The all-new 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport’s upscale and
highly-functional interior was acknowledged by the editors of WardsAuto, which
named it to this year’s Ward’s 10 Best Interiors list. This recognition follows
the 2012 Accent and 2012 Azera being named to the list last year.
“The latest version of the Hyundai Santa Fe Sport is the
essence of a midsize family CUV: well-crafted, tastefully appointed and
affordable, despite a decidedly upscale look and feel,” said Tom Murphy,
executive editor, WardsAuto. “Hyundai is consistently delivering excellent
interiors that reinforce the brand’s ‘Fluidic Sculpture’ design language.”
WardsAuto editors have been studying the vehicles since
February, selecting the 10 winners from a field of 46 vehicles with new or
significantly refreshed interiors. The selection process mimics that of the
Ward’s 10 Best Engines competition, in which editors rate vehicles based on
their daily commutes in and around metro Detroit. Unlike 10 Best Engines, the
interior competition has no price cap.
“The all-new Santa Fe Sport offers buyers a comfortable,
functional and modern-looking interior,” said Christopher Chapman, chief
designer, Hyundai Design North America. “Designed with families in mind, the
interior features quality materials, intuitive controls and a spacious layout
for the diverse needs of today’s active families.”
“The instrument panel is defined by its sculptural center
vents from which the flowing form develops,” said Christopher Zarlenga, design
manager of Santa Fe’s interior. “Color is also an important differentiator for
the interior, emphasizing the wing shape outward from the center stack through
the doors.”
During the selection process editors pay close attention to
fit-and-finish, checking to see if seams are straight and match up cleanly on
armrests and instrument panels. Editors climb in and out of back seats and
third rows in larger CUVs and SUVs to check overall comfort levels, headroom
and legroom. Another increasingly important category is driver information.
Bluetooth® phone links are commonplace, so editors connect their smartphones
and experiment with voice-activation systems.
Santa Fe Sport features a flowing interior look, designed
for passenger functionality and comfort. From the heated rear seats and
available eight-way power driver seat, to a standard 40:20:40 folding-rear seat
back, the vehicle boasts flexibility and a comfortable cabin for all
passengers. Also standard on all Santa Fe models with cloth seating is a YES
Essentials® seat fabric treatment that provides soil-resistant, anti-odor and
anti-static properties for added longevity and livability. Special care and attention
went into other interior details, such as an optional panoramic sunroof, which
allows more natural light into the cabin, and premium window switch trim.
Available on 2.4-liter models and standard on Turbo models is a push-button
starter with proximity key and an electrochromatic gauge cluster color LCD
screen. A heated steering wheel and sliding second row seats are optional
first-class touches on Santa Fe Sport.
The 2013 interior winners will be honored during the
WardsAuto Interiors Conference on May 22 at The Henry hotel in Dearborn, Mich.
An extensive package profiling the winners is available on WardsAuto.com and in
the May issue of WardsAuto World magazine.
Courtesy of Motor and Automotive News
