Hyundai

Alcazar is a mid-size front-wheel-drive SUV with 200mm of ground clearance for mild rough-road conditions.

Its seating and engine options offer solutions VW, Toyota, and the Chinese don’t have in this size and price range.

Inside, there’s a very spacious second row and a usable third row of seating. Alcazar offers very decent fuel economy and highway cruising performance from the 1.5-litre turbodiesel.

The Jetour X70 Plus has better specs and infotainment, but no diesel engine option – nor are there diesels in rival VW and Toyota models.

Standard safety features include six airbags and ESP.

Alcazar is a terrific value 7-seater for big families on a budget, who need diesel power and economy.

Stylish, large SUV with three rows of seating.

Has all the room and comfort you need to make family road trips and the school lift club happier journeys. Outstanding cabin quality with more intuitive and less intrusive digital UX than most German or Chinese rivals.

It’s a big vehicle, and with the 2.2-litre turbodiesel has only 142kW. It works hard to make a fully loaded Palisade perform at highway speeds. Palisade also has a lower tow rating than you’d expect for something of its size at only 2.2t.

Excellent as a large, luxury family car, capable of cruising the last few kilometres of dirt to a venue. But those large wheels and lowish-profile highway-type tyres mean it's not really a gravel traveller for long Karoo journeys.

Build quality and cabin comfort are good. Like all Hyundais, the digital integration and device pairing are brilliant.

Palisade delivers a lot of space and luxury cabin feel for families who want an SUV. Without the theft risk of a Toyota or legacy German luxury brand.

Futuristic Korean industrial design at its best.

Sante Fe looks better than anything in class. It’s a real statement car, with more presence than any German or Chinese rivals.

The interior is very spacious, and Hyundai has sourced excellent foam for the seat padding. This is a true 7-seater for all-day drives between Gauteng and the coast, without any fatigue for passengers.

A lot of money for a 1.6-litre turbopetrol engine with a compact hybrid system and small battery. Heavier on fuel and with less performance than a PHEV. For the money, there are powerful and economic turbodiesel rivals that offer a better balance of range and overtaking performance.

Those 20-inch wheels and low profile tyres limit its gravel road ability. But it’s an excellent highway touring vehicle.

If you want space-age exterior design with Hyundai’s proven dealer network, Sante Fe is it. A truly distinctive large SUV in a market where many rivals look too similar.

Proves the case for a modern MPV, instead of an SUV.

Staria’s futuristic styling isn’t just a statement. Those low-cut front door side glass sections allow exceptional visibility of where the front wheels are steering and tracking. Allowing you to place Staria carefully when turning into narrow streets, driveways, or parking garages.

Exceptionally roomy inside with clever storage spaces and recharging ports. A legitimately brilliant family car. Makes so much more sense for a large urban family than a double cab bakkie or an SUV.

Hyundai’s proven 2.2 diesel engine makes it reasonably economical, but it’s only front-wheel drive.

German rivals offer rear- or all-wheel drive. Does that matter? When you need to get up a steep, angled driveway or access ramp in the rain, it might.

South Africa’s most mispronounced vehicle by name, but a crucial model for Hyundai.

Exterior design is a bit OTT, but build quality is still everything you’d expect from a Korean company.

The mid-size crossover/SUV market is hugely competitive with feature-rich Chinese models. What Tucson offers is a less tech-saturated and distracted UX experience. Hyundai’s interior designers balance the need for seamless Smartphone integration and tech, with all the physical buttons you need.

Diesel engines are the other differentiator for Tucson. Chinese rivals and Toyota don’t offer diesels to rival Tucson’s excellent 2.0 D. Which is the best buy.

Hyundai’s compact crossover with turbopetrol engine options, for better overtaking and overall driving at altitude.

The cabin architecture makes good use of available space, but the seats are underpadded and become uncomfortable on long drives. Especially if you are tall or have a large frame.

Turbocharged 1-litre 3-cylinder engines feel very responsive paired with 7-speed dual-clutch transmissions. But they are always on boost and not light on fuel. With 195mm of ground clearance, Venues are decent on gravel roads.

Safety spec sees the 1-litre turbopetrol Venues feature six airbags and ESP. The cheaper 1.2-litre versions only have dual front airbags and no ESP.

All Venues have full-size spare wheels, which is a credit to Hyundai for understanding local road conditions and tyre risk.