Has South Korean carmaker Hyundai withdrawn its Santa Fe SUV from the Indian market? Reports emerging suggest so. And a cursory glance at the company's Indian website only reinforces that belief.
The Santa Fe — a seven-seater SUV — no longer features on the portal even as the company maintains silence with no official word on the glaring omission.
A report of TeamBHP says dealers of the company have also acknowledged this lack of communication, although other reports indicate the company intends to make the Santa Fe available only against orders.
The third-generation Santa Fe, which was on sale in the country, was launched at the Auto Expo in 2014. It was pitted against Toyota Fortuner, Ford Endeavour, Ssangyong Rexton and others in the domestic market, fairing well in the segment.
However, it is said to have hit a rough patch in recent times, with its sales going down to the point that not even a single unit was sold in August 2017. Overall, its sales for the past six months stand at a measly 67 units.
The Santa Fe was powered by a 2.2-litre, CRDi diesel engine that developed 194 bhp at 3,800 rpm and 421 Nm of peak torque at 1,800-2,500 rpm. The SUV was available with the option of a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission.
The Santa Fe was available in both 2WD (Two-wheel drive) and 4WD (Four-wheel drive) options. The car came with six airbags, electronic safety control (ESC), vehicle safety management (VSM), brake assist and hill start control.
Other features included leather seats, sunroof, engine start-stop button, adjustable seat, 18-inch diamond cut alloy wheels, LED headlights and daytime running lights.
