Road Test and Review: 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe The previous generation Hyundai Santa Fe was a quietly sedate and remarkably practical ...
Showing posts with label Santro. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Santro. Show all posts
Inside Hyundai’s Production Line
Have you ever wondered how a car is made? Take a virtual tour of Hyundai’s assembly line in Chennai to see the various steps in assembling a...
10 Cheapest Cars for 2012
With fuel costs rising, car buyers are placing a renewed emphasis on fuel savings and higher efficiencies. That means a bigger market for...
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Showing posts with label Santro. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Santro. Show all posts
Monday, 23 June 2014
Road Test and Review: 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe
Road Test and Review: 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe
The previous generation Hyundai Santa Fe was a quietly sedate and remarkably practical SUV, but it wasn’t a dreamboat that you looked cool in. Now, as with its younger siblings, the Santa Fe has undergone a drastic makeover that earns it a rightful place among the best-looking crossover SUVs in the market. It raises the bar even further with impressive performance, go-anywhere capability, state-of-the-art interiors and the amount of kit the car gets as standard.
Design
The new Santa Fe embodies ‘storm edge’ design concept, which is an evolution of the fluidic sculpture philosophy. The magnificent three-bar hexagonal front grille is certainly in vogue in contemporary automotive design. HID LED headlamps with trendy daytime running lights further enhance the visual impact. Dual tone skid plates add to the sportiness, too.
Side profile is equally impressive with 18-inch 2-tone Diamond Cut alloy wheels, muscular wheel arches, clean lines and roof rails. The rear design is congruous with the rest of the car and flaunts LED combination lamps, large bumper reflectors, rear spoiler, twin exhaust pipe and rear skid plate. Overall, the new Santa Fe’s exterior design is well balanced, dynamic, contemporary and not overdone, too.
Once inside, you are pleasantly surprised by the décor. The expansive greenhouse is full of fluidic soft-touch materials that look good and offer lots of bang for the buck. The heavily bolstered seats are perched high off the floor and feel commanding. The driver seat is 12-way power adjustable.
The clearly laid out centre console is easy to use but the 4.3 inch TFT screen is tad small for a car of this size. Audio, Bluetooth and some primary driving controls are simply grouped around the multi-function steering wheel.
Dual zone fully automatic climate control and manual sunshades on the second row do an effective job of keeping the cabin temperature pleasantly cool.
It is not the slightly increased length, but the smart interior packaging that makes the new Santa Fe’s cabin spacious and airy. There’s no complaint about the headroom or legroom on all three rows either. The third row folds flat to further expand the already lavish 585 litres of luggage space.
Performance
Be it off road or on, the Santa Fe does everything well. With 197Ps of power at your disposal, a gentle tap on the pedal has the Santa Fe straining at the leash. The electronically controlled variable geometry turbocharger kicks in very quickly and you feel virtually no turbolag. The 2.2-litre CRDi unit is Hyundai’s ‘R’ series engine, hence NVH levels are lower than the previous model. The engine is mated to a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed auto gearbox. Manual variant offers 420Nm of max torque while the automatic gets around 16Nm more, both between 1800-2500rpm.
The automatic variant is great for cruising but it’s somewhat hesitant to downshift when you need it to. I found this particularly frustrating while exiting sharp corners. It doesn’t offer paddle shifters either and that is just unacceptable.
Santa Fe returns a mileage of 14.74kmpl for the MT and 13.01kmpl for AT.
Ride and Handling
As I drove the automatic variant along the meandering roads that lace through Kerala’s mountainous region, I felt the Santa Fe’s steering is accurate, and the handling's just so. Santa Fe comes with Flex Steer that allows the driver to switch among 3 steering modes – Comfort, Normal and Sport depending on road conditions and driver preferences. Even though there is some body roll, Advance Traction Cornering Control (ATCC) and Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) ensure the car knifes into corners precisely and predictably. Intelligent 4 Wheel Drive System and differential lock ensure impressive handling off the road as well.
Santa Fe’s ride quality is compliant and surprisingly supple going by the SUV standards. Road, tyre and wind noise have been kept to a pleasingly low level.
Safety
Santa Fe’s three layers of safety with ABS, Electronic Stability Control and VSM ensure efficient braking on different terrains. Six airbags, advanced dual seatbelt mechanism, Hill Start Assist and Downhill brake control grant you complete peace of mind.
Conclusion
Hyundai has launched the new Dynamic Santa Fe at the Auto Expo starting from Rs. 2,630,000 for the 2WD M/T to Rs. 2,925,000 for the 4WD A/T. While it’s not easy to beat very stiff competition from cheaper alternatives such as Toyota Fortuner and Audi Q3, the hefty price tag can be justified by gorgeous exterior design, nicely crafted spacious interior and the long list of equipment.
