Hyundai Santa Fe sales top 2 million units
Hyundai announces sales of Santa Fe SUV tops 2 million units nine years after initial introduction.
Hyundai Santa Fe has made its official inaugural debut at the ‘00 North American International Auto Show. It was one of the first mid-sized SUVs on the market and Hyundai’s first attempt to attract consumers looking for all-wheel-drive vehicles that combine the comfort of a car and provide a spacious interior found in minivans.
Since its introduction, the Santa Fe has gained steady popularity and it has become one of the best selling Hyundai models ever. According to the company, the Santa Fe achieved sales of 2 million units only nine and a half years after its introduction, with sales averaging above 210.000 units each year. This is a remarkable achievement; not only for the model itself, but also for the Korean largest carmaker.
Nearly half of the million Santa Fes were sold in Korean market, while the rest had been sold in the international markets such as Europe, USA and Australia. If you lined up all Santa Fes that have been sold through the last nine years, you’d get the length equivalent to eleven trips between Korean cities Seoul and Busan (265 miles).
In the first year on the market, Hyundai sold 65.000 units of Santa Fe SUV. Twelve months later and sales have picked up above 165.000 units. From 2003 to 2006 the sales of first generation Santa Fe SUV had risen to record-high 240.000+ units before falling down to 170.000 units in 2005.
In 2006, Hyundai introduced the second generation Santa Fe SUV, which was larger, better and more modern than its predecessor. Only two years after introduction, sales of second-generation Santa Fe SUV had risen to record-high 283.000 units.
Sales projections for this year are modest due to global financial crisis and lower demand for new vehicles. Hopefully, Hyundai will manage to sell 200.000 units of Santa Fe by the end of the year.
Already next year, the automaker will launch a facelifted Santa Fe, which made its official debut at Frankfurt Auto Show a couple of months ago. The model received a number of styling updates, as well as major powertrain upgrades such as all-new six-speed automatic transmission and a very potent 2.2L diesel engine.
The R-diesel engine will not be available in the US-spec model but a new four-cylinder gasoline engine, as well as an update V6 are both expected be part of the US lineup.
Hyundai Santa Fe sales table:
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