The Paris Motor Show is the venue chosen by Hyundai to show off the all-new Santa Fe, in the metal. It is an important model for the brand, as it is the final ‘old style Hyundai’ to be replaced from the manufacturer’s range. The new SUV is radically different to the vehicle it replaces, as it is built on a new platform, and features the brand’s new styling language.
If it proves to be as good as the rest of the new cars in the Hyundai range, then it will pose some stiff competition for the Audi Q5, and the BMW X5, as it will undercut both on price - we also say it looks better than either of those two. They plan to capture at least 5% of the entire European SUV market, in 2013, so a lot is riding on it.
Styling-wise, it features the Fluidic Sculpture design, albeit a modified version of it, called ‘Storm Edge’. The most notable difference over its predecessor is the fact that the new model is considerably more aggressive, as is the trend with modern SUVs of the sort.
Under the bonnet, most customers will opt for the 2.2-liter diesel engine which is carried over from the old model, while a new 150 hp 2.0-liter diesel unit is also now offered, in Euro 6-compliant spec. For petrol fans, the 2.4-liter GDI unit is good for 193 hp, yet it is not recommended as it lacks the diesels’ torque and elasticity - key points when talking about a big and bulky vehicle such as this.
Styling-wise, it features the Fluidic Sculpture design, albeit a modified version of it, called ‘Storm Edge’. The most notable difference over its predecessor is the fact that the new model is considerably more aggressive, as is the trend with modern SUVs of the sort.
Under the bonnet, most customers will opt for the 2.2-liter diesel engine which is carried over from the old model, while a new 150 hp 2.0-liter diesel unit is also now offered, in Euro 6-compliant spec. For petrol fans, the 2.4-liter GDI unit is good for 193 hp, yet it is not recommended as it lacks the diesels’ torque and elasticity - key points when talking about a big and bulky vehicle such as this.