Photo: Newspress USA
Hyundai has taken the wraps off the 2017 Santa Fe and Santa Fe Sport. Both feature cosmetic updates and the usual roster of changes. However, we believe the real difference is the hidden chassis bracing that will give this SUV access to the coveted Top Safety Pick + rating.
Currently, there are only two mid-size CUVs that get the IIHS's best rating. By offering the third, Hyundai could significantly improve its disappointing sales in this segment.
Last year, the Sante Fe got a Moderate score in the tough but fair small-overlap test. Hyundai thinks the 2017 model year will be much better and has also fitted it with numerous active safety systems, including lane departure warning, automatic high beam assist, and auto emergency braking with pedestrian detection. Only Subaru has this much stuff available right now.
We've known about the facelift for quite some time since Korea gets every Hyundai a few months earlier. Most of the changes are concentrated on the front, and we think the Santa Fe looks different, not necessarily better. The grille is rectangular like Audi's and has dark chrome horizontal bars. The headlights look less natural, and each has two projectors that seem to float in the middle. The Sport model looks especially bold, thanks to a vertical bar with LED daytime running lights and a silver chin.
Not much is happening under the hood. The basic CUV comes with a 2.4-liter rated at 185 horsepower. The 2-liter turbo still makes 240 horsepower while the three-row model is available with a 3.3-liter Lambda II V6 engine that produces 240 hp. Fuel consumption has improved by one mpg across the model range.
Unfortunately, prices have also gone up, by $400 for the 2.4L models and $450 in the case of the turbocharged ones. The cash is partly justified by a standard reversing camera and a new steering system that responds to the Drive Mode selection of Sport, Eco and Normal settings.
Last year, the Sante Fe got a Moderate score in the tough but fair small-overlap test. Hyundai thinks the 2017 model year will be much better and has also fitted it with numerous active safety systems, including lane departure warning, automatic high beam assist, and auto emergency braking with pedestrian detection. Only Subaru has this much stuff available right now.
We've known about the facelift for quite some time since Korea gets every Hyundai a few months earlier. Most of the changes are concentrated on the front, and we think the Santa Fe looks different, not necessarily better. The grille is rectangular like Audi's and has dark chrome horizontal bars. The headlights look less natural, and each has two projectors that seem to float in the middle. The Sport model looks especially bold, thanks to a vertical bar with LED daytime running lights and a silver chin.
Not much is happening under the hood. The basic CUV comes with a 2.4-liter rated at 185 horsepower. The 2-liter turbo still makes 240 horsepower while the three-row model is available with a 3.3-liter Lambda II V6 engine that produces 240 hp. Fuel consumption has improved by one mpg across the model range.
Unfortunately, prices have also gone up, by $400 for the 2.4L models and $450 in the case of the turbocharged ones. The cash is partly justified by a standard reversing camera and a new steering system that responds to the Drive Mode selection of Sport, Eco and Normal settings.
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