2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport

DRIVER SELECTABLE STEERING MODE (DSSM)
Standard on all Santa Fe Sport models and accessed via a button on the steering wheel, DSSM offers three different power-steering assist programs. The baseline "Normal" effort is reduced by 10 percent when the city-oriented "Comfort" mode is selected and increased by 10 percent in the "Sport" setting, which provides a more positive feel when negotiating twisty roads or during high-speed freeway cruising.

ACTIVE CORNERING CONTROL ALL-WHEEL DRIVE
Optional on the Santa Fe Sport and Sport 2.0T, this "intelligent" AWD system integrates with the Vehicle Stability Management system and the antilock brakes. It actively monitors surface conditions and then distributes engine and braking forces to any wheel/wheels to improve cornering as well as fuel economy.

Although its scale remains virtually unchanged, the Santa Fe Sport's well-finished, user-friendly cabin design has a more contemporary look and feel that shares many cues with other current Hyundai products. User-friendly control layouts are complemented by lots of convenient storage areas and the standard seat trim – easy-care Yes Essentials stain/odor-resistant fabric – can be upgraded to leather in either model. Comfortable, well-bolstered front bucket seats team with an adult-capable 40/20/40 rear bench that allows 5.2-inches of fore/aft travel plus a recline function as part of an option package. Dropping the aft seatbacks creates a near-flat floor and expands cargo volume from 35.4 to 71.5 cubic feet.

Introducing the latest chapter in Hyundai's "Fluidic Precision" design language, the 2013 Santa Fe Sport boasts more evocative bodywork than its predecessor as well as class-leading aerodynamics that are further assisted by unseen but highly-effective underbody fairings. The visible transition is most clearly evidenced in the vehicle's dynamic contours and character lines set off by a dramatic greenhouse treatment and well-integrated details highlighted by a bright-finish grille and door handles, LED-enhanced headlights/taillights and a functional rear spoiler. Where the Santa Fe Sport rides on 17-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 235/65 tires, the Sport 2.0T matches 19-inch alloys with lower-profile 235/55 rubber.

The new Santa Fe Sport offers a pair of Hyundai's Theta II GDI inline-4 engines that also are found in the Sonata sedan. Both direct-injected fours feature continuously variable valve timing to further enhance operating efficiency. The base engine is a 190-horsepower 2.4-liter while the Sport 2.0T carries a 264-horsepower version of the turbocharged 2.0-liter. The sole transmission is a smooth, responsive 6-speed automatic with a Shiftronic manual-style gate. The impressive weight-reduction program imparts a new measure of quickness across the board, along with improved fuel economy.

2.4-liter inline-4
190 horsepower @ 6,300 rpm
181lb-ft of torque @ 4,250 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 21/29 mpg (FWD ), 20/26 mpg (AWD)

2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4
264 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
269 lb-ft of torque @ 1,750-3,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 20/27 mpg (FWD ), 19/24 mpg (AWD)

The front-drive 2013 Santa Fe Sport starts around $25,300, with the AWD version opening at just over $27,000. On the turbo side, the Sport 2.0T begins just beyond $28,500 and the 2.0T AWD commands close to $30,300. While the Popular Equipment Package will add $950 to the Sport model and stepping up to both the Leather & Premium and Technology Packages bumps the base price points by about $5,500 in all cases, the new Santa Fe Sport still holds a slight to quite significant – think 4-figure – bottom-line advantage compared to comparably equipped prime competitors. It also offers Hyundai's class-leading 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty and 5-year roadside assistance program. While KBB.com has not yet established residual values, there's strong reason to believe they'll be fully competitive with rivals like the Chevrolet Equinox, Ford Edge, Kia Sorento and Toyota RAV4.

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