2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Australian updates detailed

Pricing and specifications for the model year 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe have been released ahead of the car’s entry to showrooms in the coming weeks.

Headlining the changes to the Santa Fe lineup is the standardisation of Hyundai’s SmartSense active safety equipment across the range, which was previously limited to the top-spec Highlander model. There’s also a new infotainment system for Elite and Highlander models, and the previous entry-level Active manual has been dropped.

“2018 Hyundai Santa Fe has been a great example of affordable luxury from the day it made its debut and the updated range continues to deliver on this promise,” says Hyundai Motor Company Australia’s Chief Operating Officer, Scott Grant.

“With SmartSense now standard across the range, buyers get the latest advanced safety technology in a practical, full-size seven-seat SUV with a starting price below $42,000.”

SmartSense is now standard equipment across the MY18 Hyundai Santa Fe range, and includes autonomous emergency braking with forward collision warning, lane departure warning, blind-spot monitoring and radar cruise control across the range, even on the entry-level Active.

2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Active and ActiveX models also score a larger 4.2-inch instrument cluster display (up from 3.5-inches), an electronic handbrake, an auto-dimming rear view mirror, electric-folding mirrors and puddle lamps mounted in the mirrors.

2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Elite and Highlander models also add a new eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system incorporating inbuilt satellite navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Santa Fe drivetrain options remain unchanged, with an all-wheel drive 138kW/241Nm 2.4-litre petrol four-cylinder, a front-wheel drive 199kW/318Nm 3.3-litre petrol V6 and a 147kW/440Nm 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel all continuing as before. The six-speed manual option on Active models has been dropped from the Australian lineup due to low sales, leaving the Australian Santa Fe range solely using a six-speed automatic.

Pricing for the MY18 Hyundai Santa Fe lineup also remains unchanged aside from the lack of a price-leader manual transmission. This means that pricing starts at $40,990 for the ActiveX V6, and climbs to the Highlander diesel all-wheel drive at $57,090, plus on-road costs.

The updated Santa Fe is one of Hyundai’s model updates planned for this year, with the new Kona small SUV planned for an October launch, and the hot hatch i30 N marked for a late 2017 launch.

2018 Hyundai Santa Fe pricing (plus on-road costs):
ActiveX 3.3 MPi FWD – $40,990
Active 2.4 GDi AWD – $41,850
Active 2.2 CRDi AWD – $44,850
Elite 2.2 CRDi AWD – $51,990
Highlander 2.2 CRDi AWD – $57,090

Stay tuned to Chasing Cars for any news regarding the Hyundai Santa Fe.