Autoblog

2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport

Steven J. Ewing — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 11:58:00 EST

Filed under: Crossover, Hyundai, First Drives

Winning Formula Comes Full Circle

The launch of the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe is a bigger deal than you might think. It's not just the third-generation of the automaker's most popular crossover - it officially marks the end of what will forever be known as Old Hyundai. Every single product in the company's stable is either brand new or significantly refreshed, and the well-liked Tucson that kicked off this whole product renaissance is officially the oldest vehicle sitting inside your local Hyundai dealer. (Well, unless they have some of the now-dead Veracruz CUVs still sitting out back.)

What was once a quiet little caterpillar has indeed become one hell of a butterfly.

But that's not the only reason why the 2013 Santa Fe launch is a big deal. Hyundai has an opportunity to capture some midsize crossover buyers it hasn't won over in the past few years. Elsewhere in the Korea, Inc. empire, Kia is currently kicking major butt in this segment, having sold over 130,000 Sorento crossovers in 2011 compared to the Santa Fe's 74,391.

So there's a lot riding on this final stage of Hyundai's metamorphosis, not the least of which is continuing the brand's impressive streak of sales expansion. Does this 2013 Santa Fe have what it takes to climb to the top of the midsize crossover class, officially sealing Hyundai's place as a player in nearly all of the most often-shopped segments (minus trucks, of course)? We headed to Park City, Utah to find out.

Continue reading 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport

2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Aug 2012 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Hyundai prices 2013 Santa Fe Sport from $24,450

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Crossover, Hyundai

Hyundai has released pricing information for its new five-passenger 2013 Santa Fe Sport, and those the least-expensive way to get your hands on one will cost you $24,450 - but don't forget to add in $825 for destination to any Santa Fe model. For those keeping track, the 2012 Santa Fe starts at $23,225.

Opting for all-wheel drive will bring the sticker to $26,200 if you're willing to stick with the base 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine offering 190 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque. Check the box for the 2.0-liter turbo mill and you'll be met with a $27,700 sticker with front-wheel drive or $29,450 with AWD.

Want to pimp your ride with a leather interior with power seats (heated in the front and rear), rear-view camera, navigation screen with eight-inch screen and a panoramic sunroof? Be prepared to add $6,600 to the price of whichever model you've got your heart set on. That means a fully loaded Santa Fe with the turbocharged engine and all-wheel drive will go for over $36,000.

We're still waiting for pricing details on the seven-passenger version of the Santa Fe, but we assume it will run a bit higher than this five-passenger Sport model.

Hyundai prices 2013 Santa Fe Sport from $24,450 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 06 Aug 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Hyundai working on "Fluidic Precision" design for next Sonata

Scott Burgess — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 16:01:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Sedan, Crossover, Hyundai, Rumormill, Design/Style

Hyundai North America CEO John Krafcik recently told Automobile magazine that it's popular "fluidic sculpture" design language won't stand still as it evolves with Hyundai's lineup in the coming years.

"You'll see even more maturity with the new Santa Fe, and future cars will feature something we're internally calling Fluidic Precision, where the forms might be a little less extroverted," Krafcik said. "You'll see that with the next Sonata, the design of which has just been frozen."

Krafcik also confirmed that Hyundai will introduce an all-wheel-drive version of the Genesis sedan in its next iteration, which will likely be shown as a concept vehicle later this year. Furthermore, Hyundai is considering upgrading the Genesis coupe to take on the likes of the the BMW 3 Series.

And while most automakers decline to discuss future products, Krafcik pulled the Hyundai's curtain back just a little. We're more than likely going to see a premium crossover in Hyundai's future lineup, but not likely to see a convertible, minivan or pickup truck.

Hyundai working on "Fluidic Precision" design for next Sonata originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 20 Jul 2012 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

2013 Hyundai Santa Fe goes on big diet, unveils five and seven-passenger models

Zach Bowman — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 14:25:00 EST

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Crossover, Hyundai, Design/Style

You might think that Hyundai has pulled a fast one at today's New York Auto Show by unveiling two different of its 2013 Santa Fe, one a two-row Sport model and the other a three-row family-minded model simply called Santa Fe. In reality, however, we've been expecting this since we first told you about the Korean automaker's new strategy back in mid-2010.

The Santa Fe Sport seen above will offer buyers seating for five as well as two four-cylinder options. The base model comes equipped with a direct-injection 2.4-liter four-pot good for 190 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque, while a turbo 2.0-liter four-cylinder good for an estimated 264 ponies will also be offered. Both will be offered paired to a six-speed automatic transmission, and either engine can be had with all-wheel drive. The latter comes with torque-vectoring cornering control, a bit of tech that Hyundai hopes will set the Santa Fe Sport apart from other affordable crossovers. More impressively, the automaker says it has managed to clip a whopping 266 pounds from the Santa Fe compared to the 2012 model.

Buyers who need a bit extra space may want to step up to the seven-passenger Santa Fe. The three-row model adds around four inches of additional wheelbase and a more powerful 3.3-liter direct-injection V6 with 290 horsepower. The additional inches allow for around 38.6 additional cubic feet of passenger volume compared to the Santa Fe Sport, and the long-wheelbase model should fill in for the ill-embraced Veracruz which is likely in its last model year. Hit the jump for the complete press release.

Continue reading 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe goes on big diet, unveils five and seven-passenger models

2013 Hyundai Santa Fe goes on big diet, unveils five and seven-passenger models originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Apr 2012 14:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments