Hyundai Santa Fe 2015 News

The Australian Competition and Consumer Comission (ACCC) has this month issued call backs for Toyota’s Kluger, Hyundai’s Santa Fe, Peugeot’s 4008 and the Range Rover Velar for manufacturing faults.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has announced its latest round of safety recalls, with models from Subaru, Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai, Mazda, Toyota and Ford affected.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has announced its latest round of national recalls, with models from Hyundai, Mitsubishi, Kia, Land Rover and Ram impacted.

A broken windscreen could create major safety problems for a growing number of new cars.

Hyundai wants people to change over their cars the way they switch mobile phones.

Range-topping performance flavoured SR model to join the Hyundai Santa Fe family SUV range early next year.Hyundai has revealed a new sports-themed Santa Fe SR to sit atop the large SUV’s Australian lineup.Ready to join Hyundai’s growing stable of ‘SR’ badged performance cars in the first quarter of 2015, the Santa Fe brings a more aggressive look and promises improved handling.An aluminium-look sports body kit and a set of 19-inch matte-finish OZ Racing Versilia alloys headline the list of cosmetic changes. The wheel dimensions are identical to those of the standard Santa Fe Highlander, but offer more clearance for the SR’s upgraded Brembo brakes front and rear.The front calipers are four-piston items, while the rears use a two-piston setup - and both sets are painted red for a sportier look. The SR also wears high performance Michelin tyres and rides on stiffer and lower H&R springs, which promise significantly improved dynamics and more cornering grip.These handling benefits come on top of the improvements already made across the entire 2015 Santa Fe SUV range, which include new front and rear dampers, new bushes and redesigned front steering knuckles.The SR will stick with the standard Santa Fe Highlander powertrain, featuring a 145kW/436Nm 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine connected to a six-speed automatic gearbox. The SUV’s standard all-wheel drive system is also unchanged.The new performance model also gets the hands-free tailgate, blind-spot monitoring system and auto park function introduced by the 2015 Santa Fe range.Pricing for the range-topping Santa Fe SR is yet to be confirmed, but it is expected to be dearer than the existing top-spec $53,240 Santa Fe Highlander.

Hyundai adds spec across Santa Fe lineup amid minor price changes on Elite and Highlander.Hyundai has refreshed the popular Santa Fe large SUV for 2015, bringing minor spec upgrades across Active, Elite and Highlander models.The entry level Active now comes standard with daytime running lights and cornering lights while keeping its $38,490 price, and can also be identified by a new dark chrome finish to the grille.The $48,490 mid-spec Elite model now comes with a powered tailgate – operated by a sensor in the key fob – but this change is accompanied by a $500 price rise.The $53,240 top-spec Highlander (up $1,250) is now equipped with automatic parking assistance and a lane departure warning system.Under the bonnet, things remain unchanged from the existing all-wheel drive Santa Fe lineup with a choice of 141kW/242Nm 2.4-litre petrol or 145kW/436Nm (421Nm with manual) 2.2-litre turbodiesel four-cylinder engines.The Active has the option of either a six-speed manual or torque converter automatic transmission, while the Elite and Highlander models are only available in automatic with diesel power.Fuel efficiency also remains unchanged from the previous model, with the petrol engine rated at 9.0L/100km combined with either transmission. The turbodiesel continues with a 6.6L/100km figure with the manual transmission, and 7.3L/100km with the automatic.

New Honda Jazz sets new benchmark for rear view cameras: $14,990.

The seven seater four wheel drive will likely be named ‘Everest’. Like the Ranger ute it’s based on, it’s developed by Ford Australia, whose design, research and development capability is expected to continue operating locally beyond manufacturing close down in 2016.The Territory rear end on this production test mule disguises a shorter wheelbase than the Ranger, which should make the Everest more manoeuvrable and agile on and off road. Like its rival, the Holden Colorado 7, the Ford is expected to upgrade the Ranger’s leaf springs and drum brakes to a live axle coil suspension setup and rear disc brakes.This should make the ride more passenger friendly, with the possibility of Ford adopting an independent rear suspension setup also an option. This would make the development more costly, but would favour passenger comfort and handling on road.A passenger version of the previous generation Ford Ranger has been in production in Thailand for several years, carrying the Everest name in that local market. But this is the first time the Everest SUV, which will be assembled in Thailand, will feature a smaller wheelbase and the expected suspension, brake and cabin refinement and passenger safety updates to make the SUV a competitive product in the global Ford portfolio.Like the Ranger, the Everest will be sold in European, American and Asia-pacific countries. No details have been revealed about engine and powertrain options, but expect little or no change to Ford’s 147kW 3.2-litre 5 cylinder Turbo diesel unit and 6 speed manual and automatic transmissions for our market. Ford’s 110kW 2.2-litre Turbo diesel, and 122kW 2.5-litre petrol may also feature in overseas models, but both are unlikely to make it to Australian showrooms.Low range is almost certain to continue too, making the Everest the most off road capable passenger four wheel drive offered by Ford Australia since the late 80s Maverick. A rear wheel drive model may also be on the cards, lowering the entry level price for families who don’t need the extra off road capability.Expect the Everest to launch in the second half of 2014, when the new model will need to win over the hearts of families and off road enthusiasts alike. The segment is currently dominated by the Toyota Prado with over 1000 sales per month, but it’s the soft roaders like the Ford Territory, Toyota Kluger, Holden Captiva 7 and Hyundai Santa Fe that make up the majority of sales combined, making passenger accommodation an important success factor.However, it’s the other ute-based passenger SUVs that will feel the heat of increased rivalry, with the Holden Colorado 7, Isuzu MU-X and Mitsubishi Challenger squarely on Ford’s radar. Ford may gain some sales from Territory buyers too, once manufacturing of the local SUV stops in 2016. Territory’s likely replacement, the Ford Edge, is not available with a Diesel engine, meaning customers wishing to buy a diesel four wheel drive Ford will need to turn to the Everest. 

