A Fresh Shot of Adrenaline An onslaught of new SUVs seem to hit the market every few months, often touted by brands that have never before seen the soft side of a highway shoulder let alone any serious off-road terrain. But of course, 4x4 capabilities are rarely the order of the day, with the focus being more on rough and ready styling and family functionality.
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| The extremely capable Santa Fe is perfect for hauling family and belongings around in safety, with the odd jaunt onto unpaved surfaces. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
To that end Hyundai entered the picture a few years back with its extremely capable Santa Fe. It wasn't meant for challenging the "Staircase" on Trail 11 of the Upper Tellico ORV Area in Nebraska, or any other overwhelmingly difficult 4x4 expedition for that matter, but more so for hauling family and belongings around in
safety, with the odd jaunt onto unpaved surfaces not out of the question.
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| The new Santa Fe engine, available only in GLS 3.5 trim, displaces a substantial 3.5 liters, delivering an extremely satisfying 200-hp and 215 lb-ft of torque. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
The current model year is 2004, and for the most part the Santa Fe looks more or less the same now as it did when originally launched. But styling isn't why Hyundai called together the media to introduce it once again. No, the Korean manufacturer had something much more satisfying up its sleeve.
New for this year is a power upgrade for the top trim level. The same 2.4-L inline 4-cylinder base engine stays, offering up 138-hp and 147 lb-ft of torque. After that, last year's 2.7-L V6 remains available, producing a solid 173-hp and 182 lb-ft of torque. The new engine, however, available only in GLS 3.5 trim, displaces a much more substantial 3.5 liters, delivering an extremely satisfying 200-hp and 215 lb-ft of torque. It's ideally suited to the 1,790 kg (3,946 lb) GLS, substantially heftier than the base FWD model's 1,585 kg (3,494 lb) curb weight.
