Hyundai Santa Fe
The most expensive lineup of Hyundai, Santa Fe is the most flamboyant and irresistible launch of the company. The mid-sized crossover SUV with classy looks has been built on the Hyundai Sonata platform. The SUV has been named after the city of Santa Fe in New Mexico and positioned between the compact SUV Tucson and the related luxury crossover SUV, Veracruz. The SUV, designed to turn heads, was refreshed in 2010 with a newly refined exterior and various interior modifications. The second generation Santa Fe bagged the “Top Pick” award in the 2008 Consumer Reports and was amongst the top 10 vehicles unveiled during the year, according to the magazine. The rating was based on road tests and predicted safety and reliability. Santa Fe comes with a price tag ranging between Rs21.46 lakhs and Rs23.46 lakhs.
Hyundai Santa Fe: Choice of Colours
Santa Fe is available in Phantom Black, Sleek Silver, Vanilla White and Steel Blue Shades in India.
Hyundai Santa Fe: Power and Engine, Mileage and Fuel Efficiency
Santa Fe is equipped with a diesel engine and offers choices of a 2.2 litre four-cylinder 16-valve, 2199 CC Common Rail Direct Injection (CRDI) or a 5 litre V6 engine. The engine is mated to a 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic transmission with SHIFTRONIC. Santa Fe is equipped with the superior CUV suspension which is known for its confident cornering capability. The Double Over Head Camshafts (DOHC) allows clear emission and better torque.
The engine is known for its off-road performance and its fuel efficiency. The Euro V Compliant CRDI engine generates a maximum power of 197 bhp at 4,000 rpm and a maximum torque of 420 Nm at 1,800 rpm. Santa Fe returns a fuel economy of about 11 kmpl on the city roads and about 15 kmpl on the highways. The ARAI mileage for the Santa Fe, claimed by Hyundai is 14.66 kmpl. The cruise control and shift indicator features ensure maximum fuel efficiency.
Hyundai Santa Fe: Exteriors
Hyundai Santa Fe has been endowed with very robust, aggressive and impressive exteriors which could very easily be described as smart and elegant too. The redesigned car now features new bumpers and body coloured moldings, sporty wheels and a new grille, giving the car a very aggressive appearance. The fog lamps add to the dynamic appearance of the car while the front body colour grille with chrome inserts look impressive. The car gets a distinctive appearance with the well designed lower air intake and LED turn indicators. The ORVMs and door handles with chrome inserts are of the same colour as the body. The rear portion of the SUV is very classy with light cluster and high mounted brake lights which offer optimum visibility. Santa Fe has an attractive rear spoiler and sporty chrome tipped twin exhaust outlets. The SUV has a roof mounted compact antenna and roof rails apart from the rear windshield which is attached with the rear defogger.
Hyundai Santa Fe: Interiors
The Interiors of the Santa Fe are impressive, both in terms of style and comfort. The interiors have an overall leather finish with a few eye-catching touches of wood and chrome. Santa Fe comes with a host of features including automatic temperature control, illuminated cup-holders, Bluetooth hands free phone system, steering wheel mounted Audi controls, a one touch power tilt, sports front and rear power windows and slide sunroof with sliding sunshades. The SUV comfortably accommodates seven passengers including the driver, while allowing for ample cargo space. The driver seat is 8-way adjustable, ensuring utmost comfort. Santa Fe features dual zone climate control which offers an option to choose the preferred temperature. The AC vents are fitted for the second and third seat rows, with the AC controls positioned in the third row.
Hyundai Santa Fe: Safety Features
Santa Fe features six airbags which includes dual front SRS airbags, side airbags and curtain airbags, rollover sensors, Electronic Stability Control (in the 4WD variant) and Active front head restraints. The solid unibody frame of the SUV ensures that one would come out safely from the car in the event of a crash. Other safety features of the Santa Fe include an Anti-lock Braking System with Electronic Brake Distribution and Reverse Parking Sensors. Santa Fe has been crowned with a five-star crash rating for frontal and side impacts from the National Highway traffic Safety Administration and rules as the Top Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The SUV has also figured amongst the 20 least expensive vehicles to insure in 2009, standing testimony to its high levels of safety.
Hyundai Santa Fe: Reviews
Hyundai Santa Fe has been very well accepted amongst the people. It has been the pride of the owners and an object of fascination for the ones who have wanted to own it. Santa Fe has gained popularity due to its classy and sporty exteriors. The car has a good music system and stunning interiors which are spacious and comfortable too. The car has been appreciated for its power and acceleration combined with high levels of safety features. Though the car is a premium SUV, priced at Rs21.46 lakhs to 23.46 lakhs, most owners find it to be good value for money.
