2015 Hyundai Santa Fe Benefits from Retuned Steering, Suspension

2015 Hyundai Santa Fe ・ Photo by Hyundai

The 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe family—including the two-row Santa Fe Sport and three-row Santa Fe proper—have received some serious under-the-skin upgrades for the new model year and will but offer the same starting point of $24,950 as last year. That, of course, is for the smaller Santa Fe Sport, which actually adds a small bonus over its bigger sibling: a two-tone, model-specific grille created as a design cue for the vehicle's more nimble and athletic positioning. (The MSRP of the 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe rises $250 to $30,150.)

All versions of the 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe will then offer a more refined driving experience, thanks to a new 32-bit microprocessor for the vehicles' electric power-steering systems and stiffened suspensions. Also, even with the revised steering setup, the 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe duo still features standard Driver Selectable Steering Mode, allowing owners to fine-tune steering performance to match different driving styles and road conditions.

The automaker also fine-tuned the 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe and Santa Fe Sport with additional standard content such as daytime running lights, a driver's-side blind-spot mirror, a one-touch up/down passenger-side window and two new exterior colors, Sparkling Silver and Platinum Graphite.

Finally, Hyundai is getting in on the foot-operated power-liftgate action, making the feature available for both versions of the 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe; it also marks the first powered rear-liftgate of any kind for the Sport-spec'ed Santa Fe.

Another key—and unchanged—difference between the 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe models is beneath their hoods, with the two entries combining to offer three engine choices (all matched with a six-speed automatic transmission):

• Standard on the 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport is a 2.4-liter four-cylinder unit that serves up 190 hp, 181 lb.-ft. of torque and EPA grades of 20 mpg city/27 mpg highway/23 mpg combined.
• The up-level Santa Fe Sport 2.0T relies on a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo that's capable of 264 hp, 269 lb.-ft. of torque and fuel-economy marks of 19 mpg city/27 mpg highway/22 mpg combined.
• With a standard 3.3-liter V-6, the 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe benefits from 290 hp, 252 lb.-ft. of torque and EPA ratings that reach 18 mpg city/25 mpg highway/21 mpg combined.

The 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe lineup is arriving in dealerships now.