Carmakers spend up big on the annual Super Bowl commercials, with a 30-second in-game spot costing $3.7m and even slots at the start and end of the game commanding premium prices. It's money well spent if they can attract attention – and turn it into sales. And a good ad can go far beyond the game day, turning viral and getting millions of views. Volkswagen's Darth Vader from the 2011 Super Bowl and the hot Adriana Lima commercial from the 2012 Super Bowl are just two of the stars that went on to become global successes.So which were the big contenders this year? Mercedes-Benz was early out of the gates with a teaser featuring swimsuit model Kate Upton 'washing a car slowly'. The shapely Ms Upton didn't actually get her own hands wet – except to blow a bit of foam around – and her role seems to be mainly distracting the footballers who are doing all the hard work. Merc followed up with what must have been a costly exercise for the CLA, with a pact offered by Willem Dafoe as Satan, and the Rolling Stones 'Sympathy for the Devil' as the soundtrack.Watch the Mercedes-Benz Kate Upton car wash adWatch the Mercedes-Benz Soul adWe reckon Coke filched ideas from two top Aussie movies. Their Coke Chase ad featured a gang of Mad Max baddies and a crew of showgirls in a pink Priscilla bus, vying with a Great Escape motorbike, a posse of cowboys and a camel-leading Arabian sheik – all in a race to a giant Coke bottle. The ad was the key creative in an online campaign that lets viewers vote to let three of the teams reach the bottle first – or delay the other teams by watching linked 'sabotage' videos. Watch the Coke Chase adThe early teaser for Toyota's 'Wish' spot featured The Big Bang Theory's Kaley Cuoco – it looked like fun and was backed up with the 'Careful What You Wish For' full ad, which gained much from Cuoco's perky personality as Penny.Watch the Toyota Wish teaser ad Watch the Toyota RAV4 Wish adKia's Space Babies teaser shows some fantastic CGI, and an even more fantastic answer to kids asking where they come from. The ad works well nearly right to the slightly lame ending, but it's doubtful it stacks up as something to rival their viral stars, the Soul Hamsters.Watch the Kia Space Baby adBut the Kia ad that had everybody talking -- including motoring journos -- was 'Hotbots', where a robotic motor show stand attendant (we don't call them booth babes here) gets revenge on a grubby guy.Watch the Kia HotBot adHyundai went all-out for the Super Bowl with several spots. The 'Team' one for Santa Fe was an early favourite, with some great performances from child actors -- and a very scary mum.Watch the Hyundai Santa Fe Team adThe 'Playdate' took you on an extreme day out of having fun and upsetting security guards, bikies and police, with the Flaming Lips providing the soundtrack.Watch the Hyundai Playdate adThe Genesis was talked up in 'Excited' with Hyundai touting its advantages over high end, and particularly German, luxury cars.Watch the Hyundai Genesis Excited adAnd then there was the aversion therapy of 'Stuck', showing some of the worst vehicles you can be stuck behind in traffic -- unless you have a Hyundai Sonata to overtake them, of course.Watch the Hyundai Sonata Stuck adVolkswagen ditched the Star Wars theme, and instead drafted reggae legend Jimmy Cliff for their 'Get Happy' teaser – and then got into a little hot water with the full ad, which shows Caucasian men taking off Jamaican accents. Perhaps it's still a Star Wars link ... the movie franchise faced similar accusations of racial stereotyping with the Jamaican-sounding Jar Jar Binks.Watch the VW Get Happy adWatch the VW Jimmy Cliff adVW then followed up with a low-key but effective 'bad dog' ad, showing what to do when the dog eats your car keys.Watch the VW Bad Dog adAudi tapped into every adolescent boy's fantasy with a lad heading off to prom night alone being tossed the keys to his dad's Audi S6, kissing the football jock's girlfriend and generally making it a night to remember.Watch the Audi Prom adFiat has launched a trio of ads for the 500L, all aimed at emphasising how much larger it is than the garden variety 500. Date, Sisters and Wedding are all flavoured with Italian dressing and – while not as scorching at the Catrinel Menghia Abarth ads – still manage to be cheeky.Watch the Fiat 500L Date adWatch the Fiat 500L Sisters adWatch the Fiat 500L Wedding adThe Chrysler group turned on the patriotism for their slightly saccharine ode to a farmer and Whole Again ads.Watch the Dodge Ram Farmer adWatch the Jeep  Whole again adAnd even snack food Doritos has got in on the car act, with one of the finalists for its Crash the Super Bowl ad playoff featuring the perfect solution to a back seat dog problem.Watch the Doritos Road Chip ad