Hyundai Nishat, the Pakistani arm of the worldwide automotive big, has unveiled its penultimate sports activities utility car (SUV) — the Santa Fe. The automobile takes purpose at each the most well liked automobile in the marketplace, and the king of the native automotive business instantly upon launch,  and it would simply have what it takes to be an issue for the remainder of the business for a myriad of causes. 

Why, you could ask, will we assert such a declare? Our conviction stems from dependable sources indicating that sellers are amassing substantial sums — amounting to a number of tons of of hundreds — merely to allow potential patrons to order their car. There additionally appears to be a restrict on the variety of automobiles that may be booked per seller. However first, let’s begin with the 2 variants of the Santa Fe  themselves.  

Operating by the spec sheet 

The Santa Fe Hybrid has been launched in two distinct variants: the Santa Fe Good (the usual mannequin) and the Santa Fe Signature (the premium mannequin). Each fashions are hybrid electrical automobiles (HEVs), with the Santa Fe Good carrying a price ticket of Rs 1 crore and 29 lakh, whereas the Santa Fe Signature is priced at Rs 1 crore and 49 lakh. 

Reservations for the automobiles at the moment are open at authorised dealerships throughout Pakistan, with a down cost of Rs 20 lakh. A restricted variety of 150 items can be found for speedy supply. 

Underneath the bonnet, every car is supplied with a sturdy 1598 cc engine, able to delivering a staggering 177 horsepower (hp) and 265 newton-metres (Nm) of torque. The hybrid motor enhances the car’s efficiency, offering a mixed output of 227 horsepower (hp) and 350 Newton-metres (Nm) of torque. The engine is paired with a easy 6-speed computerized transmission. The Santa Fe Signature gives varied drive modes, together with multi-terrain mode (snow, mud, sand), and an all-wheel drive  mode. In distinction, the Santa Fe Good is out there with front-wheel drive  solely.

The automobiles’ exteriors boast alloy wheels, LED headlamps, and a panoramic sunroof amongst different options. Inside, occupants are handled to ventilated seats, a sophisticated infotainment system, and varied adjustable seat choices. Security is paramount with options similar to six airbags, parking sensors, and a 360-degree digital camera (unique to the Signature mannequin).

Having mentioned that, two facets stand out as potential game-changers for the business. Firstly, the aggressive pricing of each fashions may disrupt the market dynamics. Secondly, the introduction of the Santa Fe marks it as solely the second hybrid car accessible in Pakistan — a big milestone within the nation’s automotive historical past.

Between the automobile on the profitable streak, and the king 

The Santa Fe’s price ticket has actually raised eyebrows. Only a month earlier than its launch, whispers of a worth vary between 1.3 and 1.7 crores have been circulating. Nonetheless, the sub 1.5 crore worth level has made it a extra attractive possibility than initially anticipated.

“The worth level is slightly interesting,” feedback Suneel Sarfraz Munj, Co-Founding father of PakWheels. “It’s a welcome addition to the market, and in the event that they preserve this pricing, I imagine they’ll generate substantial gross sales,” Munj provides. Echoing this sentiment, Shaheel Shahzad, Co-Founding father of Bloombig Overdrive, states, “Hyundai has hit the nail on the top with the launch of Santa Fe. The worth level is superb and the introduction of a Hybrid engine is a commendable initiative.”

The usual Santa Fe — dubbed the Santa Fe Good — finds itself in direct competitors with the present sensation in Pakistan’s automotive market. The Santa Fe is roughly Rs 8 lakh pricier than Haval’s H6 HEV. Whereas this might sound vital, it solely represents a 7% improve from the H6’s Rs 1.21 crore price ticket.

So, what does the extra Rs 8 lakh supply? The Santa Fe, with its bigger dimensions, gives a extra spacious inside, making it a great alternative for bigger households or those that worth further room. It might comfortably accommodate as much as seven people. Nonetheless, the H6 HEV, being taller and having the next floor clearance, gives an edge in off-road driving experiences.

When it comes to efficiency, the H6 HEV takes the lead. Regardless of having a smaller engine displacement of 1,497 cc in comparison with Santa Fe’s 1,598 cc, it outperforms with the next horsepower of 240 HP @ 5,500 RPM and torque of 530 Nm @ 4,400 RPM. This implies you possibly can count on higher acceleration and pulling energy from the H6 HEV.

Gas effectivity is one other crucial issue for a lot of drivers. Right here once more, the H6 HEV shines with higher gas effectivity in each metropolis and freeway driving situations.

When it comes to consolation options and high quality of life options, each automobiles are decked out a lot that the majority of them are customary throughout each of them. Notable exceptions can be that the Santa Fe Good doesn’t include a heads-up show just like the HEV however compensates for it by providing heated seats.

Selecting between the 2 would require nitpicking. Nonetheless, essentially the most vital distinction between the 2 (no pun supposed) is measurement. The Santa Fe is the bigger car and subsequently holds a particular attract for home patrons.

Learn extra: Can KIA be King, or do the Massive 3 have one other trick up their sleeve?

Nonetheless, lengthy story quick: larger is best in relation to gross sales. 

Munj and Shahzad concur that the Santa Fe may problem Haval’s dominance. Nonetheless, they have been unsure whether or not it could be capable of persuade potential patrons for the Toyota Fortuner. While Shahzad discovered it tough for extra Fortuner patrons to need to shift to the Santa Fe altogether, Munj believes the automobile might need some success with these patrons trying to solely purchase for his or her households and drive it inside the metropolis. Munj didn’t, nonetheless, prolong the identical degree of optimism to these Fortuner patrons who purchase the car for its off-roading capabilities. 

Revenue, nonetheless, has a special tackle the matter. 

The Toyota Fortuner’s most economical variant — the Fortuner 2.7G — is a staggering Rs 11 lakh pricier than the Santa Fe Signature. But, the disparity in options is probably much more pronounced than the value hole. Other than the inherent advantages of the Fortuner being a extra complete SUV, it falls quick compared to the Santa Fe Signature in relation to options. The Fortuner 2.7V, which boasts comparable options to the Santa Fe Signature, similar to leather-based seats, is a jaw-dropping Rs 34 lakh costlier than the Signature. This highlights the distinctive benefit that the Santa Fe holds.

Driving full throttle in your individual lane 

In Pakistan, Toyota’s Fortuner and Revo have been the only automobiles working past the Rs 1.5 crore threshold. The Revo, for all its price, is a really particular kind of auto and never one which continuously comes up in discussions about on a regular basis automobiles. Till just lately, potential automobile patrons needed to make a leap of Rs 30 lakh from Haval’s HEV to the bottom variant of the Toyota Fortuner in the event that they desired a seven-seater car. Or maybe a leap of Rs 60 lakh in the event that they wished to buy customary firm geared up leather-based seats.

Now, there’s an possibility that sits comfortably within the center for automobile patrons — an possibility that not solely saves them cash but in addition gives them extra options at a cheaper price level, offered they’re prepared to forego off-roading with their car. The Rs 1.5 crore mark additionally holds particular significance within the Pakistani automotive market.

Rewinding only a few years again to when Audi e-tron first launched in Pakistan, it was launched at roughly the identical Rs 1.5 crore worth level. This was when the automobile’s reputation soared and it turned a standard sight on the roads of Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore. Nonetheless, when the rupee depreciated in worth, the e-tron practically tripled in worth and we noticed a decline in purchases.

Furthermore, Revenue acknowledges that KIA’s Sorento is one other car that provides potential patrons the utility of seven seats in a bigger profile however that car comes with its personal distinctive set of challenges.