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Hyundai Santa Fe 2.0TD VGT

New train of Thought

Without the Santa Fe railway, early American settlers would never have been able to conquer the wild west. Hyundai's Santa Fe was given much the same task - to persuade Western car buyers that it should be taken seriously.

By Charley Chae

February 2003

Without the Santa Fe railway, early American settlers would never have been able to conquer the wild west. Hyundai's Santa Fe was given much the same task - to persuade Western car buyers that it should be taken seriously.

But unfortunately, the diesel version was not the most convincing. Compared to rivals such as Land Rover's Freelander Td4, the Korean's 2.0-litre TD engine behaved like an old steam locomotive, with sluggardly performance and questionable refinement. Hyundai's answer is the VGT unit. It uses a Variable Geometry Turbo, which can alter the amount of boost according to the driving conditions - a first for a Korean car.

The result is not only improved performance, but lower emissions and fuel consumption, too. On paper, the figures look impressive, with 11bhp added to the standard TD's 115bhp output, and 29Nm more torque. But the effect of the modifications feels far more dramatic from behind the wheel.

There is a constant stream of acceleration, with none of the old car's turbo lag. It keeps coming smoothly, too, right up to the red line. At 70mph the engine settles in at a mere 2,500rpm, meaning there is plenty of performance left. You should see a six per cent improvement in economy, too. Hyundai has also made a few tweaks to the interior, with extra options including a combined TV/ sat-nav system and an electronic trip computer with compass and altimeter.

Think it all sounds too good to be true? Well, there is a catch - Hyundai's importer says the improved model will not come to the UK until next year. Since the boats bringing them here aren't that slow, it can only be because the firm wants to clear old stock. Don't put up with it - wait for the new model or make tracks to a rival's showroom.

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For an alternative review of the latest Hyundai Santa Fe visit our sister site carbuyer.co.uk

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FIRST OPINION

    Adding advanced turbo technology has transformed the Santa Fe TD's driveability. The improvements may appear relatively minor, but they make the car easier to drive, plus improve economy. What a shame UK buyers must wait until next year for it to arrive here.
 
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