Alongside the facelifted Tucson, the newly-formed Hyundai Motor Malaysia (HMY) can also be previewing the brand new Santa Fe at present. To not be confused with the facelifted fourth-generation mannequin launched solely final September, the automobile you see right here is the utterly redesigned fifth-gen seven-seater SUV that brings with it a radically totally different styling and a set of the most recent applied sciences from the Korean carmaker.
The upshot of drastically slicing the lifecycle of the outgoing mannequin brief is that the brand new Santa Fe will arrive right here lower than two years after its world premiere which, whereas not brief, is roughly half that of the 4 years it took the facelift to come back.
And the change couldn’t be extra drastic – whereas the present automobile has a reasonably smooth (if quite homogenised) crossover form, its successor is angular, extra rugged and, dare I say it, extra Land Rover-like. The corporate claims to have began the design from the rear first, with a big cargo maintain and a large, virtually featureless tailgate offering a greater place for “the enjoyment of the outside.”
The remainder of the form is claimed to be suited to each city settings and the outside, with bluff surfaces, wraparound glasshouse design (which hides handles within the C-pillars, meant to help roof entry), minimal curves and that upright again.
The entrance, in the meantime, exudes loads of highway presence due to the tall bonnet and H-shaped parts within the headlights and the huge body-coloured bumper insert – a graphic that’s mirrored within the taillights. A brief entrance overhang, hexagonal fender flares and obtainable 21-inch alloy wheels, in the meantime, intensify the lengthy 2,815 mm wheelbase.
That wheelbase is 65 mm longer than earlier than; in actual fact, the entire automobile isn’t that a lot larger, regardless of what the appears counsel. At 4,830 mm lengthy, 1,900 mm huge and 1,720 mm tall, the brand new Santa Fe is 45 mm longer, simply as huge and 35 mm taller than the present automobile. Keep in mind, nonetheless, that each vehicles share the identical platform, which amazingly was launched halfway via the fourth-gen’s lifecycle.
The inside on the present vehicles have been saved hidden throughout at present’s preview occasion, however we’ve already seen the cabin in the course of the preliminary world reveal. If the outside redesign belies the carryover structure, the revamped inside solely reinforces it. Right here, the rectilinear theme continues however in a extra luxurious course, with clear surfacing, shiny supplies and neat detailing drawing much more parallels to Solihull. Once more, there are H-shaped parts right here, within the full-width air vent design.
Above the vents sits a curved widescreen show panel that homes the dual 12.3-inch instrument and infotainment shows, whereas the passenger will get twin gloveboxes; on higher-end fashions, the higher compartment comes with UV sterilisation. The group’s widespread use of capacitive contact buttons for the air-con (sadly) stay, however the Santa Fe not less than has bodily temperature knobs.
Centre console storage has additionally been rethought due to the gear selector transferring to the steering column, Ioniq-style – there are actually twin Qi wi-fi charging pads and armrest storage that opens from each the entrance and the again, the latter mentioned to be a world first. One other characteristic borrowed from the Ioniq 5 and 6 is the one-touch reclining entrance passenger Leisure Seat with a built-in leg relaxation.
Shifting rearwards, the elevated dimensions have freed up extra legroom and, particularly, headroom within the second and third rows in response to client suggestions. The third-row seats, that are claimed to supply class-leading area, additionally recline ten levels greater than earlier than, whereas entry continues to be aided by a second-row one-touch tilt-and-slide operate.
Each rearmost rows might be folded utterly flat to create a “terrace-like” area for individuals to lounge round with the large tailgate open. Boot area is 628 litres with the third row folded and 1,949 litres with the second-row seats additionally flattened. Different helpful options embody a digital rear-view mirror, a 12-inch head-up show and loads of USB-C ports dotted all through the cabin, rated at as much as 27 watts.
Security-wise, the Santa Fe might be had with a complete host of driver help options, together with second-generation autonomous emergency braking with oncoming automobile detection and evasive steering help, adaptive cruise management with cease and go, lane centring help, blind spot monitoring with collision prevention, entrance and rear cross visitors alert with auto brake, a door opening warning and a rear seat reminder. Key-operated distant park help and as much as ten airbags are additionally obtainable.
Beneath the bonnet, the brand new Santa Fe will carry over the outgoing mannequin’s hybrid powertrain, centred round a 1.6 litre turbocharged and direct-injected (T-GDi) Smartstream four-cylinder petrol engine making 180 PS at 5,500 and 265 Nm of torque from 1,500 to 4,500 rpm. That is paired with a 65 PS/264 Nm electrical motor and a six-speed automated transmission for a complete system output of 235 PS and 367 Nm (will increase of 5 PS and 17 Nm over the outdated automobile, the identical figures as in Australia), despatched to the entrance wheels.
Additionally obtainable shall be a brand new 2.5 litre T-GDi mill that serves up 281 PS at 5,800 rpm and 422 Nm between 1,700 and 4,000 rpm, mated to an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission and Hyundai’s HTRAC all-wheel drive. No diesel possibility this time round, as is the case elsewhere on this planet.
Three trim ranges correspond with the powertrains provided, with Hybrid Prime and Status variants set aside via 20-inch five-spoke two-tone alloy wheels and, on the Status not less than, silver exterior trim. The two.5 T-GDi model, in the meantime, shall be bought in range-topping Calligraphy spec with black trim and the aforementioned 21-inch black multi-spoke rollers and C-pillar handles.
In a shocking announcement, the Santa Fe is ready to be launched simply subsequent week, July 2, in CBU fully-imported kind first. Manufacturing of the CKD locally-assembled mannequin on the Inokom manufacturing unit in Kulim, Kedah is scheduled to kick off within the third quarter of the 12 months as a part of a RM2.16 billion funding.
The brand new HMY entity is ready to take over the distributorship of the Hyundai model from Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors, which can now change into one of many sellers. The corporate says it plans to roll out key enhancements throughout its service community, increasing to 25 shops by 2030.
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