Luxury, size and safety tech reach new levels

HYUNDAI has unveiled its important new Santa Fe, which will be here before the end of the year.

The most prestigious model in its large line-up, this latest incarnation of the company’s premium-class SUV moves even more upmarket.

Bigger and better than the current car, it is also expected to be more expensive.

Among the largest seven-seat SUVs currently available, it will be significantly more luxurious inside and will boast a staggering array of advanced technology features.

These will include warnings if the driver is about to exit the vehicle and accidentally leave a youngster on the back seat, or a mobile phone in its automatic charging cradle.

It will sound an alarm and prevent a door opening if a vehicle is approaching from behind, and in theory it will be impossible to hit a pedestrian or indeed another vehicle due to its radars and automatic braking systems.

Hyundai says the new Santa Fe will go into production in its native South Korea from June and will reach us before the end of the year.

It gets a striking honeycomb grille and loses the swept-up rear side lines of the current car, which increases visibility out of the rear side windows by almost half.

There is a longer wheelbase, which means more occupant leg room inside, and the rear seats are higher, which together with the bigger windows make it less claustrophobic. It also boasts an even bigger boot than that of the current vehicle, which is already massive.

The rear end takes its sculpted design cues from the smaller Hyundai Tucson model, whilst at the front one of the most distinctive features is the remarkably narrow horizontal headlamp arrangement.

There is a far more luxurious feel to the interior, with an abundance of quilted and stitched leather, plus electrically operated heated seats with a dozen different positions.

The innovative Rear Occupant Alert monitors the rear seats to alert the driver if there are still passengers there when leaving the car.

The Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist is also a Hyundai first. When reversing out of areas with low visibility, the system not only warns the driver if vehicles are approaching from the rear side, it also applies brakes automatically.

The Safety Exit Assist prevents accidents by sensing when vehicles approach from behind by temporarily locking the doors.

Although the vehicle has four wheel drive, it is used only when necessary, with power going mainly to the front wheels.

The 2.2-litre diesel engine is mated to the same eight-speed automatic transmission as that of the new Kia Sorento, and it is likely the Santa Fe will also be offered with the alternative choice of twolitre turbocharged diesel and petrol units, like the Sorento.

There is a new stiffer self-levelling suspension system, different-style wheels, new colours and an extensive array of safety features.

Among them are Blind-Spot Collision Warning, Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with pedestrian detection, Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, Rear Occupant Alert, Safety Exit Assist and Speed Limit Info Function. Inside there is a head-up windscreen display for the first time, plus an eight-inch screen infotainment system that integrates all navigation, media and connectivity features, supporting both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Hyundai is not saying when prices will be announced, although the current car costs from £27,000.