Santa Fe promises good value and refinement

Could this be the Hyundai you have been waiting for?. This month (November) Hyundai Cars Ireland launch the first Hyundai SUV to be sold in Ireland, the aptly named Santa Fe.

While this new rival to the Land Rover Freelander marks the start of a new era for the brand in Ireland, these Koreans are no strangers to 4x4 technology. Indeed, far from being a newcomer in the 4WD segment, Hyundai have built over 250,000 examples of the Galloper, in essence a re-badged older generation Mitsubishi Pajero which was available in only a handful of markets.

The Santa Fe is wider and longer than a Land Rover Freelander and promises to offer the refinement and presence of a Chrysler Jeep Grand Cherokee - at a considerably cheaper price tag.

As with Honda and Toyota, who offer their HR-V and RAV4 in both 2WD and 4WD variants, Hyundai have chosen to follow the same route. At launch two petrol engines will be available. An all-new 2.4 litre engine outputting 150bhp will power the permanent 4WD version (peak torque of 204Nm), and a 2.0 litre engine with 136bhp (peak torque of 180Nm) will be provided for those opting for the 2WD model.

Unlike the HR-V or the latest generation RAV4 (a common rail diesel engine is on the way, soon), Hyundai are expected to offer a diesel powerplant very early into the Santa Fe’s life. Slated to arrive in January 2001, this 2.0 litre powerplant features the latest common-rail direct injection technology for cleaner, more efficient combustion and delivers 115bhp with a decent torque output of 250Nm. This particular model when it arrives is likely to account for the majority of sales.

Four wheel drive models feature a double differential unit to provide full-time 4WD with torque split in a 60:40 ratio between the front and rear axles. An attractive looking five-door, the stance when viewed from the front is wide and solid, a perception further enhanced by the arching, flared fenders completed by the aggressive looking front bumper. The rear reveals a couple of distinctive styling elements: one is the trigger type rear hatch release installed on the grip handle and the second is the flip-up rear window, offering easy access to the boot area and reducing the need to open the boot door.

As is becoming the industry norm and acknowledging the fact that the majority of SUV's never go off-road (for what it’s worth my own personal theory for their increasing popularity is simply that they are easier to spot in the supermarket carpark!), the Santa Fe is built on a passenger car-type monocoque platform for outstanding stiffness and torsional resistance. Stability is greatly enhanced by the long 2620mm wheelbase and the aggressive 1540mm track, actually wider than both the Freelander and Honda's CR-V.

To ensure a smooth ride, the Santa Fe employs a MacPherson strut front suspension and a double wishbone rear suspension with dual trailing arms. The struts are fitted with a stabiliser bar for reduced bodyroll and negative kingpin offset for improved handling. 2WD models come with 15-inch wheels while 4WD models are fitted with larger 16-inch wheels. A full size spare is located on the underside of the rear.

As we have come to expect from Hyundai the cabin boasts excellent fit and finish and the levels of standard equipment are quite high. The instrument cluster is large, a classic four circle design housing the speedo, rev. counter and fuel/temperature gauges, a digital clock and LCD trip meter.

The Santa Fe was designed in Hyundai's Californian design studio at a cost of $230 million, and built at Hyundai's Ulsan plant in Korea, where production is expected to exceed 100,000 examples per annum.

Prices are expected to be pitched just above those for the Sonata with the 2WD Santa Fe expected to come to market with a price tag just under IR£20K.

These are buoyant times for the marque in Ireland. With sales currently up nearly 75 percent on last year, Hyundai are confidently expecting to shift around 300-400 units next year.

The launch of the rugged new Santa Fe gives Hyundai a toehold in a completely new market area, one in which the marque is keen to expand. Next year the Santa Fe will be joined by the Highlander, a serious mud-plugger in the same league as the Mitsubishi Pajero.