A spokesperson for Hyundai Motor Europe GmbH has told just-auto that the new Grand Santa Fe will not be sold in the UK. This, despite Britain being the only one of Europe’s big five regional markets to be experiencing growth.
The Geneva motor show will play host to the world premiere of not only the Grand Santa Fe but also the diesel version of this E-segment SUV. Hyundai’s 197PS 2.2-litre four-cylinder unit will be the standard engine for European markets.
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HME’s spokesperson has confirmed to j-a that the new six- or seven-seater vehicle will be available in Germany, France, Italy and Spain from June/July. It will be a rival for the VW Touareg and Volvo XC90, each of which is also based on a front- and all-wheel drive archicture.
The Grand Santa Fe is the regional name for the Santa Fe which had its global debut at last year’s New York auto show. In North America, this long-wheelbase SUV is sold as the Santa Fe, while the standard wheelbase model is the Santa Fe Sport.
According to HME, “the ride and handling characteristics have been adjusted to deliver a more damped, responsive driving experience expected by European buyers”.
Compared to the Santa Fe/Santa Fe Sport, the Grand has a re-shaped grille, fog lamps and front bumper, and larger re-styled rear quarters.
Author: Glenn Brooks
