Hyundai's latest bigger inside and out

Hyundai's new Santa Fe four-wheel-drive will have two engine options and three rows of seating when it goes on sale here early next year.

The Korean company says the off-roader, developed at a cost of US$150 million ($215 million), is more refined and has new safety, comfort and convenience features.

It is also bigger inside and out, offering more head and legroom front and rear. Curtain airbags running the length of the cabin are included in the passive safety package, along with active headrests.

Hyundai expects big things from the Santa Fe, which joins the Tucson and Terracan in the company's four-wheel-drive line-up.

"This is an eagerly awaited model which will introduce new levels of refinement and confidence in sports utility vehicles, an important market in New Zealand," said the managing director of Hyundai Automotive NZ, Philip Eustace.

"Hyundai has grown rapidly in SUVs and today we are the third biggest-selling brand in this market in New Zealand.

"With the new Santa Fe coming into the lineup we are set to build on this success."

The engine choices are a 2.2-litre turbocharged diesel and a 2.7-litre V6 petrol unit.

The diesel delivers 110kW (148bhp) at 4000rpm and 335Nm of torque at 1800-2500rpm and is coupled to a five-speed automatic gearbox with manual mode.

The V6 engine adopts variable valve timing and a variable intake system to produce 138kW (185bhp) at 6000rpm and 248Nm at 4000rpm. It is mated to a four-speed automatic with manual mode.

Santa Fe's electronically controlled four-wheel drive system automatically directs power to the wheels with the most traction, and the driver-selectable four-wheel-drive lock-up provides a 50/50 torque split between front and rear wheels for off-road driving.

Hyundai says the Santa Fe chassis was reworked to provide a better all-round ride.

The double-wishbone rear suspension in the current vehicle has been dropped in favour of a multi-link set-up, and the front Macpherson strut arrangement has been revised for improved stability.

Brakes are 16-inch discs front and rear, with front brakes being ventilated. ABS with electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD) is standard while electronic stability programme (ESP) further enhances safety.

The new vehicle is 150mm longer, 55mm wider and 50mm higher than the current Santa Fe. Its 2700mm wheelbase is 80mm longer too.

Third-row seats fold flat into the floor. Other touches include power-adjustable front seats, electric chromic mirror with compass, trip computer, plus heated side mirrors.

The New Zealand Santa Fe will be built at Hyundai's Ulsan plant in South Korea. No word on price yet, but the current model starts at $36,990.