Hyundai to sell new diesel Santa Fe in Canada
Hyundai’s seven-seat 2019 Santa Fe SUV will be available only as a diesel when it launches in Canada, while its five-seater trim will be available only with a gasoline engine, the automaker says.
For the upcoming model year, both smaller and larger Santa Fes will lose their name suffixes, the five-seat dropping the “Sport” badge and the seven-seat no longer being badged the “XL.”
However, Hyundai will continue to sell the older 2018 seven-seat Santa Fe XL alongside the new 2019 models. That vehicle will continue to be powered by the company’s current 3.3-litre V-6.
Hyundai will offer three powertrains with the 2019 Santa Fe: a 2.4-L four-cylinder engine will serve as the base engine, while a 2.0-L turbo-four will be available. Power is estimated to punch in at 185 and 232 horsepower for the 2.4 and 2.0 turbo, respectively. The new diesel will be a 2.2-L turbocharged unit, producing an estimated 200 hp and 320 pound-feet of torque. All engines will be paired to an eight-speed automatic.
Hyundai also confirmed a rumoured eight-seat SUV is indeed in the works, though it will not be badged a Santa Fe. It is uncertain whether that future model will find its way to Canada.
The Santa Fe’s revised styling is dominated by its grill and headlight treatment.
Inside, Hyundai added more space and thinned the A pillars.