Motor Trader The award-winning and longest running UK magazine for car retailing professionals. Your first stop for News, Jobs and Reports for the motor industry.
Motor Trader assesses how a new entrant in the car market performs on the road and reveals how it will be viewed on the used market.
Hyundai’s success in the scrappage scheme has shifted showroom focus to the low-end i10s and i20s but from January 2010 dealers will be selling a facelifted Santa Fe at the top-end of its range.
External changes are subtle amounting to little more than a new look for the grille, rear bumper and lights. What’s more important is the introduction of a lower emitting diesel engine and more competitive pricing.
Test model
Our test model was the range topping 2.2 CRDi Premium with seven seats and a six-speed automatic gearbox. The extra seats and auto box do not make this the most frugal or green model in the line-up. We averaged 33.4mpg, against a claimed 38.2mpg, while emitting 197g/km compared with a more VED friendly 176g/km at the bottom end of the range.
Maturity
While the brand will not be expecting to sell its new-look SUV in large numbers the vehicle does demonstrate the growing maturity of the brand and its understanding of the expectations of European buyers.
The long, high and wide dimensions are verging on Land Rover territory but its seamless box makes for surprisingly nimble progress in the urban crawl and makes for effortless motorway cruising.
Comfort levels
Comfort levels are high for all occupants with a well designed interior, supportive seats and good all round visibility, although the A-pillar’s steep rake can be an unwelcome obstacle at some junctions.
With a £25,495 price tag it offers a lot more car for the money than you would get with a similarly sized Land Rover, BMW, Mercedes, Audi or Volvo. It’s five year warranty also strengthens its argument for those not hung up on having a prestige car sat on the drive.
Cap’s verdict on how it will perform on the used market
Hyundai has taken two necessary steps to maintain the competitiveness of the Santa Fe by rationalising the range and reducing CO2.
The first is important because complex ranges tend to be penalised in the used market by trade buyers who prefer to bid low on every model, for fear of mistakenly acquiring a less desirable derivative.
The second is also vital in a taxation environment which penalises high CO2 in both the new and used markets. Achieving this in conjunction with a dramatic increase in output is also a significant plus.
Future residual values are yet to be formally determined for the facelift model. However, in a competitive market where all players are constantly improving, a shift for the Santa Fe in terms of ranking is not currently anticipated.