Hyundai India’s flagship product, the Santa Fe SUV is extremely important for the brand. And that’s not because they want this specific model to contribute to their business in monetary terms, but because it showcases to us Indians what the Korean carmaker is capable of. It demonstrates the brand’s ability to develop products which reside at the higher end of the food pyramid. Producing a big, well styled, well finished, feature rich and powerfully propelled machine helps Hyundai instill more faith in its customers about its competence as a full spectrum carmaker. So does it succeed in its endeavor of establishing Hyundai as a carmaker capable of dishing out a near INR 3 million rupee product to the Indian customers? We’ll find the answer to that question in our exhaustive Santa Fe review conducted around the scenic but hot surroundings of Kochi in Kerala.
Design and Styling
In its new generation avatar, to look sharp, modern and trendy is Santa Fe’s central brief. Unlike the box-shape that you typically get to witness on most seven-seater SUVs the Santa Fe attempts to look sporty and compact. Even with the vast volume that it encapsulated within, it does succeed a fair bit in looking cohesive and compact – and that’s quite a feat for such a big car.
Up at the front, the familiar hexagonal Hyundai family grille takes center stage. All the sides of the hexagonal grille, save for the top side are drenched in dazzling, high quality chrome. The radiator grille is a triple slat design with the slats featuring more width on the ends than in the center. The top slat proudly bears the Hyundai logo.
The inwards tapering, sharply styled headlamps feature Xenon tech along with LED positioning lights. The complex-design bumper comprises of several element. The body coloured bumper has a huge inlay of a black colored mesh in its central part. This element features a slender shape on the central part and gets wider towards the ends to house the inwards tapering fog-lamps. The fog-lamps are lined with LEDs and have the ability to swivel with the steering to boost visibility in inclement weather.
Further below the mesh, there is flat-crest shaped plastic cladding with nicely finished aluminium skid plates beneath – to add to the premium look, as well as to offer protection to the car’s underbody. The addition of the plastic cladding all around the vehicle, along with the skid plate also stresses upon the go-anywhere personality of the machine.
In profile, the headlamps which 0loked inwards tapering from the front angle appear sharply upswept and add to the front forward stance of the car. The angled windscreen, along with the dropping roofline and the rear spoiler goes a long way in lending the Santa Fe a sporty and dynamic shape in profile, despite its big size. The swept up, tapering design of the rear window and the quarter panel, along with the strong crease emanating from the front fender and merging into the tail-lamps further adds to the zesty look of the car. The tapering shape of the window, towards the rear may not augur too well for the airiness and sense of space in the second and third row though.
At the rear, the horizontally positioned LED combinational tail-lamps help lend a squat, wide stance to the car. It’s split in two by the tail-gate which opens like a hatch. The registration plate recess adds another horizontal line to the rear, helping underline the width of the car, and in the process making it look athletic. The plastic under-cladding lines the entire lower body of the Santa Fe, and is carried over to the rear bumper as well. The skid plates witnessed at the front have their counterparts finishing the job at the rear as well, completing the premium, sporty yet adventurous look of the Santa Fe.
In all, the Santa Fe carries forward the much acclaimed newfound design prowess of Hyundai with élan. Even after being a big seven seater, the SUV manages to look sharp, sexy and compact. The fit and finish all round it top notch and the Santa Fe, without doubt is one of the best looking machines in its size segments. It’s urbane, it’s contemporary, and yet, has the odd elements in places which establish its casual off-road ability. Good job!
Next page for engine and transmission>>>
nic kab launch karega
show room kaha hai
on road price
Where’s the showroom?
Nice when’s the launch?
It looks to an orindary shape like other same segmant.the price to high ,people look this rice for other branded company i.e Audi,BMW….etc. The features is nice, but people think the power of BRAND NAME
This is a really good post…
Must admit that you are amongst the best bloggers I have read…