Everything about the 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe line speaks to its refinement including its ride quality, comfort and convenience features and outstanding efficiency. The Santa Fe Limited doubles down on that refinement with features that you’d normally expect to find in luxury vehicles costing thousands – even tens of thousands – more.
Two engines provide the motivation for the Santa Fe Limited (MSRP $27,275). Standard is the second-generation 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, providing a 20 mpg city/28 mpg highway fuel economy rating (front-wheel drive). The engine develops 175 hp and 169 lb/ft of torque thanks to Continuously Variable Valve Timing (CVVT) on both camshafts and a Variable Intake System (VIS) for more efficient engine breathing.
The Santa Fe Limited also offers an all-aluminum, dual overhead cam 3.5-liter V6 engine with four valves per cylinder, capable of 276 hp and 248 lb/ft of torque. The V6 has undergone extensive engineering and testing to provide smooth, accessible power in a wide range of rpm levels. By utilizing CVVT technology, the engine automatically maximizes power at various throttle positions using the three-step Variable Intake System that helps the cylinders breathe more efficiently at both low and high rpm levels. The benefit is outstanding acceleration from a dead stop, along with the passing power you need for safe highway merging. With all that power on tap, this engineering still provides fuel economy estimates that beat both the Ford Edge and the Chevrolet Equinox V6 engines – 20 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway. The “Eco Indicator” provides feedback on the instrument panel to indicate driving habits that contribute to better fuel economy.
The Santa Fe Limited runs that power through a smooth-shifting six-speed SHIFTRONIC automatic transmission with a lockup torque converter that helps to improve highway fuel economy. The Limited model also provides available all-wheel drive, which directs power to the wheels that have the best traction. The driver-selectable AWD Lock function provides a fixed 50/50 torque distribution between the front and rear wheels to extricate drivers from particularly slippery conditions. Electronic Stability Control (ESC) is standard on all Santa Fe models; in National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) studies, vehicles equipped with ESC were associated with 63 percent fewer fatalities than were vehicles without the system, in single vehicle crashes.
Like all Hyundai models, the Santa Fe Limited provides industry-leading safety equipment. Six standard airbags include side-curtain airbags to provide head and chest protection in the event of a side impact. With these airbags alone, fatalities can be reduced by more than 52 percent. The side-curtain airbags also feature rollover sensors that trigger the airbags and seatbelt pretensioners to keep occupants in place and reduce injuries in the event of a rollover. The Santa Fe Limited provides front and rear disc brakes with a four-channel Anti-lock Braking System (ABS). Brake Assist helps provide maximum braking force when the system detects a panic stop, and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) systematically balances brake pressure to the front and rear wheels, automatically adjusting for vehicle load conditions.
Along with all its performance and safety equipment, the Santa Fe Limited delivers a luxury experience in a vehicle that lives within your budget. Standard features go well beyond features found in the Santa Fe SE and include heated leather seats, a 605-watt Infinity Logic 7 Surround Sound AM/FM/XM/six-CD audio system, automatic temperature control with dual zones and an outside temperature display and an auto dimming interior mirror with compass and HomeLink universal remote.
Exterior features also distinguish the Limited from its other well-equipped stablemates. Chrome accent exterior door handles and a power tilt-and-slide glass sunroof are standard on all Limited trims. Limited models equipped with the V6 engine also feature a standard Trailer-Prep Package and a 115-volt power outlet. An available Navigation Package includes a Hyundai-specific 6.5-inch touch-screen navigation system, an integrated rear-view camera and the Infinity Logic 7 Surround Sound System upgraded with 10 speakers including a subwoofer and an external amp.
The Hyundai Santa Fe Limited is everything you’d want a midsize crossover to be, and offers the most comprehensive warranty in the business to back it all up. America’s Best Warranty™ covers you with 10 years or 100,000 miles of powertrain coverage, a guaranteed trade-in value on the Santa Fe Limited you buy today and 24/7 roadside assistance. Find out more about the Santa Fe Limited and drive one for yourself. We’re always happy to show it off.
