Hyundai Motor Company recently unveiled the new Santa Fe, showcasing its larger size, grand exterior design, sophisticated interior design, and various convenient functions for leisure activities. The car has been carefully developed to cater to the lifestyle of consumers and offers improved perfection. To gain insight into the behind-the-scenes development process, members of the development team, including Simon Rosby, managing director in charge of modern styling, Kim Yoon-soo, managing director of domestic marketing, Hong Jeong-woo, MLV Project 7 team leader, and Lim Jeong-seop, senior researcher, engaged in a Q&A session.
Simon Rosby, the managing director responsible for styling at Hyundai Motor Company, was asked if any design elements in the new Santa Fe borrowed inspiration from past design elements such as culverts. Rosby clarified that while the first generation Galloper and the new Santa Fe share a common goal of creating optimal interior space for both city and outdoor settings, there is no direct relation in terms of design between the two models or other Hyundai cars.
Kim Yoon-soo, the managing director of Hyundai Motor’s domestic marketing office, was questioned about the marketability of the new Santa Fe. Kim highlighted three key features: new technology advancements such as ccNC navigation and HDA2 function, the application of a dual wireless charging system tailored to customer’s lifestyle, and the introduction of an interactive multi-console for enhanced storage convenience. The new Santa Fe also offers a spacious interior, making it ideal for various lifestyles.
Jeongwoo Hong, team leader of Hyundai Motor Company’s MLV 7 Project Team, discussed the marketing strategy for the Santa Fe in the domestic market. He explained that while the Santa Fe has significant brand heritage and strengths, it does face some challenges in terms of user personality and perception compared to its competitors. However, the new Santa Fe aims to establish its unique area through a combination of a unique and strong exterior design and a sophisticated and elegant interior design. Additionally, various products such as roof tents and roof boxes are being developed specifically for the Santa Fe.
Simon Rothby, managing director responsible for styling at Hyundai Motor Company, addressed a question regarding the positioning of the rear lamps. Rothby explained that the design prioritized providing users with an enjoyable lifestyle experience and easy access to the trunk. As a result, the tailgate opening area and angle were optimized, and the design elements were moved to the side and bottom. The positioning of the tail lamp was also adjusted accordingly.
In response to concerns about the powertrain, Lim Jeong-seop, senior researcher, acknowledged that maintaining comfortable driving performance was the main priority for the Santa Fe as a family SUV. Despite using the same powertrain as the previous model, the new Santa Fe has achieved improved performance through tuning measures such as engine torque band and shift pattern. It also offers enhanced ride comfort through the use of frequency-sensitive dampers and hydro bushings.
Another concern raised was fuel economy. Lim Jeong-seop highlighted that while the new Santa Fe aimed to provide an unparalleled experience for customers, the increase in body size resulted in a noticeable loss in fuel efficiency. However, the design and engineering teams combined their technical skills to achieve improved combined fuel economy compared to the previous Santa Fe.
Finally, Simon Rothby addressed the unique positioning of the Santa Fe lettering. He explained that the use of spaces in the lettering has been a long-standing characteristic, inspired by the small and inconspicuous town of Santa Fe, USA, which serves as the motivation for the name.
When asked about models among competing SUVs that were referred to during the development process, Hong Jeong-woo, team leader of the MLV 7 Project Team, mentioned the Ford Edge and Subaru Outback sold in North America. While these models only offer up to two rows, the new Santa Fe provides the added advantage of three rows, making it highly competitive in the market.
Overall, the Q&A session with the development team shed light on various aspects of the new Santa Fe, including its design, marketability, marketing strategy, powertrain, fuel economy, and unique features. The team’s efforts to address consumer needs and preferences have resulted in a compelling SUV option for customers.
– Hold a question-and-answer session with the development team regarding the new Santa Fe
– Various questions such as heritage and design continued
– “All technical skills gathered” for questions about output and fuel economy
[오토트리뷴=최현진 기자] Hyundai Motor Company unveiled the new Santa Fe on the 10th. The new Santa Fe is characterized by a larger size than before, a grand exterior design, and a sophisticated interior design, as well as a large tailgate, plenty of interior space, and various convenient functions for leisure activities. It is also worth noting that the car has improved the perfection of the car considering the lifestyle of consumers.
▲ Hyundai Motor Company’s new Santa Fe (Photo = Reporter Choi Hyun-jin)
What kind of behind the scenes stories were there in the process of developing the car? Simon Rosby, managing director in charge of modern styling, Kim Yoon-soo, managing director of domestic marketing, Hong Jeong-woo, MLV Project 7 team leader, and Lim Jeong-seop, senior researcher, find out through Q&A Answer
▲Simon Rosby, managing director in charge of styling at Hyundai Motor Company (Photo = Reporter Choi Hyun-jin)
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C1. Are there any parts borrowed from or inspired by past design elements such as culverts?
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Simon Rosby, Managing Director (Hyundai Styling): The first generation Galloper and the new Santa Fe have one thing in common: ‘space typology’. Both the Galloper and the new Santa Fe aimed to create an optimal interior space that meets both the city and the outdoors. However, in terms of design, there is no direct relation to the Galloper or other Hyundai cars.
▲ Kim Yoon-soo, managing director of Hyundai Motor’s domestic marketing office (Photo = Reporter Choi Hyun-jin)
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Q2. What is the marketability of the new Santa Fe?
