Three seven-seat crossovers with all-wheel-drive and large discounts

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On the two middle Fridays every month, Graeme Fletcher combines manufacturers’ incentives from Unhaggle.com with resale value, dependability and overall ratings to find you the best deal for your money in new cars.

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This week, we look at three-row crossovers with all-wheel-drive. The hot deals are on the 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe XL Luxury, Kia Sorento EX V6 and Volkswagen Atlas 3.6L Comfortline.

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Three seven-seat crossovers with all-wheel-drive and large discounts Back to video

2019 Hyundai Santa Fe XL All Wheel Drive

Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price: $42,719
Hyundai Canada Incentive*: $5,000
Unhaggle Savings: $750
Total Savings: $5,750
Mandatory Fees (Freight, Govt. Fees): $2,015
Total Before Tax: $38,984

The launch of the new Palisade will see the Santa Fe XL disappear; as such, the 2019 model carries over. Regardless, the XL has plenty of standard features. The list runs from power leather front seats with memory for the driver and a power panoramic moonroof; through to a seven-inch infotainment screen that supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The nit is the design and plastics are beginning to look dated by current standards.

The first and second-row seats have ample space for adults; the third row is for kids. The XL has 382 litres behind the third row; 1,118 litres with it folded flat and 2,265L with both rows folded.

The Santa Fe XL Luxury arrives with blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning and forward collision assist with auto braking as standard fare. Rear parking sensors also supplement the backup camera.

The XL is powered by a 3.3-litre V6 that makes 290 horsepower and 252 pound-feet of torque. It drives all four wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission. The all-wheel-drive system selects the best power distribution for the situation. In normal driving it powers the front wheels, but can send up to 50 per cent of the drive rearward when needed. It also works with active cornering control (ACC). It is a brake-based torque vectoring system that slows the inside rear wheel, which helps to turn it into a corner.

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The 2020 Hyundai Palisade will start at 38,499 dollars in Canada

The Santa Fe XL runs to 100 kilometres an hour in 8.2 seconds, it has a posted average fuel economy of 11.7 litres per 100 kilometres and a towing capacity of 2,268 kilograms.

The Santa Fe XL’s suspension does a decent job of limiting body roll through a corner. That said, it is more at home cruising the highway. The plus is the Drive Mode Select allows the driver to put more weight and feel in the steering.

The Hyundai Santa Fe XL Luxury arrives with a generous combined Unhaggle discount of $5,750 and a pre-tax price of $38,984.

2019 Kia Sorento EX V6 All Wheel Drive

Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price: $38,665
Kia Canada Incentive*: $4,500
Unhaggle Savings: $500
Total Savings: $5,000
Mandatory Fees (Freight, Govt. Fees): $1,905
Total Before Tax: $35,570

The Kia Sorento was updated for 2019 — it has more standard equipment and the V6 engine now works with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The seven-seat Sorento has a third row that’s for kids, but a second row with enough space for three adults. It also has decent cargo space. There’s 320 litres with the third row up; and 1,077 litres with it folded. Dropping the middle row opens up 2,066 litres.

The rest of the EX’s cabin is rich with power leather front seats and a seven-inch infotainment system that works with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. For the coin it is very nicely equipped.

While blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert is standard on the EX V6, forward collision warning with auto-braking, lane departure warning with keep assist, dynamic cruise control and drowsy driver alert are only offered on the SXL, which carries a hefty $10,500 premium.

The EX arrives with a 3.3-litre V6 that pushes 290 hp and 252 lb.-ft. of torque through said eight-speed automatic — the two extra gears lop 1.5 L/100 km off the city fuel consumption! It drives Kia’s Magna-designed Dynamax all-wheel-drive system. Under normal driving, 95 per cent of the power goes forward with 5 per cent going rearward; keeping the rear wheels engaged eases the transition when more power is needed at the back. It’s also smart, as it automatically adopts a 50/50-split when pulling away, which dispenses with unwanted wheelspin. There is a lock mode for those really slippery driving moments.

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The Sorento EX V6 accelerates to 100 km/h in 7.6 seconds and has a posted average fuel economy of 11.2 L/100 km. The towing capacity is rated at 2,273 kg.

