Hyundai Santa Fe 2WD MT

Santa Fe 2WD MT Review

Hyundai Motors India Limited, the second largest automaker in the country has rolled out the facelifted version of its luxury SUV model Hyundai Santa Fe. The launch took place at the Indian Auto Expo 2014, New Delhi. The company has officially rolled out the vehicle in three trim levels among which, Hyundai Santa Fe 2WD MT trim is the entry level variant. This latest SUV model comes with several new aspects in terms of both interiors and exteriors. Powering this SUV model is the 2.2-litre diesel motor, which is being borrowed from the outgoing model. The company has tuned this power plant and enabled it to produce a peak power of about 194.30bhp of peak power and it can deliver a maximum 14.7 Kmpl of decent mileage figure. In terms of exteriors, the company updated the radiator grille, headlight cluster and the taillight setup. Coming to the interiors, this new SUV comes with three row seating arrangement, which will provide seating for seven passengers. The seat in the cockpit comes with 12-way power adjustable set up, which will add to the customer excitement. This luxury SUV will now compete with the likes of Toyota Fortuner, Honda CR-V, Ford Endeavour among others in its segment.

Exteriors:

The car maker has modified the exteriors of this Hyundai Santa Fe 2WD MT trim in order to bring a refreshed look to the vehicle. The company has updated the front and rear profiles of this SUV with a new set of cosmetics including a luminous headlight cluster, radiator grille and bumper. To begin with, the front facade, the headlight cluster gets a new design with fluidic structure and it comes incorporated with Xenon lamps along with headlamp washers. In the center, the radiator grille gets an aggressive hexagonal shape, that brings a bolder appeal to the frontage. The company also modified the design of the bumper and incorporated with a pair of fog lamps with cornering function. The side profile of this luxury SUV comes with the same old design without much of an update. However, the external mirrors gets tweaked with an aerodynamic design and it is being incorporated with a side turn blinker. The wheel arches have been equipped with diamond cut style 18-inch alloy wheels , which are fitted with radial tubeless tyres, which further improves the style of the side profile. The company has updated the rear profile of this SUV with brand new design taillight cluster that comes with LED light pattern.

Interiors:

Coming to the interiors, the new Hyundai Santa Fe comes with dual tone interiors with beige and black color scheme and it is complemented by metallic inserts. The company is offering this luxury trim with brand new features such as a multi functional steering wheel with Bluetooth and audio controls, which will allow the driver to control the audio system and receive calls with a touch of a button. Also the company has installed a touchscreen infotainment system in the central console that lets the occupants to enjoy their favorite music tracks with ease. In addition to these, the company is offering this model with a cruise control system. The company has incorporated several number of features inside the cabin such as a cooled glove box unit, connectivity for USB, AUX-In and Bluetooth devices, rear center arm rest with cup holder and many other such utility features. Furthermore, this refurbished version gets the 12-way power adjustable driver seat that suits to your contour and offers a pleasurable driving experience.

Engine and Performance:

Powering this model series is the advanced 2.2-litre, CRDi diesel motor that comes with a total displacement capacity of 2199cc . This engine has built on the base of DOHC valve configuration and it has been incorporated with 4-cylinders and 16 valves. On the other hand, the company has blessed this engine with common rail direct fuel injection system that enables the vehicle to produce immense power. This engine comes with an ability to produce a peak power output of about 194.30Bhp at 3800rpm, while delivering a peak torque of about 420Nm in between 1800 to 2500rpm. This torque output is distributed to the front wheels of the SUV via a 6-speed manual transmission gearbox. The company claims that the vehicle can return a mileage of 11.33 Kmpl on city roads, while producing a maximum 14.66 Kmpl on the highways. It takes only about 11.2 seconds for the vehicle to reach 100 Kmph speed from a standstill and it can attain a maximum speed of about 182 Kmph, which is rather thrilling.

Braking and Handling:

The Hyundai Santa Fe 2WD MT is the entry level trim in the series and it is being offered with a proficient disc braking mechanism. The company has fitted the front wheels with a set of ventilated disc brakes, while assembling the rear ones with solid drum brakes. These high performance brakes gets the assistance from the a highly advanced Anti Lock Braking System with Electronic Brake Force Distribution mechanism and Brake Assist as well . On the other hand, the handling of this SUV is made smooth, thanks to the highly responsive power steering system with tilt and telescopic function.

Comfort Features:

This is the base variant in this model series, but is still being offered with numerous exciting comfort features such as smart key with push button start, Active ECO System, sun visors with illuminated vanity mirrors , cruise control system are just to name a few. This SUV comes with a lengthy list of features including a proficient dual zone fully automatic air conditioning unit with AC vents for 2nd and 3rd row, solar glass, rain sensing wipers, MT shift indicator, 3rd row seats with 50:50 split folding, rear center armrest with cup holders, sun glass holder and many other such important features. The company is also offering this particular trim with touchscreen audio system with MP3 player, USB/AUX-In, sockets and Bluetooth connectivity along with steering mounted audio controls.

Safety features:

This luxury SUV comes with improved safety aspects that assures high level protection for all the passengers and to the vehicle as well. The list of safety aspects include dual front air bags , ABS with EBD, rear parking sensor, rear view camera, impact sensing door locks, an engine immobilizer system, speed sensing auto door lock, flex steering and many other such aspects. 

Pros: Striking new exterior design, improved comfort features. 

Cons: Fuel efficiency, price expensive.