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Yunsu Kim (Director of the Domestic Marketing Office): There are three in total. First of all, in the new technology part, the ccNC navigation, an ICT convenience function that entered the new Grandeur and the new Kona, and the HDA2 function, an advanced ADAS function, were applied. Through wireless update, the software can be updated to the latest version. The dual wireless charging system tailored to the customer’s lifestyle was applied for the first time in its class.
▲ The new Santa Fe interactive multi-console (Photo = Reporter Choi Hyun-jin)
As for the storage convenience function, an interactive multi-console that can be used in the first and second rows has been applied for the first time. In the case of cup holders, this new Santa Fe has expanded its application to 12 to increase functionality. In addition, the tailgate window was prepared along with the largest interior space in its class. I think it will help you enjoy a variety of lifestyles with a wide sense of openness.
▲ Hong Jeong-woo, team leader of Hyundai Motor Company’s MLV 7 Project Team (Photo = Reporter Choi Hyun-jin)
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Q3. I am curious about Santa Fe’s marketing strategy in the domestic market.
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Jeongwoo Hong (MLV 7 Project Team): The Santa Fe is the first mid-size monocoque SUV from a domestic car. In terms of brand heritage, it has significant strengths. However, it is also true that it has a slightly lower share than its competitors in terms of user personality and perception. However, the new Santa Fe tries to have its own unique area distinguished from existing domestic mid-size SUVs through a combination of a unique and strong exterior design and a sophisticated and elegant interior design.
▲ Hyundai Motor Company’s new Santa Fe (Photo = Reporter Choi Hyun-jin)
In addition, various products adapted for Santa Fe such as roof tents and roof boxes are being developed. All these parts can be seen at the Santa Fe Experience pop-up exhibition held at Some Sevit in the Han River in the third week of August.
▲ Hyundai Motor Company’s new Santa Fe (Photo = Reporter Choi Hyun-jin)
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Q4. The rear lamps are positioned fairly low. Why was it designed this way?
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Simon Rothby, Managing Director (Hyundai Styling): A place for users to enjoy their lifestyle and the accessibility of the trunk were the main priorities when designing the new Santa Fe. Therefore, the area and angle of the tailgate opening were optimised, and in the process, the design elements were moved to the side and bottom. The tail lamp was also mounted downwards for the same reason.
▲ Palisade Calligraphy Black Edition (Photo = Hyundai Motor Company)
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Q5. Is there any interruption in sales of the new Santa Fe and Palisade?
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Yunsu Kim (Domestic Marketing Office Director): As you know, Palisade is Hyundai Motor Company’s flagship SUV, and it is still the largest vehicle. The Palisade’s wheelbase is 165mm longer than the Santa Fe, and the wheelbase is 85mm longer. The shoulder room in the third row differs by 40mm.
The engine is also different from the Santa Fe, which operates a 2.5 gasoline turbo and a 1.6 gasoline turbo hybrid, because the Palisade operates a 2.2 diesel and a 3.8 gasoline model. Depending on each size and engine, it is believed that customers will be able to choose from different charms.
▲ Hyundai Motor Company MLV Project Team 7 Senior Researcher Lim Jeong-seop (Photo = Reporter Choi Hyun-jin)
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Q6. While the vehicle has gotten bigger, the powertrain is the same as before, so there are concerns about the lack of power.
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Lim Jeong-seop, senior researcher: This content was a big concern from the point of view of SUV developing a car. However, given that the Santa Fe is a family SUV, we thought that ensuring a comfortable driving performance was the main priority. Even if the current powertrain is used, it has achieved a higher level than the previous model in the actual driving area by tuning such as engine torque band and shift pattern.
▲ Hyundai Motor Company’s new Santa Fe (Photo = Reporter Choi Hyun-jin)
In terms of ride comfort, a frequency-sensitive damper was used, which adjusts the damper according to the frequency band that enters the tire according to road conditions. In addition, by applying hydro bushings to the front and rear wheel members, it has been developed to provide comfortable riding comfort not only on ordinary roads but also on rough roads. In the case of the hybrid model, E-ride based on an electric motor and E-handling technology was added to enable stable driving.
▲ Hyundai Motor Company’s new Santa Fe (Photo = Reporter Choi Hyun-jin)
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Q7. There seems to be a challenge in the fuel economy part too.
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Lim Jeong-seop, senior researcher: The concept of the new Santa Fe started with the idea of providing an experience that existing customers could not enjoy. However, as the body size increased, the frontal projected area increased, so there was an obvious loss. Still, I didn’t want to give up on fuel efficiency, and the technical skills of the design and engineering aspects were combined. So, it seems we’ve been able to achieve an improvement in combined fuel economy compared to the previous Santa Fe.
▲ Hyundai Motor Company’s new Santa Fe (Photo = Reporter Choi Hyun-jin)
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Q8. Santa Fe lettering seems to have become a dissimilar space before.
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Simon Rothby (Hyundai Styling Manager): The use of spaces in SANTA FE has been around for a long time. The reason for this is that only Santa Fe, USA, the region from which the name was inspired, was small and inconspicuous. The reason why spaces are displayed is because Santa Fe, USA, which is the motivation for the name, actually uses spaces.
▲ Ford Edge (Photo = Ford)
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C9. Are there any models among competing SUVs that you can refer to?
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Hong Jeong-woo, Team Leader (MLV 7 Project Team): An SUV with the same features as the new Santa Fe could not be found in the domestic market. Instead, we referred to many Ford Edge and Subaru Outback sold in North America, the main overseas market. In the case of those two models, they only provide up to 2 rows, and I think the new Santa Fe will have enough competitiveness to provide up to 3 rows.
chj@autotribune.co.kr
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