Hyundai unveiled the 2021 Santa Fe SUV last month and it doesn’t seem to show a lot of changes in terms of appearance.
However, as it turns out, the vehicle packs a punch inside.
According to details shared by the automaker’s European arm, two new powertrains will be offered for the upcoming Santa Fe: a traditional hybrid powertrain and a plug-in hybrid system.
The regular hybrid powertrain is being referred to within the company as the Smartstream engine. It will serve as basis for the plug-in hybrid powertrain set to arrive later.
The two systems feature a 1.6-liter turbo-four engine which, for the standard hybrid, will be paired.
When paired with the standard hybrid, it is expected to deliver 59 horsepower through the electric motor and 1.49-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery. It will come with a front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive setup and is pegged to deliver up to 227 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque.
The plug-in hybrid, on the other hand, is equipped with an e-motor that makes 90 horsepower and features a bigger battery with 13.8 kWh. It is seen to sport 261 horsepower, although Hyundai has not revealed any information on the range.
Both Santa Fe variants will also have a six-speed automatic transmission.
According to Hyundai, this move aims to achieve more fuel efficiency in vehicles compared to the outgoing generation.
The hybrid powertrains will also come with Continuously Variable Valve Duration technology, which is also seen on the new 2021 Kia K5 sedan.
Although the details are from Hyundai’s European headquarters, the same features are expected to come to the U.S.-spec Santa Fe. But what’s confirmed so far is that U.S. customers won’t have the diesel engine and eight-speed dual-clutch transmission pairing.
The 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe is set to go on sale in Europe this September, so buyers from the U.S. can expect more details on the SUV soon.
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