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2006 Hyundai Santa Fe SUV
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What’s New?
The Santa Fe will be replaced by an all-new model for 2007. For 2006, a new top-of-the-line Limited trim replaces the LX and features a leather interior and optional all-black monochromatic color scheme.
Overview
The term crossover utility vehicle (CUV) wasn’t even in popular use when the Hyundai Santa Fe went on sale in 2001. Its combination of SUV-like space and car-like road manners made it a key element in bringing Hyundai to the forefront as a mainstream automaker. Its car-like construction (mechanicals were borrowed from the Sonata sedan) meant it could match most truck-based mid-size SUVs for interior room while providing much better fuel economy. As time passed, more automakers began jumping on the CUV bandwagon. Today, the Santa Fe faces an ever-growing number of competitors in a segment that it helped to define.
The Santa Fe’s trump card is value. It comes standard with the sort of equipment that most buyers want: air conditioning, keyless entry, anti-lock brakes, CD player to name a few. The 2006 Santa Fe offers buyers a choice of two 24-valve V-6 engines. The first is a 2.7L unit producing 170 hp and 181 lb.-ft. of torque. The second, optional on the GLS and standard on the Limited, displaces 3.5L and puts out 200 hp and 219 lb.-ft. of torque. The 2.7 comes standard with a 4-speed automatic, while the 3.5 gets a 5-speed automatic. Both units have Hyundai’s SHIFTRONIC manual control. The Santa Fe is available with either front- or four-wheel drive. The 2.7L engine-equipped models receive a full-time four-wheel-drive system that supplies 60 percent of the engine’s power to the front wheels and 40 percent to the rear. With the 3.5L engine, the Santa Fe gets an adaptive four-wheel-drive system that can vary power distribution from 99 percent front/1 percent rear to 50 percent front/50 percent rear.
The Competition
The Hyundai Santa Fe is one of 24 vehicles that compete in the Compact CUV segment. Virtually all are geared for the vast majority of CUV buyers who stick to paved roads, using car-like unit-body construction and front- or all-wheel drive.
According to the J.D. Power and Associates Sales Report,SM the Ford Escape led segment sales in calendar year 2005, with 165,122 units sold. Next was the Honda CR-V (150,219 sales), followed by the Chrysler PT Cruiser (133,740). The Santa Fe found 68,006 buyers. Other high-volume models in this segment include the Chevrolet Equinox, Saturn VUE, Toyota RAV4, Hyundai Tucson, Honda Element, Scion xB, and Subaru Forester.
The Santa Fe will be replaced by an all-new model for 2007. For 2006, a new top-of-the-line Limited trim replaces the LX and features a leather interior and optional all-black monochromatic color scheme.
Overview
The term crossover utility vehicle (CUV) wasn’t even in popular use when the Hyundai Santa Fe went on sale in 2001. Its combination of SUV-like space and car-like road manners made it a key element in bringing Hyundai to the forefront as a mainstream automaker. Its car-like construction (mechanicals were borrowed from the Sonata sedan) meant it could match most truck-based mid-size SUVs for interior room while providing much better fuel economy. As time passed, more automakers began jumping on the CUV bandwagon. Today, the Santa Fe faces an ever-growing number of competitors in a segment that it helped to define.
The Santa Fe’s trump card is value. It comes standard with the sort of equipment that most buyers want: air conditioning, keyless entry, anti-lock brakes, CD player to name a few. The 2006 Santa Fe offers buyers a choice of two 24-valve V-6 engines. The first is a 2.7L unit producing 170 hp and 181 lb.-ft. of torque. The second, optional on the GLS and standard on the Limited, displaces 3.5L and puts out 200 hp and 219 lb.-ft. of torque. The 2.7 comes standard with a 4-speed automatic, while the 3.5 gets a 5-speed automatic. Both units have Hyundai’s SHIFTRONIC manual control. The Santa Fe is available with either front- or four-wheel drive. The 2.7L engine-equipped models receive a full-time four-wheel-drive system that supplies 60 percent of the engine’s power to the front wheels and 40 percent to the rear. With the 3.5L engine, the Santa Fe gets an adaptive four-wheel-drive system that can vary power distribution from 99 percent front/1 percent rear to 50 percent front/50 percent rear.
The Competition
The Hyundai Santa Fe is one of 24 vehicles that compete in the Compact CUV segment. Virtually all are geared for the vast majority of CUV buyers who stick to paved roads, using car-like unit-body construction and front- or all-wheel drive.
According to the J.D. Power and Associates Sales Report,SM the Ford Escape led segment sales in calendar year 2005, with 165,122 units sold. Next was the Honda CR-V (150,219 sales), followed by the Chrysler PT Cruiser (133,740). The Santa Fe found 68,006 buyers. Other high-volume models in this segment include the Chevrolet Equinox, Saturn VUE, Toyota RAV4, Hyundai Tucson, Honda Element, Scion xB, and Subaru Forester.
