Review Car

2011 Hyundai Santa Fe

The new 2011 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe comes with the most important new feature, the Borg-Warner’s Interactive Torque Management four-wheel-drive system. Hyundai’s chief product planner looked a little surprised when we reminded him that this is the same inexpensive yet incredibly effective system in the Acura MDX and Honda Pilot, which furnishes terrific all-weather mobility without compromising everyday drivability. Other useful improvements to The 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe include front-seat side impact air bags as standard equipment. The base Santa Fe has a 4-cyl engines and front-wheel drive. The GLS version comes with a 2.7-liter V6. A 3.5 V6 is optional on the GLS and standard on the LX model.

V6 models offer front-drive or all-wheel drive without low-range gearing. The 4-cyl comes with manual or automatic transmission Front side air bags and 4-wheel disc brakes are standard on all models. With the addition of the 3.5 liter engine, The 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe now offers more torque than the V6-equipped Ford Escape or Mazda Tribute. Only the 3.7 liter V6 Jeep Liberty and the 3.5 liter V6 Saturn Vue have more torque and horsepower.

The new V6 provides better acceleration for the 1790 kg (3,946 lbs) 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe, but with a slight penalty in fuel consumption. The 3.5 liter V6 is rated at 14 liters per 100 kilometers (20.2 miles per gallon) in the city and 10.3 l/100 km (27.4 mpg) in highway driving. Fuel consumption for the 2.7 liter engine is 12.9 l/100 km (21.9 mpg) city and 9.2 l/100 km (30.7 mpg) highway. Along with the new engine comes a new five-speed automatic transmission with manual ‘shiftronic’ feature. The 2.7 liter it has a four-speed automatic shiftronic.

It’s expected to open near Montgomery, Alabama in time to start building a redesigned 2011 Santa Fe. No word yet on what the new one will be like, but we’d be surprised if it isn’t a little larger and more powerful than the current offering.

A midsize SUV is also apparently still on Hyundai’s to-do list. Contrary to earlier reports, this will not be an Americanized version of the domestic-market Terracan, a Ford Explorer-size 4-dr with Toyota Land Cruiser looks, separate frame, and available dual-range 4WD. Terracan was evidently deemed too crude for U.S. tastes. Hyundai is more likely to opt for a car-based design, perhaps derived from a new-generation XG sedan. Timing is unknown right now, but stay tuned. New 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe includes chrome door handles, climate control, front side air bags, traction control, retractable cargo cover and power driver’s seat. Leather seat trim, heated front seats, illuminated vanity mirrors, leather wrapped steering wheel and shifter knob, luggage tray, power sunroof, antilock brakes and fog lamps are standard equipment on all GLS models. Hyundai now offers five Santa Fe models to choose from – the 4-cylinder, manual transmission GL with front-wheel drive the 2.7 liter V6 front-wheel drive GL or all-wheel drive, the AWD 2.7 liter V6 GLS and the new 3.5 liter V6 GLS.