HYUNDAI SANTA FE DIESEL

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This is actually a good move by Hyundai

The 2019 Santa Fe created quite a furor when it was announced for the U.S. market. The reason behind it being that it was going to be the South Korean’s first model to feature a diesel engine. However, the automaker has now said that the Sante Fe diesel won’t be coming to the States after all.

WHY THE HYUNDAI SANTA FE DIESEL WON’T COME TO AMERICA

Hyundai had planned to offer the Santa Fe with a 2.2-liter diesel engine as an option for the 2020 model year.
But things have changed drastically, and the company has decided to scrap the whole idea altogether. Speaking with Green Car Report, Hyundai’s spokesperson, Brandon Ramirez, said that Hyundai canceled the power plant as studies indicated a buyers’ reluctance to have a turbo diesel engine in a crossover. Moreover, the low gasoline prices and the shift towards electrification did not help the diesel-powered Santa Fe’s cause either.

THE INITIAL PLAN

Hyundai’s cousin, Kia, had earlier planned to cancel the 2.2-liter turbo diesel engine for the Sorento.
It’s not just the diesel engine that has been disbursed from the line-up as Ramirez confirmed that even the seven-seater Santa Fe won’t be coming. The three-row Santa Fe was planned to be offered exclusively with the diesel engine.

THERE IS A SUBSTITUTE AVAILABLE

Did you have your eyes set on the three-row Santa Fe? There’s no need to worry because the 2020 Palisade will be replacing it.
In fact, Hyundai had even planned to replace the current Santa Fe XL with the Palisade in 2020. But now that the diesel mill is out of contention, we could see Hyundai work towards offering the Santa Fe with a plug-in hybrid unit in the near future. This is more or less the case with most of the automakers today. Currently, the only crop of automakers that offers diesel SUVs in the U.S. includes GMC, Chevrolet, Land Rover, and Jeep.

Do you think this was a wise move by Hyundai? Or should the automaker have taken a risk with the diesel Santa Fe? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.