Hyundai diesels and powers up the Santa Fe

Hyundai has added its second instalment to the Santa Fe SUV lineup -- the launch of a new turbodiesel and the announcement of bigger petrol V6 engines. And though you’ll have almost a year to wait for the bigger petrol engine (see below), the new CRDi diesel-engined variant goes on sale this week, priced from $36,990.

The entry-level five-seat, five-speed manual 2.2-litre turbodiesel features a new SX model designation. A five-speed automatic transmission adds a further $3000 to the sub-$37K recommended retail price.

Next up there’s a mid-spec SLX model which, with the diesel CRDi engine, is offered as a seven-seat automatic-only priced from $43,490. The top-of-the-range, five-seat, auto-only Santa Fe Elite CRDi is priced from $46,990.

The Santa Fe’s diesel engine is a 2.2-litre four-cylinder unit that generates maximum outputs of 114kW at 4000rpm and 343Nm from 1800-2500rpm. It drives all four wheels through an electronically-controlled on-demand type all-wheel drive system. (Drive is normally fed through the front wheels and if traction is lost, the AWD system apportions torque to the rear axle while a 4WD lock switch can be used to constantly split torque 50/50 front/rear at speeds under 40km/h.)

Hyundai claims the diesel Santa Fe is the cheapest and most frugal mid-sized diesel SUV in the segment with a combined ADR 81/01 official fuel consumption of just 7.3lt/100km for the SX manual. The five-seat automatic diesel lists an official fuel consumption of 8.1lt/100km.

The entry level SX model is new and comes standard with air-conditioning, power windows and mirrors, remote locking, single CD audio system, cruise control, 17-inch alloy wheels, ABS and dual front airbags.

The mid-range SLX (which is also available with the existing 138kW/248Nm 2.7-litre petrol V6 from $35,990) gains ESP stability control and traction control, front side and side curtain airbags, the flat-folding two-person third-row seat and front fog lights. The Elite model boasts leather trim, a sunroof, six-stack CD player, dual-zone climate control, power front seats and 18-inch alloys as standard equipment.

Petrol-engined Santa Fe fans will have to wait until September next year for the powered-up version to arrive Down Under. It’s then Hyundai expects to launch both front-wheel and all-wheel drive versions of the updated car featuring a version of the Sonata’s 3.3-litre V6.

The diesel Santa Fe was launched at last week's Australian International Motor Show in Sydney where the company also displayed the Arnejs five-door concept car (also pictured). Although dubbed a concept, the striking looking Arnejs will become the production Elantra hatch that is due on sale about mid-2007.

According to Hyundai, externally, the concept ( a close cousin to the critically-acclaimed Kia C'eed) reflects the production car accurately with only minor details and the 19-inch alloys likely to be lost in the production process.