2024 Hyundai Shengda Hybrid Review
Striking styling, stunning space and a hybrid-only lineup – the new Hyundai Shengda seven-seater satisfies a wide range of requirements for family buyers.
merit
- Stunning design – not ugly!
- Excellent interior execution
- The driving experience was excellent
shortcoming
- There is no auto-dimming mirror in the basic specifications
- Annoying security technology
- The glass on the tailgate should be opened separately
Talk about dramatic changes between generations.
The new fifth-generation Hyundai Shengda is a major shift for the brand and the brand itself – it's bigger, better equipped and significantly bolder than ever.
In fact, the design is arguably the biggest selling point of this boxy new model, especially since the rear end became a big selling point at launch. Some people may not be fans of this car and may therefore give up on buying it because of it.
But in my opinion, it would be a huge mistake. Because the 2024 Hyundai Shengda is a very good model – read on to find out what makes it so good, and what might make it less appealing depending on your preferences.
How much does Hyundai Shengda cost?
At first glance, the price seems to be quite a bit higher than the previous model, but a cheaper turbo petrol version will be available at the end of 2024, which will bring the asking price down slightly.
Shengda
| Model variants | Price |
| 2024 Hyundai Shengda Hybrid FWD | AUD 55,500 |
| 2024 Hyundai Shengda Hybrid All-Wheel Drive | AUD 58,500 |
| 2024 现代胜达 Hybrid Elite AWD | AUD 65,000 |
| 2024 Hyundai Shengda Hybrid Calligraphy 7-seater AWD | $75,000 |
| 2024 Hyundai Shengda Hybrid Calligraphy 6-seater AWD | AUD 75,500 |
If you compare the hybrid with the previous generation model, which offers a petrol-electric option, the price rises slightly - but the standard equipment level also rises significantly.
All spec details are listed in the section below.
What about the interior of Hyundai Shengda?
It's not just a major change in interior design, it's a complete rethinking of the look and feel of the Shengda cabin – and it looks and feels fantastic.
The dual-screen 12.3-inch display array does look stunning, and Hyundai deserves credit for fitting the right displays for all variants rather than opting for the less impressive parts of Hyundai-Kia's other cars with digital designs.
It's an impressive setup and cuts its own shape on a wide and beautiful dashboard, and the decorative finishes are chosen according to the grade.
The base model gets a clean silver-black exterior with a sleek silver-black color scheme, while the Elite model gets a change with more luxurious trim on the doors and dashboard, while the Calligraphy model takes it to the next level – and even offers several interior color options.
Many interior elements feature an H-shaped pattern, and the Elite and Calligraphy models also feature an H-shaped ambient light strip that runs across the width of the dashboard.
It's really neat on the outside, and depending on the grade, you get some pretty spectacular décor options on the inside.
For me, the base tartan is soft, and as a father, I think the Elite's wipeable leather upholstery would be better, although the seats are much less soft. Calligraphy? If you can prove it, do it!
The touch screen that controls the air conditioning and ventilation looks nice. It's not as tactile as the "old-fashioned" buttons and dials, but thankfully, you'll learn how to use the controls in no time. Note - if you turn on the driver distraction monitor, it will beep when you look down at these controls...... It's very irritating!
There's plenty of storage at the front, and the shifter-by-wire lever is repositioned on the steering column, leaving plenty of space between the front seats. In addition, there is a double glove box layout, and the top spec includes a UV-C cleaning system.
There is a storage tray at floor level, large enough for a handbag or takeaway food bag.
Above is another tray area with an area for your phone – the basic model includes a wireless charging pad, and the Elite and Calligraphy have two wireless charging pads. There's cup holders, as well as a center console storage compartment with a lid and some handy storage tricks inside.
The second-row seating space is great, it slides in a 60:40 ratio and can be reclined on both sides, which is plenty of space for someone of my size (182cm/6ft), with plenty of room in the front and back.
There are plenty of great storage options in the second row, with three holsters on each door for bottles or cups, map pockets on the seat backs, a sliding drawer behind the center console, and a reversible armrest with cup holders.
Other amenities include a pair of USB-C ports on the backrests of the front seats, and while there are no knee-height vents, there are B-pillar face height vents that provide ventilation for those in the window seats, while those in the middle seats may need to borrow air from the front cabin.
The second row has three top tether points and two ISOFIX positions, and the cabin is spacious enough to appear to accommodate three seats.
