Auto Car | Inokom Santa Fe, Malaysia’s Cars of the Year 2008 | We learned a new word here in the EVO office recently – beautility. It was used in the official invite to the launch of the new Hyundai / Inokom Santa Fe recently. An amalgamation of the words ‘beautiful’ and ‘utility’, it certainly seems to be appropriate because the new Santa Fe really is quite a looker. First unveiled at the Geneva Motorshow in 2006, this Hyundai SUV is not the first to be named after a city in the USA. No prizes for guessing which lucrative market this car is aimed at.
Let’s just recap the cars made by South Korea that bear names derived from cities in the USA: Hyundai have a smaller SUV called the ‘Tucson’; subsidiaries Kia have a Sorento SUV, named after the Sorrento Valley over there; and they have a small car called the Rio, in honour of the Rio Grande; and then there’s the Picanto which is named after a small town just 50 metres north of the US / Mexico border, population 150 on weekdays, 700,000 on weekends. Okay, that’s a total lie. Personally, I think that if cars are going to be named after cities, they should be in honour of the countries or places they’re sold in; how about a Hyundai Klang Valley, or a Kia Penang? But I digress. For the first time, this brand new Hyundai SUV will be sold as an Inokom. While the external front and rear emblems have been changed to the rather phallic looking Inokom badge, the logo on the steering wheel remains that of a Hyundai.
Apparently, this had something to do with airbag regulations, and not being allowed to tamper with any part of the steering wheel. It really doesn’t matter, this SUV is a Hyundai through and through, despite suggestions to the contrary. Hyundai – Sime Darby Motors Sdn. Bhd. (HSDM) also scored another unique ‘first’ of sorts. While it is quite normal to have the requisite ‘hottie car girls’ at the unveiling of a new car to pose with a car maker’s new pride and joy, HSDM went one step further by actually bringing said girls along for the official media test drive as well. And no, I was not having one of my weird dreams again. I’m still not quite sure why they felt this was necessary, but it was a detachment from the norm, and made for amusing conversation later. Perhaps HSDM felt that the new Santa Fe needed a bit more ‘beautilitification’ (sorry).
Appreciative as I am of this effort on HSDM’s part, the new Santa Fe needs no add-ons to make it look good. First off, it’s a lot bigger than its predecessor; in fact, it looks more like a full-size, rather than a mid-size SUV. Pictures do little justice to convey its bulk. With its smooth flowing lines and beautifully proportioned dimensions, stylingwise the new Santa Fe is a stark departure from its predecessor. The stylishness it exudes externally is also carried on into its interior. Generously appointed and ergonomically sound, it really is quite amazing just how much South Korean carmakers have improved in the last decade. I voted that the new Kia Optima (evo 030) should get the award for the most improved car, but now I honestly think that it’s an award that ought to be shared with the new Santa Fe. With an aggressive ‘scowling’ look adorning the front, and a rear end that bears more than a passing resemblance to a VW Touareg, replete with sporty looking twin chromed exhaust pipes on either side, the designers of the Santa Fe should to be given due credit. Perhaps the only smudge on the otherwise excellent exterior styling is the rear door handle that releases the tailgate. For the life of me I still can’t see why they could not just hide the release handle below the number plate garnish – it would have made the rear end look a lot cleaner and more stylish. When I asked about this, the reply was that buyers in the US (of course) prefer to have something solid and meaty to grab on to when opening the door.
I think they meant the driver and passenger doors, guys. Powered by either a 2.7-litre V6 petrol or 2.2-litre common-rail direct injection diesel engine, the Santa Fe is not just all-show-no-go. Despite my morbid fascination with V6 engines, I have to say that the diesel variant with its gratuitous 335Nm of torque was the most fun to drive. The technology surrounding diesel engines has improved tremendously in the last few years and proof of this is the one that powers the 2.2 CRDi. Smooth, powerful and very grunty, the engine is also relatively quiet for a diesel burner. Coupled with the excellent NVH suppression (on both options) on the move with the windows up and the A/C on, it’s impossible to tell which variant you’re driving. It’s only the amazing torque of the diesel engine that gives the game away. In the great scheme of things, whether you want to call it an Inokom or a Hyundai, whether you prefer petrol or diesel, whether it should have been named the Klang Valley instead of the Santa Fe, and even that barmy misplaced rear hatch door handle aside, one thing remains certain: this new Santa Fe is a delight to drive. In either engine option, this SUV has shed all the negatives that plagued South Korean cars of yore, and has taken on a decidedly more European flair. If that is indeed the market that this SUV is aimed at, Hyundai has done a remarkable job.
