| 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe |
The new V6 provides better acceleration for the 1790 kg (3,946 lbs) 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe, but with a slight penalty in fuel consumption. The 3.5 liter V6 is rated at 14 liters per 100 kilometers (20.2 miles per gallon) in the city and 10.3 l/100 km (27.4 mpg) in highway driving. Fuel consumption for the 2.7 liter engine is 12.9 l/100 km (21.9 mpg) city and 9.2 l/100 km (30.7 mpg) highway. Along with the new engine comes a new five-speed automatic transmission with manual 'shiftronic' feature. The 2.7 liter it has a four-speed automatic shiftronic.
The all-wheel drive system in the 3.5 liter 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe is electronic and completely automatic. Under normal driving conditions all power is delivered to the front wheels. When the Borg-Warner-designed system senses that the front wheels are slipping, power is automatically transferred to the rear wheels. Since the vehicle only operates in four-wheel drive when necessary, fuel economy is improved. 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe 's main problem is getting enough of them to meet strong U.S. demand.
Over 66,000 were sold from the fall 2000 launch through the end of '01, another 60,400 in the first nine months of 2002. The latter represents a healthy 53.1 percent year-to-year increase. Such success is one reason Hyundai is building its first-ever U.S. factory. |
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 It's expected to open near Montgomery, Alabama in time to start building a redesigned 2009 Santa Fe. No word yet on what the new one will be like, but we'd be surprised if it isn't a little larger and more powerful than the current offering.
A midsize SUV is also apparently still on Hyundai's to-do list. Contrary to earlier reports, this will not be an Americanized version of the domestic-market Terracan, a Ford Explorer-size 4-dr with Toyota Land Cruiser looks, separate frame, and available dual-range 4WD. Terracan was evidently deemed too crude for U.S. tastes. Hyundai is more likely to opt for a car-based design, perhaps derived from a new-generation XG sedan. Timing is unknown right now, but stay tuned. New 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe includes chrome door handles, climate control, front side airbags, traction control, retractable cargo cover and power driver's seat. Leather seat trim, heated front seats, illuminated vanity mirrors, leather wrapped steering wheel and shifter knob, luggage tray, power sunroof, antilock brakes and fog lamps are standard equipment on all GLS models. Hyundai now offers five Santa Fe models to choose from - the 4-cylinder, manual transmission GL with front-wheel drive the 2.7 liter V6 front-wheel drive GL or all-wheel drive, the AWD 2.7 liter V6 GLS and the new 3.5 liter V6 GLS. |
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The new 2009 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe comes with the most important new feature, the
Borg-Warner's Interactive Torque Management four-wheel-drive system. Hyundai's chief product planner looked a little surprised when we reminded him that this is the same inexpensive yet incredibly effective system in the Acura MDX and Honda Pilot, which furnishes terrific all-weather mobility without compromising everyday drivability. Other useful improvements to The 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe include front-seat side impact airbags as standard equipment. The base Santa Fe has a 4-cyl engines and front-wheel drive. The GLS version comes with a 2.7-liter V6. A 3.5 V6 is optional on the GLS and standard on the LX model.
