New Santa Fe Is On The Rise

It looks as if Santa has come early for Hyundai buyers. The exclusive spy-shots in this week's Auto Express show the new Santa Fe, which will go on sale in the UK from 2006. Company insiders have told us the next-generation model - codenamed CM - will be more luxurious than ever.

Auto Express Car Reviews

By Mat Watson

27th August 2004

Despite the 4x4's disguise, there's no hiding the fact the newcomer is larger than the vehicle it replaces, which will give the Santa Fe more interior space than its main rival, the Land Rover Freelander. In addition to the interior improvements, the next model has better ground clearance than the current car. This, plus a new four-wheel-drive system, should ensure it has decent mud-plugging capability.

To complement the rugged image, the off-roader is expected to feature more aggressive styling, which should help boost its appeal with European buyers. Meanwhile, Hyundai has revised the current car to keep it fresh until the new model arrives. On sale from October, only two versions will be available.

The 2.7-litre V6 CDX rises ΂£1,000 in price to ΂£19,495, but benefits from ΂£2,250 worth of extra equipment, including cruise control, leather trim and side airbags. The 2.0-litre diesel variant - also available only in CDX trim - will carry a ΂£17,995 tag.