A MOTOR manufacturer can get away with tizzying up an existing design only so many times in an automotive industry that wheels out shiny new cars every five minutes.

This year, the Santa Fe has undergone its second make-over since it arrived in 2006, with a new engine and transmission with on-paper specifications are among the best in the medium SUV class.

Yet buyers are just as interested in packaging, dynamics and – you guessed it – styling.

Do a new engine and transmission carry enough weight for the Santa Fe to be a serious contender in this highly competitive class?