Hyundai introduced the facelifted Santa Fe this summer and now the company has unveiled the US-spec crossover. Looking virtually identical to its European counterpart, the 2021 Santa Fe features a bold new design with a wider grille and restyled headlights. The crossover also has a sportier skid plate, a modified bumper and new T-shaped LED daytime running lights.
The sides largely carryover, but the model
has been equipped with restyled wheels and newly optional power-folding side
mirrors with puddle lamps. The updates continue out back as designers installed
a new bumper, updated taillights and a hidden exhaust. Bigger changes occur
inside as the Santa Fe adopts a new floating center console, a push-button
shifter and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster.
Other highlights include revised
switchgear and a larger 8-inch infotainment system. Customers can also upgrade
to a 10.25-inch infotainment system with GPS navigation. Rounding out the
highlights are digital key technology, a new Harman-Kardon premium audio system
and a revised cargo area that has an additional 14 liters of
space thanks to improved packaging. For drivers wanting the ultimate in luxury,
there’s a new Calligraphy trim which features quilted Nappa leather seats, an
eco-suede headliner, expanded ambient lighting themes and upgraded door panels.
The range-topping variant also has a full-color head-up display, a unique
grille and exclusive 20-inch wheels.
Under the hood, there’s a newly standard 2.5-liter
Smartstream four-cylinder engine that replaces the previous 2.4-liter unit.
It’s connected to an eight-speed automatic transmission and has an estimated
output of 191 hp and 247 Nm of torque. The engine
comes standard with a start/stop system and this helps to make it approximately
eight percent more fuel efficient than its predecessor. Customers seeking
something more powerful can opt for a new turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder
that develops an estimated 277 hp and 422 Nm of
torque. The engine is paired to a
dual-clutch transmission which promises improved shift response and greater
efficiency through reduced parasitic losses. Speaking of the latter, Hyundai
estimates a fuel economy improvement of between four and five percent.
Customers will also be able to opt for a
new hybrid variant that features a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine,
a six-speed automatic transmission and a 1.5 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. The
model comes standard with all-wheel drive system and is slated to have a
combined output of 225 hp and 264 Nm of
torque. Sticking with the performance
theme, the Santa Fe features an upgraded structure that uses more high-tensile
steel for greater rigidity as well as improved ride and handling
characteristics. Engineers also developed a “significantly enhanced” braking
system which has larger rotors, a high-capacity booster and refinements to the
ABS/ESC systems..
On the safety front, there’s an upgraded
Forward Collision Avoidance-Assist system with Cyclist and Junction-Turning
Detection. It’s joined by other new features such as Parking Collision
Avoidance Assist – Reverse, Highway Drive Assist, Lane Following Assist and a
navigation-based Smart Cruise Control system with Road Curve Control. The model
can also be equipped with Remote Smart Parking Assist which is better known as
“Smaht Pahk” thanks to the company’s Super Bowl commercial. The standard
variants will be produced in Alabama and arrive at U.S. dealerships before the
end of the year. The hybrid will be
imported from South Korea starting in the first quarter of 2021 and it will
eventually be joined by a plug-in hybrid later that year.
