Review: Has Hyundai built a LandCruiser beater?

The Toyota LandCruiser sets the benchmark for off-road SUVs in Australia – all of them. Whether it’s the 300 Series, 70 Series or the Prado, when it comes to picking an SUV that not only looks tough but actually is tough, Toyota has a vice-like grip on the market.

So can Hyundai, a company known more for its style and technology these days rather than rugged off-roaders, build an SUV to rival the LandCruiser? This is its attempt, the all-new Santa Fe XRT, a pair of accessories packs that add a raft of new features to the otherwise city-centric new SUV to make it more capable of getting off the beaten path.

The two accessories packs are known as XRT Peak and XRT Adventure, and are exclusively available on the Santa Fe at this stage, although there are plans for potentially adding the Tucson and Palisade to the XRT list in the near-future.

The XRT Adventure package is largely cosmetic and adds new 17-inch alloy wheels, all-terrain tyres, XRT mud flaps, an underbody skid plate and has some minor suspension tweaks. This adds $6990 to the cost of the Santa Fe.

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The XRT Peak is the more comprehensive upgrade, adding the new wheels and tyres combo, integrated side step (in black), bonnet protector, roof platform, XRT mud flaps, roof racks, underbody skid plate and stylevisors. Most importantly it gets a comprehensive suspension overhaul that includes new hubs, springs, sway bar and Mando dampers. This package costs $9900 but that price includes the reported eight hours it takes for the dealer to complete the transformation.

In practical terms the new tyre and wheel set add 30mm of lift to the Santa Fe, enhancing its approach, departure and breakover angles by two degrees each.

So, has Hyundai created a Santa Fe that will have the new LandCruiser Prado shaking in its boots? No, but few brands have and make no mistake, the XRT is more than just a styling kit. Hyundai Australia and the team at the Hyundai America Technical Centre worked together to create something meaningful to expand the Santa Fe into a space in the market it has never been before.

What Hyundai has created is effectively a new variant of the already-impressive Santa Fe for those who want something more capable of getting dirty and dusty than the standard model but aren’t looking to go deep into the Australian outback.

It certainly looks the part, with the imitation-style beadlock wheels, chunky all-terrain tyres, mud flaps and roof racks, but it still has relatively mild off-road credentials. The ground clearance of 210mm is actually the same as the entry-grade Prado GX and GXL models (but the VX, Altitude and Kakdu boast 221mm), between when you start looking at the important figures around approach and departure angles the gap drastically widens. The approach angle for the XRT is 19 degrees compared to 31 degrees for the Prado GX, which is a significant difference if you plan to head down more adventurous trails. For the record, the departure angle is 22 degrees and the breakover angle is 19 degrees for the XRT, which aren’t actually too far off the new Prado.

Where the XRT would excel is on loose surface roads, rather than more cross-country trails, with the improved ground clearance, new tyres and increased underbody protection give it more confidence than the standard Santa Fe.

The big plus for the XRT is the fact that it is based on the Santa Fe, an SUV we have been deeply impressed with since its launch. The latest generation model has taken a quantum leap forward in presentation, both inside and out, and provides a luxury-like experience on a budget.

One big plus for both the XRT kits is they are available across the three model Santa Fe range, so you can get them on the entry-level, Elite and Calligraphy variants – whichever suits your preference and budget.

The other major benefit of the XRT packages is the convenience. For someone looking to make their soft-roader SUV more rugged, having a factory-tuned and approved package that can be ordered directly through the dealer (therefore not impacting the warranty) is a key selling point.

The XRT may not have dethroned the LandCruiser, but it has expanded the appeal of the Santa Fe and gives buyers looking for a little bit of adventure something new to consider.