Hyundai Santa Fe SUV now officially on sale in Malaysia

Fourth-generation SUV, two fuel options, each two trim levels, starting from RM169,888

The Hyundai Santa Fe SUV is now in Malaysia. Two petrol and two diesel models are available: Executive and Premium. All four variants are seven-seaters.

The all-new SUV has the large cascading front grille characteristic of current Hyundai designs. The Executive spec has 18-inch wheels, and projection halogen headlights with LED daytime running lights while Premium gets 19-inch wheels and LEDs all-round: bi-function projection headlights, daytime running lights, fog lamps, rear combination lamps.

The front-wheel drive petrol version is powered by Hyundai’s Theta II engine: 2.4-litres from four-cylinders packing 170bhp at 6000rpm with maximum torque of 225Nm at 4000rpm. Transmission is a six-speed auto.

The diesel Santa Fe is four-wheel drive and offered with a 2.2-litre engine and a new eight-speed automatic transmission. The combo produces 190bhp at 3,800rpm and 440Nm maximum torque at 1750-2750rpm. The all-wheel drive system, HTRAC (for Hyundai Traction) with three drive modes, Normal, Sport and Smart, is electronically controlled and features torque vectoring and active torque control between the front and rear axles system.

Standard safety features carried over from the previous generation are six Airbags, Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) system, Hillstart Assist Control (HAC), Downhill Brake Control (DBC), Antilock Braking System (ABS), Brake Assist System (BAS), Traction Control System (TCS) and an Immobiliser.

In the Premium variant, additional safety kit include Rear Occupant Alert, Blind-Spot Collision Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Collision Warning, Bi-function LED Projection, Dynamic Bending Light.

The interior has improvements to design, layout and driver ergonomics. The second row has one-touch folding seats for easier access to the third.

Convenience features offered as standard across all variants include 10-way Driver Power Seat, keyless entry, seven-inch display, Auxiliary and USB ports as well as Bluetooth connectivity with Voice Recognition, Safety Power Window, Back Warning Camera, Parking Distance Warning (front & rear), Auto Light Control, Auto Cruise Control and a Roof Rack.

The Premium trim of both variants come with the following additional features: Rear Occupant Alert, eight-way power seat for the front passenger, Walk-in Device on passenger seat , leather dashboard trim, deluxe cloth or suede on the pillar; sun visor and roof trim, seven-inch Supervision TFT LCD monitor, seven-inch display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Power Tailgate, Wireless Phone Charger, Rain Sensor.

Rear Occupant Alert is a new safety feature. It detects movement in the rear seat and is designed to prevent leaving a child or pet behind at the back of the car accidentally.

The introductory prices, excluding road tax and insurance, for the four variants, until end of June 2019 are as follows :

  • Theta II 2.4 MPI Executive – RM169,888

  • Theta II 2.4 MPI Premium – RM189,888

  • R 2.2 CRDi Executive – RM191,888

  • R 2.2 CRDi Premium – RM211,888