprung and underdamped. This makes the Escape harsh and bouncy over rough and corrugated roads. But the Santa Fe isn't perfect either. In comparison, it seems to be under sprung and overdamped and becomes crashy on square-edged hits. On the other hand, the Grand Vitara, despite its shorter wheelbase, smothers humps and bumps with aplomb.
Turn off the road and onto the sand and the Ford, even with its diff locked, instantly struggles. Its four-potter, which is so strong on the blacktop, really struggles to keep the thing moving on the beach. Indeed the only way forward is to manually select first gear and rev the bejesus out of it. It's not pleasant and progress is incredibly slow. That's in stark contrast to the Escape's ability to blast the others into the weeds, in a straight line, on the road.
On the other hand the Hyundai is actually pretty good in the sand, which, due to its weight disadvantage, was a real surprise. That it makes better progress than the Ford is really all down to its gearbox, the Santa Fe's five-speed auto is a real gem and is beautifully matched to the engine. In places where the Ford was in first and revving right to 5000rpm, the Santa Fe was pulling comfortably in second gear and only revving to around 4000rpm - the meat of its sweet spot. That said, the Hyundai's 'box has the advantage of being able to adapt and alter its shift patterns to suit the driver's inputs.
But neither car is a patch on the Suzuki. Indeed, so good is the Grand Vitara that it didn't need to have its diff locked. In first gear the little Suzuki absolutely ripped through the soft stuff - it's geared perfectly for grunting its way through when the going gets rough. But its tyres that have a more aggressive pattern than the other cars' road-biased tyres help too.
Inside, it's the Suzuki that has the pick of the interior, and the quality, when compared with Suzuki's of yore is a massive leap forward - all of the controls are well laid out, too. While there's plenty of room for four adults to sit comfortably, there's not a lot of luggage space (398 litres), blame the short wheelbase.
The Hyundai's interior is actually pretty good, and like the Suzuki all of the controls are easy to reach and even easier to follow. But the seats are shocking and don't offer anywhere near enough lateral or under thigh support. It offers the most amount of rear luggage space, though, with 969 litres.
The Escape feels fairly basic by comparison, and dare I say it, dull. Its drab grey interior and hard plastics aren't up to the same standard as either the Hyundai or the Suzuki. That said, it feels the most light and airy inside and the white-faced dials lend a nice sporty touch - it also has 935 litres of rear luggage space.
On test the Suzuki was the lightest drinker returning 15L/100km, the Hyundai Santa Fe wasn't too far off that returning 15.7L/100km. The Escape, however, guzzled 16.2L/100km (blame its high-revving in the sand for that). A strict blacktop based test would have probably seen the Escape come out on top.
In the end it's a pretty close call. The Escape has plenty of go, is comfortable enough and is excellent on the open road, which is where these cars will spend most of their time, anyway, but it lacks the class and offroad ability of the other two. So it's not the winner.
Then there's the Hyundai Santa Fe, which is the biggest, and best looking soft-roader of the trio. But because of its limited ground clearance and its weight it's not the winner either.
Nope, it's the little big man Grand Vitara that takes home the silverware today. And that's really because it's more of an all-rounder than the other two. It's not as quick as the Ford and it's not as snappy looking as the Hyundai but it is the cheapest ($30,990), yet it doesn't feel it, and it's just more capable.