The access to the third row is not bad, but the most convenient entry is from the curb (behind the driver's seat, not the curb), which means you may need to make sure the passengers in the back seat behave their best to get into the back seat.
Sitting in the back, it's surprisingly spacious. I could sit in the third row with someone my size in front of me and we were all comfortable.
Headroom is good, knee room is acceptable (knees are a bit up, but that's to be expected), and footroom is good, but passengers with bare feet in the back may want to be careful with the second-row seats sliding back.
It's nice to see that the rear seats also come with ISOFIX points and top straps, and that all models come with fan controls and rear vents, as well as cup holders in the wheel arch covers, and the third-row seats have a decent view.
Obviously, if you use all three rows of seats, you'll have very limited luggage space – but I managed to fit a couple of backpacks in my tests.
When the third row of seats is folded down, it offers 628 litres of cargo space, which can be increased to 1,949 litres for sleeping comfort if the second row of seats is lowered using the standard electric controls in the trunk (according to Hyundai's camping-focused Korean team).
And, don't think you're missing the spare tire. The packaging of this SUV is so clever that the brand even managed to put a full-size spare tire under the trunk floor - impressive!
One thing that might make this already impressive design even more perfect, is the addition of an openable glass section to the trunk. It has a huge tailgate, which is a very convenient way to access the trunk area without having to open the entire rear door if you find that you can't open the trunk when reversing.
| direction | Hyundai Shengda hybrid |
| length | 4830 mm |
| width | 1900 mm |
| altitude | 1720 mm |
| wheelbase | 2815 mm |
| Bootstrap space | 628L – 3rd row folded 1949L – Second row folded |
What's under the hood?
When launched, all Shengda models will be equipped with a 1.6-liter turbocharged hybrid system.
| Technical Specifications: | Hyundai Shengda hybrid |
| engine | 1.6L 4-cylinder turbocharged hybrid |
| strength | 132kW – 1.6 T-GDI 44.2kW – electric motor Total – 172kW @ 5600rpm |
| Engine torque | 265Nm – 1.6 T-GDI 264Nm – electric motor 总计 – 367Nm @ 1000-4100rpm |
| disseminate | 6-speed automatic |
| Drive wheels | FWD or AWD |
| Curb weight | 1951 kg – front-wheel drive 2014 kg – all-wheel drive |
| Fuel economy – claimed | 5.6 l/100km |
| Fuel economy – tested | 6.9 l/100 km |
| CO2 emissions – claimed | 128 g/km |
| Fuel tank size | 67 liters |
| Fuel requirements | 91 Romanian leu |
| CO2 emissions | 122 g/km – front-wheel drive 129 g/km – all-wheel drive |
| Maximum traction | 750kg – no brakes 1650kg – braking 100kg – Drag ball download |
How is the driving experience of Hyundai Shengda?
The powertrain is the focus here.
Merit? It will make heavy use of EV mode, both at city speeds and on open roads, and the transition between electric and hybrid modes will be very smooth.
The transmission also feels cool to shift gears in electric mode, because it does, so you get more of a car haptic experience.
There's plenty of power to keep things going, and with different driving modes to choose from – Sport, Eco and Me, as well as a couple of configurable elements – you can get more out of the drivetrain in the most dynamic settings, although the transmission might be a bit rushed to hang on to the gears.
In AWD models, there's also a terrain control button that offers snow, mud and sand options, though, if you plan to drive farther than the campsite track, you'll need to watch out for the car's overhang, and the ground clearance – 177mm – means it's barely able to cope with powerline tracks.
It has regenerative braking to try and feed some energy back into the battery in urban environments, and while that's admirable, the feel of the brake pedal may take a little getting used to as it's a bit ventilated at the top of the ride.
Shengda doesn't have a specific ride and handling tuning for the Australian market, but according to the brand, it has been tested and determined to be the "best fit" for our market.
The suspension is mostly good, feels a little stiff at times, and gives a little clicky on sharp turns in the road when driving fast, but it seems to handle bumps in the road well, if not outstanding, when traveling on town or country roads.
The responsiveness and precision of the steering is enough to make this SUV, which weighs about two tons, very easy to drive at lower speeds, and while the driver's visibility is really good, the fact that you have some great safety aids and cameras to help drive at low speeds means that you have a good idea of what you're doing when parked.
Now, when it comes to the topic of these safety systems, it's important to say that they're just the most critical considerations for the driving experience – let me explain why......
There's a driver attention warning system with a camera that monitors your eyes, and it's very responsive to you adjusting things on the screen and even finding safe clearances in traffic.
