Hyundai Santa Fe scores 206kW V6

HYUNDAI has slotted a new 3.5-litre V6 under the bonnet of the Santa Fe, priced from $43,000 excluding on-road costs for the entry level Active.

Shared with the Kia Sorento and producing 206kW of power and 336Nm of torque, the new V6 replaces the old 138kW/231Nm 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine as the only petrol engine available. The other option is the familiar 2.2-litre turbo-diesel (CRDi).

Both engines are available on all trim levels (Active, Elite and Highlander), with the 2.2-litre diesel (147kW/440Nm) carrying a $3000 premium across the range.

The new V6 has been paired with Hyundai’s eight-speed automatic transmission and is only available with front-wheel drive, as all-wheel drive duties are left exclusively to the diesel.

With a claimed fuel economy of 10.6 litres per 100km on the official combined cycletest, the new engine is thirstier than both the diesel and superseded four-cylinder petrol engine that are listed at 7.5L/100km and 9.3L/100km respectively.

With the addition of the bigger, heavier engine up front, Hyundai has revised the Santa Fe’s suspension tune to better match Australia’s “challenging city and country roads.”

Hyundai Motor Company Australia chief operating officerJohn Kettsaid the introduction of the V6 built strongly on the appeal of the Santa Fe.

“Santa Fe continues to give Australian families standard SmartSense active safety and cutting-edge connectivity and convenience features, in a stylish, spacious and versatile SUV that delivers exceptional value for money, with the peace of mind of Hyundai’s five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty and Lifetime Service Plan,” he said.

The 2020 Sante Fe’s SmartSense suite features most of the big-ticket safety features including forward collision-avoidance assist, adaptive cruise control with stop and go, blind-spot and rear cross-traffic collision avoidance assist systems, driver attention warning, high beam assist and lane-keeping assist.

Hyundai Auto Link enable drivers to monitor a plethora of information regarding their vehicle and journey, including trip information, tyre pressure monitoring, driving history, crowd comparison, parking management, roadside assistance, speed and eco driving patterns, vehicle health and maintenance, maps as well as dealer location and contact details.

The Highlander scores the premium version of Auto Link which adds remote unlock and engine start, geo-fencing and emergency alerts in a crash. 

As of the end of October, Hyundai had sold 5099 Santa Fes this year, accounting for 5.8 per cent of the segment market – almost 2000 more than its Sorento cousin (3220) – but still down almost 20 per cent on 2018. 

2020 Hyundai Santa Fe pricing*

*Excludes on-road costs