Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid and Tucson Hybrid confirmed
The Toyota RAV4 Hybrid is one of the country’s most popular new cars, and often has a months long waiting list. But help for buyers is on the way.
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Hyundai is set to introduce a new hybrid SUV to rival Toyota’s best-selling RAV4.
Based on the updated Santa Fe, the new model will go on sale alongside turbo diesel and V6 models in the second half of 2021.
Pitched as a green alternative to existing models, the car will combine a 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo engine with an electric motor, driving all four wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission.
Power and fuel economy figures for the model have not been confirmed.
But Hyundai promises it will be the most efficient model in the range, with comparable performance to the V6.
The current 3.5-litre V6 powering the Santa Fe makes a handy 206kW and 336Nm. But it glugs a less impressive 10.6L/100km of fuel.
A fresh Hyundai Tucson arrives in the second quarter of 2021, with hybrid power potentially on the cards for Australia in the Santa Fe’s smaller cousin.
Toyota’s RAV4 Hybrid became a smash hit in 2019, prompting rivals to push ahead with hybrid rivals in the near future.
So far this year more than one in five of Toyota sales have been a hybrid. And if it wasn’t for the popularity of the HiLux ute and LandCruiser four-wheel drive, which come with only petrol or diesel options – that percentage would be much higher.
At times this year the RAV4 Hybrid has made up about 80 per cent of that model’s sales for the month. There is also an extensive waiting list, which shows just how popular petrol-electric vehicles are in Australia.
And because of this success Volkswagen is likely to introduce a hybrid version of the Tiguan in 2021, and a petrol-electric Nissan X-Trail also looks likely for Australia.
Originally published as Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid and Tucson Hybrid confirmed
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