Design
The new Santa Fe embodies ‘storm edge’ design concept, which is an evolution of the fluidic sculpture philosophy. The magnificent three-bar hexagonal front grille is certainly in vogue in contemporary automotive design. HID LED headlamps with trendy daytime running lights further enhance the visual impact. Dual tone skid plates add to the sportiness, too.
Side profile is equally impressive with 18-inch 2-tone Diamond Cut alloy wheels, muscular wheel arches, clean lines and roof rails. The rear design is congruous with the rest of the car and flaunts LED combination lamps, large bumper reflectors, rear spoiler, twin exhaust pipe and rear skid plate. Overall, the new Santa Fe’s exterior design is well balanced, dynamic, contemporary and not overdone, too.
Once inside, you are pleasantly surprised by the décor. The expansive greenhouse is full of fluidic soft-touch materials that look good and offer lots of bang for the buck. The heavily bolstered seats are perched high off the floor and feel commanding. The driver seat is 12-way power adjustable.
The clearly laid out centre console is easy to use but the 4.3 inch TFT screen is tad small for a car of this size. Audio, Bluetooth and some primary driving controls are simply grouped around the multi-function steering wheel.
Dual zone fully automatic climate control and manual sunshades on the second row do an effective job of keeping the cabin temperature pleasantly cool.
It is not the slightly increased length, but the smart interior packaging that makes the new Santa Fe’s cabin spacious and airy. There’s no complaint about the headroom or legroom on all three rows either. The third row folds flat to further expand the already lavish 585 litres of luggage space.
Performance
Be it off road or on, the Santa Fe does everything well. With 197Ps of power at your disposal, a gentle tap on the pedal has the Santa Fe straining at the leash. The electronically controlled variable geometry turbocharger kicks in very quickly and you feel virtually no turbolag. The 2.2-litre CRDi unit is Hyundai’s ‘R’ series engine, hence NVH levels are lower than the previous model. The engine is mated to a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed auto gearbox. Manual variant offers 420Nm of max torque while the automatic gets around 16Nm more, both between 1800-2500rpm.
The automatic variant is great for cruising but it’s somewhat hesitant to downshift when you need it to. I found this particularly frustrating while exiting sharp corners. It doesn’t offer paddle shifters either and that is just unacceptable.
Santa Fe returns a mileage of 14.74kmpl for the MT and 13.01kmpl for AT.
Ride and Handling
As I drove the automatic variant along the meandering roads that lace through Kerala’s mountainous region, I felt the Santa Fe’s steering is accurate, and the handling's just so. Santa Fe comes with Flex Steer that allows the driver to switch among 3 steering modes – Comfort, Normal and Sport depending on road conditions and driver preferences. Even though there is some body roll, Advance Traction Cornering Control (ATCC) and Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) ensure the car knifes into corners precisely and predictably. Intelligent 4 Wheel Drive System and differential lock ensure impressive handling off the road as well.
Santa Fe’s ride quality is compliant and surprisingly supple going by the SUV standards. Road, tyre and wind noise have been kept to a pleasingly low level.
Safety
Santa Fe’s three layers of safety with ABS, Electronic Stability Control and VSM ensure efficient braking on different terrains. Six airbags, advanced dual seatbelt mechanism, Hill Start Assist and Downhill brake control grant you complete peace of mind.
Conclusion
Hyundai has launched the new Dynamic Santa Fe at the Auto Expo starting from Rs. 2,630,000 for the 2WD M/T to Rs. 2,925,000 for the 4WD A/T. While it’s not easy to beat very stiff competition from cheaper alternatives such as Toyota Fortuner and Audi Q3, the hefty price tag can be justified by gorgeous exterior design, nicely crafted spacious interior and the long list of equipment.
Thursday, 24 January 2013
Inside Hyundai’s Production Line
Have you ever wondered how a car is made? Take a virtual tour of Hyundai’s assembly line in Chennai to see the various steps in assembling a car.
Robot arms assemble cars inside the Hyundai Motor India Ltd. plant at Kancheepuram district in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu October 4, 2012. Running around the clock and selling everything it can build, Hyundai Motor's Indian factory is bursting at the seams. But as demand grows and rivals scale up, the car maker has chosen to take its foot off the pedal. Hyundai's strategic decision to focus on quality over quantity, even as its production lines are stretched in India and elsewhere, risks losing hard-won market share and is forcing it to divert output from its plant outside Chennai away from exports to other high-growth markets to meet domestic demand.
