Autobytel: Santa Fe Sport Is Crossover of the Year

[Hyundai NEWS]

The honors continue to pile up for the all-new 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. After recently being named Crossover of the Year by the experts at Autobytel.com, who praised the Santa Fe Sport for its high value and thorough redesign, the five-seater from Hyundai added more hardware to a quickly growing group of awards that includes:

• Recognition as the Compact CUV of Texas by the Texas Auto Writers Association
• The title of Best Value On-Road in the Active Lifestyle Vehicle of the Year Awards
• Acclaim as Utility Vehicle of the Show at the Miami International Auto Show
• An ALG Residual Value Award in the Midsize Utility Vehicle segment
• A spot on the Top Safety Pick list presented by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)

Of course, the Santa Fe Sport also has seen the sales numbers start to pile up as well. In just its first three months on the market, with inventory still catching up to demand, the much-praised Hyundai product has enjoyed a sales increase of nearly 15 percent. Which certainly bodes well for the upcoming launch of the Santa Fe Sport’s big brother, the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe.
Just keep in mind that, although the Santa Fe shares a name with its sporty sibling, along with a similar combination of progressive design, fuel-efficient powertrains and premium features, the newest member of the team offers a little something extra—a third row of seating, to provide room for up to seven. That added cabin space comes courtesy of an extended wheelbase and added vehicle length as compared to the Sport model, and enables the Santa Fe to provide more second-row legroom than rivals like the Nissan Murano, Toyota Highlander and even the full-size Chevy Traverse.
The 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe will join the Sport variant in Hyundai dealerships this month.