Times Test Garage: Hyundai Santa Fe Sport has storage tricks

As our weekwith the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport continues, we’ve noticed a number of clever little touches that bring additional functionality to an already versatile interior.

Underneath the cargo floor in the vehicle’s trunk is a series of hidden storage compartments that are great for holding loose objects or keeping valuables out of the way of prying eyes.

Another nice trick is there is a dedicated space in the cargo floor to store the retractable cargo cover when you’re not using it. This means you always have it on hand, should you need it, and don’t have to leave it cluttering up your garage. More than once we’ve returned press vehicles, only to find the cargo cover was forgotten at home.

Photos: Inside the Santa Fe Sport’s cargo tricks

Further functionality comes from the design of the rear seats in the Santa Fe Sport. They fold nearly flat, a common feature today. But they’re split 40:20:40, with the smaller center portion folding if you need four seats while carrying longer cargo (skis, surfboards, lumber).

The seats will fold with a tug of a lever in the cargo area. One small quibble with the design of the folding seats is that getting them to pop back up is a two-handed affair; one to pull up the seat and one on the lever.

Since the model we’re testing has the $2,450 Leather and Premium package, the rear seats also slide fore and aft and recline. Sliding the rear seat forward is especially useful for parents with infants who want to pull the rear seat closer to them and with this package, they’ll slide all the way up to the front seats.

While small individually, these tricks add up over time and help the Santa Fe Sport live up to the U in the SUV moniker.

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