Hyundai Santa Fe shows new face in Chicago

Last year during the IAA Frankfurt Motor Show we have been greeted by the facelift for the Euro-spec 2016 Santa Fe and nearly half a year later the same goes for the 2017 model year in US-guise.

On the outside, the Santa Fe and Santa Fe Sport each get redesigned front fascias with bolder front grille and headlamps.

And like every refresh, there is new technology including a new 7-inch touchscreen with Android Auto that is standard in the three-row Santa Fe and optional in the Sport. What has changed for all of these engines is the addition of a drive mode selector which allows you to choose from sport, eco or normal drive modes.

The Sport version is powered by a 2.4-liter four-cylinder direct-injected engine with 185 horsepower, or the more powerful turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 240 horsepower. Hyundai says the almost 350 updated parts equate to 25 percent of the Santa Fe Sport being freshened with changes inside, outside and under the hood. The seven seater model will be running on a 3.3 liter V6 engine that will be delivering about 290hp.

Inside, both the 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe and Santa Fe Sport add a host of extra standard technologies, including a backup camera and a third-row USB port for the three-row Santa Fe. The 2017 Santa Fe line-up continues to offer front- or all-wheel drive and seating options for five, six or seven passengers. The upside here is that EPA city/highway fuel economy ratings rise by at least one mpg in most variants. An 8-inch touch-screen also is available.

Both Santa Fe and Santa Fe Sport are compatible with Android Auto for seamless and intuitive operation of the most commonly-used smartphone functions, including navigation with Google Maps™, streaming audio, voice-controlled search capabilities and more than 40 approved smartphone apps.

Santa Fe models utilize an electric power steering system with a 32-bit microprocessor that delivers a refined steering feel. A six-speed automatic transmission is standard on all models.

A new set of safety systems has been added such as adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection and adaptive lights with high-beam assist.