Through a corner the Sorento’s suspension limits body roll and the steering is sharp without being twitchy — selecting Sport mode firms the steering, which adds to the feel and feedback. The combination gives the Sorento better than average handling.

The Kia Sorento EX V6 has a combined Unhaggle discount of $5,000 and a pre-tax sticker of $35,570.

2019 Volkswagen Atlas V6 Comfortline 4MOTION

Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price: $45,140
Volkswagen Canada Incentive*: $4,000
Unhaggle Savings: $750
Total Savings: $4,750
Mandatory Fees (Freight, Govt. Fees): $2,494
Total Before Tax: $42,884

Based upon cargo and passenger space the Volkswagen Atlas 3.6L Comfortline was named one of Driving’s five best three-row crossovers. The reason is that within a very competitive segment, the big VW accommodates its riders and a variety of loads better than most.

The first two rows of seating are generous in their proportions and, unlike many, the third row will accommodate a pair of adults. Not for a cross-country trip, but admirably for a short jaunt across town. With all seats occupied, there’s 583 litres of cargo space. Dropping the third row opens up 1,571 litres, and there’s 2,741 litres with the lot flat.

The rest of the cabin is nicely finished with an eight-inch touchscreen looking after all the entertainment, phone and vehicle functions as well as giving easy access to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The only letdown is the leatherette on the seats — it is not the best interpretation of the breed.

The engine of choice is the 3.6-litre V6. While the 2.0-litre turbo does a reasonable job, it struggles when the Atlas is loaded. No worries with the V6, as it brings 276 hp and 266 lb.-ft. of torque. This equates to a stronger mid-range and, more importantly, it bumps the towing capacity from 909 kilograms for the 2.0-litre; to a more realistic 2,273 kg.

The power reaches the road through an eight-speed automatic transmission and VW’s 4Motion all-wheel-drive system. The 4Motion system is seamless across the range. It sends the power to the front wheels under normal driving conditions, but it is quick to react to a traction loss and sends up to 50 per cent of the drive to the rear wheels.

The Atlas V6 runs to 100 km/h in 8.4 seconds and has a posted average fuel economy of 12.2 L/100 km.

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In spite of its outward dimensions, the Atlas feels lighter than expected, as the suspension does a good job of dialing out unwanted body roll through a corner and the steering light and precise. Conversely, it wafts along the highway in fine style.

The Volkswagen Atlas 3.6 Comfortline has a sticker price of $42,884 after the combined Unhaggle discount of $4,750 is applied.

The Verdict

Transport Canada lists two recalls for the VW Atlas. The first (#2019242) says, “Certain vehicles were built with headlights that may allow horizontal adjustment. This is not allowed under Canadian regulations.” Dealers will install a blocking cap on the horizontal adjusters as necessary. The second (#2018644) states, “Certain vehicles do not to conform to Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (CMVSS) 114 – Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention.” Due to incorrect programming, the vehicle may fail to provide an audible warning when the driver opens the door after turning off the ignition, and the key is left in the ignition switch. Dealers will reprogram the instrument cluster.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gives the Hyundai Santa Fe XL Good scores for all crash tests except the small passenger-side offset, where it gets an Acceptable. It has a Superior for forward collision prevention, but a Poor for headlight performance. Only the top Ultimate model with the adaptive HID headlights is a Top Safety Pick+.

The Kia Sorento has Good scores in all crash tests, a Superior for forward collision prevention, but, again, a Poor for headlight performance. Again, it’s the subpar headlight performance that prevents all but the top-line SX model with adaptive headlights from getting a Top Safety Pick+ designation.

The VW Atlas has Good crash test scores across the board, a Superior for forward collision prevention, but another Poor for headlight performance.

The projected resale value of these entry-level luxury crossovers in 2022, after being driven an average of 20,000 km/year, is $21,450 for the Hyundai Santa Fe XL Luxury; $15,400 for the Kia Sorento EX V6; and $24,500 for the Volkswagen Atlas 3.6L Comfortline.

While all three of these seven-seat crossovers represents a solid purchase, there are some things to bear in mind — the modern Palisade will replace the Santa Fe XL in Hyundai’s lineup and the Kia Sorento’s retained value is weak. This leaves the VW Atlas 3.6 Comfortline as the hot Unhaggle deal this week.