Similarly, the speed limit sign recognition system displays an image of what it thinks is the speed limit – there is no 85 km/h speed limit in NSW, but for some reason, that's what it shows me – if your speed is 1 km/h above what it thinks is the correct speed limit, it will also beep at you and continue to beep until you comply with the speed limit.
It's infuriating......
What's even more annoying is that as soon as you turn off the ignition, it turns back on by default, so if you don't like it (and I guess you won't), then you'll have to press a series of buttons and the screen to turn it off. Every time you drive, a few seconds of your life are wasted......
Anyway, it's annoying, but Hyundai's product team assured me that it would fix it. Frankly, there should be, because other than that, it's a totally enjoyable and enjoyable driving experience.
What do you get?
All versions are very well equipped.
Shengda standard configuration:
- 20-inch alloy wheels
- LED headlights
- Car high beams
- Proximity entrance with push-button start
- Electronic parking brake with auto-hold function
- 3 driving modes - Eco, Sport, My Drive
- 3 multi-terrain driving modes - AWD only
- Dual-zone climate control
- 10-way power-adjustable driver's seat
- Obsidian black fabric upholstery
- Leather-wrapped steering wheel
- 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
- 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen
- Over-the-air (OTA) software updates
- Apple CarPlay, Android Auto – wireless, wired
- Wireless smartphone charger
- Surround view camera system
- 6-speaker sound system
- Heated front seats
- Electric tailgate
- Rear privacy glass
- Full-size alloy spare tire
Shengda Elite added:
- Silver exterior highlights
- Remote Smart Parking Assist
- Black leather seats
- Suede canopy
- 10-way power-adjustable passenger seat
- Heated steering wheel
- Bose premium sound system – 12 speakers
- Dual wireless smartphone chargers
- Bluelink Connectivity Services
- Auto-dimming rearview mirrors
Shengda Calligraphy adds:
- Unique 20-inch wheels
- Glass skylight
- Head-up display
- Digital camera mirrors
- Black ink nappa leather upholstery
- Relaxation function – front seats
- Memory function – front seats, mirrors
- Heated exterior second-row seats
- The front seats are ventilated
- UV-C disinfection trays
- UV and IR protection windshield, front window
Calligraphy is also available in a six-seat layout with a second row of electrically adjustable captain's chairs, which may provide a more comfortable experience but may limit practicality to some extent.
Is Hyundai Shengda safe?
Hyundai Shengda has not been tested by ANCAP or Euro NCAP.
Standard safety features of the series include:
- Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) Pedestrian and Bicycle Detection Connection Assist
- Adaptive cruise control with start-stop function
- Blind Spot Assist
- Blind spot monitor
- Drivers pay attention to warnings
- Forward Caution Warning
- Reminder for the departure of the main car
- Circumvent steering assist features
- Intelligent speed limit assist
- Lane Following Assist
- Lane Keeping Assist
- Parking Collision Avoidance Assist
- Rear Cross Traffic Assist
- Rear Passenger Alert
- Safety exit assist
- Front and rear parking sensors
- Surround view monitor – 360-degree camera
For families who plan to use the seven-seater on a regular basis, the victory now offers full airbag coverage for third-row passengers, which is a boon.
In fact, it is equipped with 10 airbags: dual front airbags, driver's knee airbags, front center airbags, front side airbags, second-row side airbags, and full-length side curtains.
What is the running cost of Hyundai Shengda?
Like all Hyundai models, the car is covered by a five-year/unlimited km warranty, while the Shengda Hybrid model also comes with an eight-year/160,000 km warranty on high-voltage components such as an electric motor and a lithium battery.
Maintenance is done every 12 months/10,000 km, which is more needed than some competitors. In addition, there is a roadside assistance program that is updated every time you use your Hyundai car for maintenance.
| serve | Price |
| 12 months / 10,000 km | $459 |
| 24 months / 20,000 km | $459 |
| 36 months / 30,000 km | $569 |
| 48 months / 40,000 km | $459 |
| 60 months / 50,000 km | $459 |
| entire | $2405 |
A view of modern Shengda
Moms and dads, this could be your next family SUV.
If you can put up with these annoying safety features, or simply ignore them, you'll have one of the most enticing vehicles of the H brand to date.
It also has excellent practical efficiency, amazing space, great design details, and a lot of street presence. Or maybe you want to wait for our review of the cheaper turbo petrol model, which will be released later this year......