(www.malaysianevo.com)
Let’s just recap the cars made by South Korea that bear names derived from cities in the USA: Hyundai have a smaller SUV called the ‘Tucson’; subsidiaries Kia have a Sorento SUV, named after the Sorrento Valley over there; and they have a small car called the Rio, in honour of the Rio Grande; and then there’s the Picanto which is named after a small town just 50 metres north of the US / Mexico border, population 150 on weekdays, 700,000 on weekends. Okay, that’s a total lie. Personally, I think that if cars are going to be named after cities, they should be in honour of the countries or places they’re sold in; how about a Hyundai Klang Valley, or a Kia Penang? But I digress. For the first time, this brand new Hyundai SUV will be sold as an Inokom. While the external front and rear emblems have been changed to the rather phallic looking Inokom badge, the logo on the steering wheel remains that of a Hyundai.
Apparently, this had something to do with airbag regulations, and not being allowed to tamper with any part of the steering wheel. It really doesn’t matter, this SUV is a Hyundai through and through, despite suggestions to the contrary. Hyundai – Sime Darby Motors Sdn. Bhd. (HSDM) also scored another unique ‘first’ of sorts. While it is quite normal to have the requisite ‘hottie car girls’ at the unveiling of a new car to pose with a car maker’s new pride and joy, HSDM went one step further by actually bringing said girls along for the official media test drive as well. And no, I was not having one of my weird dreams again. I’m still not quite sure why they felt this was necessary, but it was a detachment from the norm, and made for amusing conversation later. Perhaps HSDM felt that the new Santa Fe needed a bit more ‘beautilitification’ (sorry).
Appreciative as I am of this effort on HSDM’s part, the new Santa Fe needs no add-ons to make it look good. First off, it’s a lot bigger than its predecessor; in fact, it looks more like a full-size, rather than a mid-size SUV. Pictures do little justice to convey its bulk. With its smooth flowing lines and beautifully proportioned dimensions, stylingwise the new Santa Fe is a stark departure from its predecessor. The stylishness it exudes externally is also carried on into its interior. Generously appointed and ergonomically sound, it really is quite amazing just how much South Korean carmakers have improved in the last decade. I voted that the new Kia Optima (evo 030) should get the award for the most improved car, but now I honestly think that it’s an award that ought to be shared with the new Santa Fe. With an aggressive ‘scowling’ look adorning the front, and a rear end that bears more than a passing resemblance to a VW Touareg, replete with sporty looking twin chromed exhaust pipes on either side, the designers of the Santa Fe should to be given due credit. Perhaps the only smudge on the otherwise excellent exterior styling is the rear door handle that releases the tailgate. For the life of me I still can’t see why they could not just hide the release handle below the number plate garnish – it would have made the rear end look a lot cleaner and more stylish. When I asked about this, the reply was that buyers in the US (of course) prefer to have something solid and meaty to grab on to when opening the door.
I think they meant the driver and passenger doors, guys. Powered by either a 2.7-litre V6 petrol or 2.2-litre common-rail direct injection diesel engine, the Santa Fe is not just all-show-no-go. Despite my morbid fascination with V6 engines, I have to say that the diesel variant with its gratuitous 335Nm of torque was the most fun to drive. The technology surrounding diesel engines has improved tremendously in the last few years and proof of this is the one that powers the 2.2 CRDi. Smooth, powerful and very grunty, the engine is also relatively quiet for a diesel burner. Coupled with the excellent NVH suppression (on both options) on the move with the windows up and the A/C on, it’s impossible to tell which variant you’re driving. It’s only the amazing torque of the diesel engine that gives the game away. In the great scheme of things, whether you want to call it an Inokom or a Hyundai, whether you prefer petrol or diesel, whether it should have been named the Klang Valley instead of the Santa Fe, and even that barmy misplaced rear hatch door handle aside, one thing remains certain: this new Santa Fe is a delight to drive. In either engine option, this SUV has shed all the negatives that plagued South Korean cars of yore, and has taken on a decidedly more European flair. If that is indeed the market that this SUV is aimed at, Hyundai has done a remarkable job.
(www.malaysianevo.com)
No comments:
Post a Comment