Five-Point Inspection: 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe

2. Parking Lot Hooning or Serious Testing?

For our first test, we headed to an abandoned parking lot to perform a series of tests in 10 inches of snow. Since this is serious winter weather, my Santa Fe had ditched its regular all-season rubber for a set of Bridgestone Blizzak winter tires.

I began on a slalom course to see how the AWD system works with the stability control system, specifically the Active Cornering Control (ACC). To help gain traction and/or rotate the big crossover in slippery conditions, braking force is applied to the inside rear wheel when accelerating through a turn. Although it was possible to get the Santa Fe to continue understeering in the snow with ham-fisted driving techniques, when operated properly, the AWD and ACC do ensure the vehicle behaves in the manner the driver is asking for.

The Santa Fe seamlessly sends power to the rear when needed as well. Even with all the safety systems turned off, the Hyundai remains very stable in the snow. I had no issues drifting it around a small snowy skid pad in a sideways circle.