text: To make our production more effective and to safeguard quality, we are gradually introducing a new technology: The Andon system allows every employee to quickly identify that there is a problem at his workstation and determine what type of error it is. This supports the real-time detection of errors within assembly and also in preproduction in future. The system is already in place at the Degernpoint plant and is now being gradually rolled out at the other plants.
  
  The car industry loves to brandish something as all-new. So trigger happy are some manufacturers that merely updating the styling or changing a few interior trims constitutes fanfare. However, not Hyundai. While the Santa Fe now rides on a new platform, one shared with the Kia Sorrento, gains a next generation engine and an overhauled cabin, the South Korean’s are resisting the urge to call it all-new.
  What you should know is that, apart from a rather small list of carry-over items, this is a big step forward. Although it’s technically a mid-cycle update to the three-year-old fourth-gen Santa Fe. Yet, without giving the game away, it’s good. Very good.
  Along with the just-launched Palisade, the Santa Fe forms part of a fresh-metal onslaught to release “18-models in 18 months” in an effort to completely overhaul the line-up by the end of 2021.
  Four model grades (base Santa Fe, Active, Elite and Highlander), with the choice of petrol or diesel engines powering the front wheels alone (V6) or all fours in the diesel. The Active X range has been culled, and while Hyundai claims that about 50 percent of all Santa Fe sales went to Highlander, the emphasis has been placed on the well-specced Active variant.
  Hyundai’s five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty covers the Santa Fe. In terms of servicing, intervals are every 12 months or 15,000km (whichever comes first), with the atmo V6 costing $399 every visit to the dealer for five years, while the turbo diesel will set you back $459 per annum for the same five-year period. Roadside assistance in the form of Hyundai iCare is available, too.
  The rather frumpy earlier generations have certainly made way for a more striking, high-end design with bold styling features – especially the wide, cascading grille and straked headlight design. Strong character lines and, in a Santa Fe first on Elite and Highlander, 20-inch alloys wheels add appeal to the profile (lower grads gain 18-inch alloys). At the back there’s an in vogue connecting taillight bar to complete the “refreshed styling”.
  Much like the Kia Sorrento, it looks and feels a bit fancy inside as the Santa Fe has gone upmarket. A pleasing amount of soft-touch materials abound and the quality of the fit and finish feels first-rate. Although, it is curious that the drive-mode selector has been made a rather large design element given it will be seldom used. Oh, and the base model doesn’t receive an entirely updated cabin like the Active, Elite and Highlander do, carrying over the gear leaver from the pre-facelift.