Prologue
As the summer vacation season kicks off, many people are enjoying outdoor camping instead of traveling abroad. The keyword #car camping #차박 has become quite popular lately!
So, we prepared something special! Ta-da~~ A car camping trip with the recently released Hyundai vehicles #TheNewSantaFe and #Palisade. Doesn’t it look exciting just to see it?
No... What fun could there be for just the guys?
Look at their expressions; they all look exhausted, haha! Let me introduce the friend on the left wearing rubber boots. He’s the camping YouTuber #GoodMan, the sumo wrestler blogger #Lascador, the banana-flavored raincoat guy #Mayonnaise, and in the middle is the village chief #Kamino. Next to him is the boating blogger #HaeinSammae. Finally, the person in the red hat has lost so much weight that I can’t recognize him.
Still, it was a fun time.
Barbecue, late-night chats among the guys, and the warmth of the fire...
As everyone settled down for the night, the first rooster crowed.
Around 4 AM, I think? ^^
Goodnight...
The New Santa Fe Calligraphy
Now, let’s move on from the prologue and dive into the car camping experience. We set off for our destination, Sokcho in Gangwon Province, driving the newly released Santa Fe. The center fascia is neatly organized, and the large wide navigation panel looks great, doesn’t it?
The exterior and interior design have changed significantly, and so has the powertrain. I’ll provide more details in a separate test drive review soon, but I can say that the 2.2-liter Smartstream diesel engine paired with the 8-speed wet DCT transmission strikes a good balance between fuel efficiency and power.
The performance is definitely different from the frustrating Smartstream engines I’ve experienced before. It was quiet too; I traveled comfortably from Seoul to Gangwon Province in the second row without any stress.
Oh, and the second-row space is quite spacious. Personally, I wish they would release a 6-seater model with individual seats; that would be even better... but Hyundai hasn’t officially announced anything regarding this yet, so let’s wait.
Perhaps the recent popularity of the 6-seater model of the new Sorento has sparked some inspiration. Who knows? Haha!
Anyway, our group arrived at the Bukyangyang (Seoraksan) IC. The Calligraphy-exclusive radiator grille and the grand-looking chrome trim on the bumper catch the eye, don’t they? This is the facelift, but I can’t wait to see how the full change of the Santa Fe, set to be revealed in two years, will turn out.
We arrived in Sokcho, where Goodman's mother runs a restaurant famous for its delicious food in the area. She prepared some side dishes for us to take camping, and the acorn jelly and radish kimchi were absolutely amazing. On my next trip to Sokcho, I’ll definitely stop by for a bowl of seafood tofu stew, Mom!
Now, for the camping spot. I’m not sure of the exact name, but it’s a grassy open area in a village in Sokcho. With Seoraksan towering above and a stream flowing below, it offers a stunning view.
Car Camping x The New Santa Fe x Palisade
First, we park the Santa Fe and Palisade side by side, creating a cool shade in the space between by setting up a tarp.
It may look simple, but for beginners who aren’t used to camping, setting up the tarp can be quite challenging. What would we have done without Goodman...
Looks tough, right? Haha!
If you’ve secured the center and firmly fixed the middle pole, you’ve succeeded! Now it’s time to set up the table and chairs, food, and barbecue.
Things are starting to take shape. I wondered why we were going through all this trouble, but once we got everything set up, the fun began to unfold. Everyone started taking pictures for their personal social media and cheered with pride!
However, no one anticipated the trials that were about to follow. Setting up the tarp was a piece of cake...
The car tent for camping... We managed to insert the poles and shape it, but we have no idea how to connect it to the trunk of the new Santa Fe or how to secure it, leaving us in a state of confusion.
Is this how it’s done?
Aha, there’s the answer! Goodman, who has some camping experience, seems to have figured it out. I think this is how we should do it, brother! 
With a few pats, the setup proceeds smoothly.
Yes, this is it!
Finally, we’re starting to see something take shape, right? Haha!
Yes, the result is successful. The Santa Fe trunk is open, and the setup looks pretty close to what we envisioned.
Right?
The Palisade, with its spacious trunk, can fit an adult man lying down comfortably if only the third row is folded down. With a soft mattress or sleeping bag, you might not even need the car tent. A simple tarp for shade should suffice...
Now, it’s time to fully enjoy camping. Isn’t this all about eating well and having fun? Haha!
The cooler is packed with plenty of food and drinks for the night...
From here on, no further explanations are necessary. Just enjoy the pictures!
Scroll down to enjoy!
Even without any explanations, you all get it, right?
I believe the joy of car camping has been vividly conveyed through all five senses, including sight, smell, and taste, just like ASMR.
The late-night chatter among the six automotive creators continued, not knowing they would stay up all night... How could they have so much to talk about? The barbecue party, which started at 7 PM, continued until 4 AM.
Brother, the sun will rise soon...
Gangwon Province sees the sun rise at around 4:30 AM.
And then, they were met with a heavy downpour...
They say you should embrace hardship when you’re young, but we’re not that young anymore! Haha!
The end
This content was created with the support of Hyundai Motor.