Hyundai Santa Fe

>>>Launched>>>

2000: Melbourne 4x4 Show gave Australians a sight of the Hyundai Santa Fe, going on sale ~December for 30K+something with a 2.7 litre V6 (132). A 2.4 litre 4-cylinder follows in 2001 for under 30K.

The nose job doesn't "do it" for me, but the Santa Fe is a sensible vehicle inside.

Standard features include air conditioning, electric windows and mirrors, remote locking + alarm, driver's airbag, cruise control (V6) and CD player.

The rear tail-gate hinges upwards and, a novel feature, the rear window itself opens upwards on the tail-gate.

A light-duty 4x4, the Santa Fe competes with the Honda CR-V, Land Rover Freelander, Toyota RAV4 and the like.

The V6 has a tiptronic gearbox which can be operated automatically or manually.

The engine is transversely mounted, drive being taken off the transmission at 90° to the rear differential via a viscous coupling ...

... where rear suspension is independent, with long radius arms.

The Santa Fe is covered by a 5-year/ 130,000km warranty.

4wd.sofcom.com/Hyundai/Show/Santafe.html 1st shown at the 1999 Detroit Motor Show

2000: Hyundai brought the Santa Fe show four wheel drive to the Detroit Motor Show, revealing its first own 4WD (other than badged Mitsubishis) that it had been promising for a year or so.

As is quite common with "light duty" four wheel drive SUVs, the Santa Fe features a transverse engine and transmission driving the front wheels, with a viscous coupling taking drive to the rear wheels. The show car has a 2.5 litre V6 engine, the base unit will be a 2 litre 4-cyl in production.

The new Hyundai four wheel drive is clearly aimed at the CR-V, Forester, Freelander and RAV4 brigade. As such, it will complement, rather than compete with, Hyundai's 1998 acquisition Kia and its Sportage which is a "heavier duty" 4WD.

Expect to see the Santa Fe in production around Y2K, priced to compete with its rivals from about au25K to 35K.

• station wagon, 5 seats, 4 doors, air bags, seat belt pretensioners
• loa: 4505mm, width: 1820mm, height: 1675mm
• 2.5L, petrol, V6, efi, 4-valves/cyl, dohc
• transmission: 4a, front wheel drive, viscous coupling to rear drive
• suspension: MacPherson-strut/ semi-trailing
• rivals: Honda CR-V, Land Rover Freelander, Subaru Forester, Toyota RAV4
• 1st shown: Detroit Motor Show, January 1999
• On sale: mid 2000, Korea

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