Driving Santa Fe through the sand dunes around Riyadh sets your adrenaline pumping. This rugged 2.7-liter, 4x4 off-road vehicle from Hyundai, adjudged the top compact sports utility vehicle (SUV) in the Vehicle Satisfaction Index, negotiates the dunes and soft sands easily.
The power is delivered smoothly through the torque distribution system to front and rear axles for maximum stability and traction under adverse road conditions. Under normal driving conditions, 60 percent of the power goes to the front wheels, 40 percent to the rear, providing balanced traction and handling. Should a wheel slip, the traction control system automatically redistributes engine power to the gripping wheels. Most competitive 4x4 systems split power 50/50.
According to Mushari Al-Wallan, president of the Al-Wallan Group, Hyundai dealer for the Central Province, it is the first time that a Korean brand vehicle has led in AutoPacific’s 2001 Vehicle Satisfaction Index. The reason, he pointed out, is that customers are responding to the combination of quality, value for money and safety features, including its very confident handling on roads. In the Saudi market, too, it did very well by landing the Al-Wallan group “Hyundai’s Best Dealer in Middle East and Africa 2001” award for after-sales service. The survey was based on the assessment of more than 34,000 owners of new 2001 vehicles acquired during the September-November 2000 period.
The Hyundai Santa Fe scores high on safety as well as off-road agility. It topped the influential crash test survey carried out by the US-based Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. In these tests, involving 10 smaller SUVs, the Santa Fe outperformed all its rivals, including the Wrangler and Cherokee, the Toyota RAV, the Honda CRV and the Ford Escape. Only Subaru Forrester came close to the Santa Fe performance, with four compared with Hyundai’s five good measurement ratings.
In the 40 miles per hour (62 kph) front offset collision, the Santa Fe earned an overall grand rating with top marks for its structural safety cage, head and other restraints and room for occupants’ chest and legs.
An important aspect of its safety feature is the front airbag that deploys instantly in a collision. There is also “safety cage” built into the vehicle to protect the driver and passengers with a steel reinforced frame and side impact door beams designed to absorb the impact of an accident.
Other features include: CFC-free air-conditioning, an optional 2.4-liter 16-valve DOHC engine, roof rack side rails, an AM/FM ETR stereo with CD player and in-glass antenna and alloy wheels. Several transmission configurations are available including a five-speed manual or optional four-speed Shiftronic automatic transmission and a 2.7-liter V6 with Shiftronic automatic transmission. Selected Santa Fe models have full-time four-wheel drive.
Together with its fog lamps, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, rich leather upholstery, spacious leg room, chrome door handles and brushed stainless steel door scuff plates, Santa Fe is a well-finished vehicle that looks at home in the city, yet delivers performance when it matters off-road.
With all these features, Hyundai has set the 2002 target for the US at 464,000 units. In aiming high, Hyundai was encouraged by a 26 percent volume growth last year. Export sales were also strong in India, a trend that the company expects to continue. Globally, the number of units sold last year stood at 1.6 million cars, an increase of 4.7 percent. Domestic volumes grew nine percent to 707,000 units.
