[Taboleo] 'The New Santa Fe' with a More Spacious Interior, the Ultimate Car Camping King

Eagle Eye Headlamps Bold and Unique Front Design
Optimized Layout Enhances Space Utilization, Increased Ultra-High Strength Steel Ratio Ensures Safety

The New Santa Fe

[Asia Economy Reporter Changhwan Lee] The popularity of SUVs (Sports Utility Vehicles) in the automotive market is steadily increasing. The growing popularity of SUVs is driven by consumers who, with more leisure time, prefer vehicles with more spacious interiors for outdoor activities. Along with the rising trend of camping and car camping (overnight stays in vehicles), the number of consumers seeking SUVs has further increased.

According to an analysis by the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association on the demand changes by vehicle segment in the domestic passenger car market over the past six years from 2015 to last year, the sales share of sedans decreased from 58.6% in 2015 to 47.7% last year, while the share of leisure vehicles (RVs), including SUVs, increased from 41.4% to 52.3%.

In a recent survey conducted by an automaker targeting consumers planning to purchase a vehicle this year, 48% of respondents expressed a desire to buy an SUV, whereas only 32% preferred sedans.

The popularity of SUVs continues this year as well. According to Hyundai Motor Company, the best-selling Hyundai model in the U.S. in January this year was the Santa Fe, with sales increasing by 36% compared to the same period last year.

Hyundai’s flagship SUV, the Santa Fe, has regained attention domestically and internationally following the launch of the new model, 'The New Santa Fe,' last year. We had the opportunity to experience 'The New Santa Fe,' which is receiving great interest alongside the SUV trend, over the past weekend.

The New Santa Fe

- The design has changed significantly compared to the previous model. What was your impression?

△ The exterior of The New Santa Fe gave a sophisticated and strong impression. The front end, featuring headlamps inspired by the sharp eyes of an eagle (Eagle’s eye concept), an integrated wide radiator grille, and vertical T-shaped daytime running lights, presented a striking and original contrast.

Since the first series was launched in 2000, the Santa Fe has emphasized a muscular and masculine charm. Even after 21 years, it continues to maintain that appeal consistently.

The side profile was impressive with a side character line running from the front to the rear, and the rear featured thin and elongated LED rear lamps, a lower reflector, and a triple horizontal line rear skid plate protecting the vehicle’s underside, all contributing to a sense of stability.

Hyundai explained that by applying its design identity, Sensuous Sportiness (a blend of emotion and sportiness), to the existing Santa Fe design, it completed a more luxurious and robust design for The New Santa Fe.

The user-centered interior design also caught the eye. The elevated center console seamlessly connects from the crash pad (driver’s module) to the center fascia and console box, giving the driver a feeling of being wrapped in luxury. The ambient mood lamp, offering 64 color options to suit personal tastes, was also impressive.

The infotainment system, featuring a 12.3-inch full LCD cluster (instrument panel) and a 10.25-inch navigation screen, was another advantage. The newly applied electronic shift-by-wire (SBW) button intuitively assisted the driver’s control during driving.

The New Santa Fe

- How was the interior space? Is car camping possible?

△ One of the major advantages of The New Santa Fe is its expanded interior space compared to the previous model. The New Santa Fe’s overall length increased by 15 mm (from 4,770 mm to 4,785 mm), and the second-row legroom grew by 34 mm (from 1,026 mm to 1,060 mm), improving real-world usability. Additionally, the rear cargo capacity increased by 9 liters (from 625 liters to 634 liters) compared to the previous Santa Fe.

It is said that four golf bags can fit inside. When the rear seats are folded down, there is enough space for two adults to lie down comfortably. This size is suitable for the popular car camping trend. The panoramic sunroof, allowing occupants to lie down and gaze at the sky and stars, is an attractive feature for car camping. Although we did not actually try car camping, we believe that with sufficient camping gear, this vehicle is perfect for it.

During driving, the typical heaviness and firmness of an SUV were felt through the steering wheel. The distinctive diesel engine sound remained. The vehicle accelerated quickly when needed and stopped well when required. High-speed driving also felt stable.

The New Santa Fe is the first Hyundai SUV to be equipped with the next-generation powertrain ‘Smartstream D2.2’ engine and the ‘Smartstream Wet 8DCT (Double Clutch Transmission)’ which offers excellent direct shifting feel and responsiveness. Thanks to this, it delivers a maximum output of 202 horsepower (PS) and a maximum torque of 45.0 kgf·m, achieving a fuel efficiency of 14.2 km/l, which is a 4.4% improvement over the previous Santa Fe.

The New Santa Fe

- Have the convenience features been improved?

△ Another advantage of The New Santa Fe is its convenience features. Hyundai proudly stated that it achieved a near-new car level of change by applying a large number of new advanced safety and convenience features, and this was indeed the case.

The New Santa Fe is equipped with Lane Following Assist (LFA), which recognizes lanes and helps maintain the vehicle in the center of the lane during driving, and Rear Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist (PCA), which warns and automatically controls braking when detecting collision risks during low-speed reversing for parking and exiting.

These features are standard in most new cars these days. Additionally, new safety features such as Remote Smart Parking Assist (RSPA), which helps park and exit the vehicle by moving it with a smart key button without the driver being inside, have been added.

Furthermore, existing features have been improved to greatly enhance driving stability, including Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA), which recognizes approaching vehicles at intersections and warns and automatically controls braking in case of collision risk; Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist (BCA), which warns and automatically controls when detecting collision risks from rear-side vehicles not only during lane changes but also when moving forward during parallel parking; and Highway Driving Assist (HDA), whose application area has been expanded to include expressways.

The newly added off-road driving mode, compared to the previous Santa Fe, controls driving force, engine torque, and braking in various road conditions such as mud, snow, and sand to optimize driving performance and support stable driving. Especially, the driver-recognition smart driving mode, applied for the first time in the world on The New Santa Fe, allows up to three drivers to register personal profiles. It automatically provides optimized driving modes such as Eco, Sport, and Comfort by considering the driver’s driving tendencies and road conditions.

When linked with the smartphone BlueLink app, Hyundai’s first-ever KakaoTalk message reading and sending by voice command feature is available. Hyundai CarPay, which allows payment inside the vehicle via the navigation screen at affiliated merchants such as gas stations and parking lots, has also been introduced.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.