Hyundai Santa Fe

Capitalising on the growing appetite for 4x4 vehicles, the Hyundai Santa Fe was the Korean firm’s first attempt in Europe to push the brand more upmarket and away from the cheaper models the brand had been associated with.

The first of the three generations appeared in 2001, but the subsequent two iterations have grown substantially, allowing them to offer up to seven seats. Some markets also feature a longer wheelbase version of the seven-seater known as the Grand Santa Fe but Hyundai has no plans to bring this to the UK.

Today’s Hyundai Santa Fe shares much of its underpinnings and mechanical components with the Kia Sorento, and while the price has climbed considerably, it’s still a value-driven alternative to cars such as the Land Rover Discovery Sport,Toyota Land Cruiser and Volvo XC90.