Hyundai in a spin over ESC
BY TERRY MARTIN | 16th Aug 2007
In a statement, HMCA marketing general manager Oliver Mann said: “Hyundai Motor Company Australia wishes to clarify that it has not removed safety equipment from its Santa Fe model.
“Hyundai has pioneered the availability of ESC and side and curtain airbags within the volume-car market, and Santa Fe SLX and Elite models offer these features as standard.
“Santa Fe SX models, which were first introduced in October 2006, do not include these features, and we are working with our parent company to make them available from a production engineering perspective.”It remains a fact that the 2.7-litre Santa Fe has had ESC removed. As reported last week, HMCA has deleted the $35,990 2.7 SLX (which carried ESC) and introduced a $33,990 2.7 SX (which does not have ESC).
With the 2.7 Elite also now deleted, there are no other 2.7 models remaining in the Santa Fe range, making the starting point for Santa Fe and ESC now $37,990 with the front-wheel drive 3.3 SX – $2000 more than before. Moreover, the starting point for an AWD Santa Fe model with ESC has climbed to the $43,490 seven-seat SLX CRDi automatic.
There is also no contention over the fact that ESC was fitted standard across the Santa Fe range when the current CM-series was launched in May 2006.
HMCA this week suggested to GoAuto that the RACV chief engineer Michael Case would not have made the comments he did last week had he been in possession of all the facts.
However, Mr Case has since told GoAuto that his remarks were RACV policy – which still stand.
Upon clarification that the base model Santa Fe no longer has ESC, he said: “Well, consumers need to know that. And they can really draw their conclusion from that point onwards. Our advice to consumers is to look for ESC available as standard, or at least as an affordable option.”
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