Hyundai Santa Fe 2017 Preview

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As Hyundai always does, it has unraveled the Santa Fe 2017 to the automobile enthusiasts in South Korea rather than waiting for a grand auto expo. The third-generation Sante Fe would be announced as 2017 model and is most likely expected to hit the market in the third quarter of 2016. Since the SUV is still in the test phase in Europe, not much is known about the specs. However, we have tried our best to gather whatever genuine information we could find about 2017 Santa Fe from all the spying attempts that have been made so far. Let’s take a look at what Santa Fe 2017 has for all the SUV fanatics out there.

The first thing one could easily notice while spying the test car dressed camouflage was how different the exterior of Santa Fe 2017 appears from its forerunners. And to be honest, we are impressed! The front fascia features a chromium grill with three bars, which looks very bold as the logo of Hyundai sits magnificently over it. The LED headlights and running lights have been redesigned to go with the artistically chiseled valance. The bumper design has been subtly redone too, lending the SUV a brand new front fascia.

As far as the rear fascia is concerned, it is safe to say that the Santa Fe 2017 has better taillight design with integrated graphics and the twin exhaust has new tips. The overall exterior of this SUV looks exceedingly stylish.

The interior of Santa Fe 2017 has undergone minor changes. It has an improved infotainment system with a better control layout for enhanced ergonomics. The arrangement of control buttons in the central part has been redone too. Besides, the new Santa Fe boasts the latest line-up of the JBL audio systems. The interiors of Santa Fe 2017 are expected to be roomier than its predecessors for comfortable seating and greater storage space.

Santa Fe 2017 is better equipped when it comes to structural sturdiness and safety equipment. Its chassis is crafted from high-strength steel, which certainly raises its safety quotient should there be a collision. The technology on this SUV has been beefed up to avert crashes and the features included are;

·         A 100-megapixel rearview camera 

·         360° Around View Monitor

·         Blind Spot Detection

·         Autonomous Highway Safety Driving

·         Autonomous Emergency Braking

·         Smart Cruise Control

The Santa Fe 2017 would have a 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6 engine that could produce an output of 400 hp and uses direct fuel injection. It is backed by the 6-speed automatic transmission. It is expected to have a hybrid all-wheel drive with an advanced e-4WD system. This SUV features a wider wheelbase and 3 rows to seat 7 passengers. We shall delve deeper into fuel consumption and speed as soon as more information is available.

Let’s take a look at the engine options for Santa Fe 2017. The Santa Fe Sport, which is a five seater, would be the basic model for the US market. It is expected to have a 4-cylinder, 2.4-liter turbocharged engine that could generate an output of 190 HP. The mileage is expected to be around 20 mpg on city roads and 27 mpg on the highway.

The second option that goes by the name Santa Fe Sport 2.0T trim would have a 4-cylinder, 2.0-liter turbocharged engine that could produce 265 hp. The mileage on city roads would be 19 mpg and 27 mpg on the highway. All the engine options use direct fuel injection and are coupled with the 6-speed automatic transmission similar to that of its predecessor.

The two Santa Fe models that would run on diesel would be available in Korean and other markets outside the US. These options are a 4-cylinder 2.0-liter and 2.2-liter engines, coupled with the same 6-speed automatic gearbox. The output would be 184 hp and 297 hp, respectively. The odds of diesel engine options for the US look very bleak. Santa Fe 2017 isn’t exactly the best in class when it comes to fuel economy. Nevertheless, the other enrichments make up for it and it’s no more a deal breaker. The exact pricing of the different models is not yet known. However, we expect the Santa Fe Sport models to be priced around $25,000 and the premium 7-seater Santa Fe above $30,000.