Workers stand next to the assembly line of the Hyundai Motor India Ltd. plant at Kancheepuram district in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu October 4, 2012. Running around the clock and selling everything it can build, Hyundai Motor's Indian factory is bursting at the seams. But as demand grows and rivals scale up, the car maker has chosen to take its foot off the pedal. Hyundai's strategic decision to focus on quality over quantity, even as its production lines are stretched in India and elsewhere, risks losing hard-won market share and is forcing it to divert output from its plant outside Chennai away from exports to other high-growth markets to meet domestic demand
A worker assembles a Hyundai i10 car inside the Hyundai Motor India Ltd. plant at Kancheepuram district in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu October 4, 2012. Running around the clock and selling everything it can build, Hyundai Motor's Indian factory is bursting at the seams. But as demand grows and rivals scale up, the car maker has chosen to take its foot off the pedal. Hyundai's strategic decision to focus on quality over quantity, even as its production lines are stretched in India and elsewhere, risks losing hard-won market share and is forcing it to divert output from its plant outside Chennai away from exports to other high-growth markets to meet domestic demand
A worker assembles a Hyundai i10 car inside the Hyundai Motor India Ltd. plant at Kancheepuram district in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu October 4, 2012. Running around the clock and selling everything it can build, Hyundai Motor's Indian factory is bursting at the seams. But as demand grows and rivals scale up, the car maker has chosen to take its foot off the pedal. Hyundai's strategic decision to focus on quality over quantity, even as its production lines are stretched in India and elsewhere, risks losing hard-won market share and is forcing it to divert output from its plant outside Chennai away from exports to other high-growth markets to meet domestic demand.
Workers assemble a Hyundai i10 car at a plant of Hyundai Motor India Ltd in Sriperumbudur Taluk in the Kancheepuram district of Tamil Nadu
Workers assemble cars inside the Hyundai Motor India Ltd. plant at Kancheepuram district in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu October 4, 2012. Running around the clock and selling everything it can build, Hyundai Motor's Indian factory is bursting at the seams. But as demand grows and rivals scale up, the car maker has chosen to take its foot off the pedal. Hyundai's strategic decision to focus on quality over quantity, even as its production lines are stretched in India and elsewhere, risks losing hard-won market share and is forcing it to divert output from its plant outside Chennai away from exports to other high-growth markets to meet domestic demand.
A worker works next to the assembly line of the Hyundai Motor India Ltd. plant at Kancheepuram district in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu October 4, 2012. Running around the clock and selling everything it can build, Hyundai Motor's Indian factory is bursting at the seams. But as demand grows and rivals scale up, the car maker has chosen to take its foot off the pedal. Hyundai's strategic decision to focus on quality over quantity, even as its production lines are stretched in India and elsewhere, risks losing hard-won market share and is forcing it to divert output from its plant outside Chennai away from exports to other high-growth markets to meet domestic demand
Workers assemble cars inside the Hyundai Motor India Ltd. plant at Kancheepuram district in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu October 4, 2012. Running around the clock and selling everything it can build, Hyundai Motor's Indian factory is bursting at the seams. But as demand grows and rivals scale up, the car maker has chosen to take its foot off the pedal. Hyundai's strategic decision to focus on quality over quantity, even as its production lines are stretched in India and elsewhere, risks losing hard-won market share and is forcing it to divert output from its plant outside Chennai away from exports to other high-growth markets to meet domestic demand.
Saturday, 21 July 2012
10 Cheapest Cars for 2012
With fuel costs rising, car buyers are placing a renewed emphasis on fuel savings and higher efficiencies. That means a bigger market for the hatchbacks that offer the best mileage and lowest ownership costs, created by low initial cost of purchase as well as lower fuel use
The Tata Nano is not only the cheapest car in India, but it is the cheapest car in the world. It has a starting price of Rs. 1.56 lakhs for the Standard variant
The Maruti Suzuki Omni is the second cheapest car in the country, with the Standard BS-IV variant priced at Rs. 2.57 lakhs (ex-showroom).
Sitting at third place is India's largest selling car, the Alto, which starts at Rs. 2.59 lakhs (ex-showroom) for the base Standard variant.
Sitting at 4th place is Hyundai's Eon. The Eon range starts at Rs. 2.92 lakhs (ex-showroom) for the base D-Lite variant
The trusty old Santro comes in at number 5 and is offered at a starting price of Rs. 3.07 lakhs (ex-showroom) for the Non-AC variant.
The re-badged Versa now starts at a price of Rs. 3.16 lakhs (ex-showroom) for the 5-seater variant. it is offered with a 1.2-liter petrol engine
Powered by a 995cc petrol engine, The Chevrolet Spark starts from Rs. Rs. 3.29 lakh (Ex-Showroom Mumbai)
Tata Motors has priced the e-Xeta at Rs. 3.32 lakhs (ex-showroom) for the base eGL variant. It is powered by a 1.2-litre petrol engine.
Powered by a 998cc, K-Series engine, the Estilo range starts at Rs. 3.54 lakhs (ex-showroom) for the base LX variant.
This electric car is the cheapest electric vehicle in India and is priced at Rs. 3.56 lakhs (ex-showroom) for the base Standard variant.
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