Hyundai Motor rolls out 2018 Santa Fe

The 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe sport utility vehicle / Courtesy of Hyundai Motor

By Jhoo Dong-chan

Hyundai Motor announced Monday the release of its new 2018 Santa Fe sports utility vehicle (SUV). The automaker’s first SUV model saw combined sales topping 1 million.

The Seoul-based outfit said that the new model is equipped with various advanced options like blind spot detection (BSD) and a parking assistance system (PAS) as standard features while its price remains unchanged compared to its predecessors.

The 2018 Santa Fe also features an 8-inch screen for its navigation system and a smart power tailgate.

The 2018 Santa Fe R2.0 is priced between 27.95 million ($24,573) and 32.95 million won while the R2.2 model costs 34.85 million won.

The nation’s largest carmaker also expanded the 2018 Santa Fe’s “1Million” premium model into three different trims to meet various consumer tastes.

“The Santa Fe SUV 1Million was introduced in July, and more than 5,000 cars have been sold since,” a Hyundai Official said. “It was 17.3 percent of the total Santa Fe sales in the period, proving its popularity in the segment. Hyundai Motor has decided to expand the 1Million trim to satisfy more motorists here.”

Under the slogan “Tuning is innovation and expression,” the 2018 Santa Fe 1Million offers various design options such as a two-tone door side garnish and two-tone color rear skid plates. It also features a dual twin-tip muffler, half-gloss chrome outside mirror cover and radiator grille as well as logo door spot lamp with the exclusive Hyundai Motor emblem.

The 2018 Santa Fe 1Million’s price starts from 32.95 million won.

A Hyundai Motor official said consumers who buy the model this month will also get the JBL luxury bluetooth speakers.

Meanwhile, Hyundai Motor Group promoted 348 executives at its two car makers and other affiliates. Effective Monday, 176 senior officials at Hyundai Motor and its smaller affiliate Kia Motors have been promoted to executive posts.

The reshuffle affected 172 officials at other subsidiaries of the group, including the country's largest auto parts maker Hyundai Mobis and Hyundai Engineering, a construction firm.

The total number of officials promoted marked a slight drop from the 368 promoted in the last personnel reshuffle announced 2015.

"The latest personnel reshuffle was aimed at securing future competitiveness amid an outlook that global competition in the auto industry will continue to intensify while global uncertainties will expand," the group said in a press release.

Among 11 officials newly promoted to vice presidents, seven came from the research and development or technology-related sectors, it added.

Out of the total 348 promoted, only one was named a new chief executive. Sung Sang-rok, a former vice president of Hyundai Engineering, has been named the top official of the construction firm.