Hyundai has announced pricing and specification details of the new Santa Fe off-roader, which will start at £25,495 The Santa Fe will be the only Hyundai that has a name rather than the new i numbering system – i10, i20, etc. Hyundai feels that Santa Fe is such a strong brand, it would be a waste to throw it away.

The new Santa Fe will be powered by an uprated version of the familiar 2.2-litre CRDi engine which develops 194 bhp and 311lb ft of torque. The 2WD version returns 47.9mpg on the combined cycle and emissions fall below the benchmark 160g/km level for the first time (155g/km) making it much more appealing for company car buyers. The 4WD manual Santa Fe also falls below the benchmark figure, with a combined fuel consumption figure of 46.3mpg and 159g/km. The automatic model delivers 41.5mpg and 178g/km.

Three trim levels are available and there is a choice of either five- or seven-seat configurations. The Style model gets 18-inch alloy wheels, reverse parking sensors, self-levelling suspension (seven seat only), air conditioning and Bluetooth.

The Premium trim level adds touchscreen satellite navigation, reverse parking camera with Parking Guidance System, electric folding door mirrors with puddle lamps, dual zone climate control, heated front seats, roof rails and leather seats. Prices for the Premium models begin at £28,995.

The Premium SE trim is the full Christmas-tree specification starting at £32,695. It features 19-inch alloy wheels, electric driver’s seat adjustment, Panoramic sunroof, Xenon headlights, keyless entry with engine start/stop button, front parking sensors, Smart Parking Assist and tyre pressure monitoring system.

One novelty is the Active Bonnet System, which raises the bonnet by 60mm in the event of a pedestrian collision to help minimise the impact of head injuries. This was first seen on the Jaguar XK, but is rare at this level of the market.