Hyundai Santa Fe Wins Cars.com "Family Car Of The Year"

Model Earns Accolade Two Years in a Row

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Jan 14, 2015, 08:00 ET

DETROIT, Jan. 14, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2015 Santa Fe earned the distinction of "Family Car of the Year" by Cars.com in its Lifestyle Awards, making this the second year Hyundai has won the prestigious award. Cars.com is an online destination for car shoppers, offering information from consumers and experts to help buyers formulate opinions on what to buy, where to buy and how much to pay for a car.

2015 HYUNDAI SANTA FE LINEUP OFFERS NEW STANDARD FEATURES, REVISED STEERING AND SUSPENSION TUNING

The Santa Fe was a consecutive winner because the Cars.com editors were impressed with refinements made to the model's steering systems, cargo space and safety equipment that appeals to families and their active lifestyles. Cars.com editors also selected the 2015 Santa Fe as the winner of Cars.com/USA Today/MotorWeek 3-Row SUV Challenge.

"The 2015 Santa Fe has been upgraded to fit the active lifestyles of families, offering upgraded standard comfort and convenience equipment, raising the standards on the passenger experience for both the front and the back seat drivers," said Michael O'Brien, vice president of corporate and product planning, Hyundai Motor America. "We're pleased Cars.com has once again distinguished Santa Fe as the optimal automotive choice for families in America."

To qualify for Cars.com Lifestyle Awards, a car first must be selected as a Best Bet. To become a Best Bet, a car must have ratings of acceptable or higher in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety crash tests, a reliability rating of average or higher, strong ride and handling, and average or better gas mileage in its segment.

"The Santa Fe has been a Cars.com Family Car of the Year contender two years in a row," said Kristin Varela, Cars.com's chief mom. "In 2014, its smaller sibling, the Santa Fe Sport, was our Family Car of the Year. This year, we chose the 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe because it fits big families like a glove and does so with style. It is full of family-friendly features, and all at a reasonable price."

The 2015 Santa Fe features an upgraded interior and sportier exterior, designed to provide optimal performance and comfort for families. It continues to offer front- or all-wheel drive and is equipped with the acclaimed 3.3-liter Lambda II V-6, using gasoline direct injection and Dual Continuously Variable Valve Timing (D-CVVT). The 2015 Santa Fe also comes with Hands-Free Smart Liftgate with Auto Openmakes, making it easier for the driver to access the cargo area by simply waiting for the liftgate to open after standing within a few feet of the rear bumper. Upgraded safety features for the 2015 model also include retuned suspension enhancements and a driver's blind spot mirror, along with standard safety equipment such as Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) with Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and Traction Control System. The 2015 model also comes standard with Hyundai's industry-leading Assurance Connected Care program.

CARS.COM

Launched in 1998 and owned by Gannett Co. (NYSE: GCI), Cars.com is an award-recognized online destination for car shoppers that offers information from experts and consumers to help buyers formulate opinions on what to buy, where to buy and how much to pay for a car. With over 30 million monthly visits to its web properties, Cars.com offers thousands of new and used vehicle listings, expert and consumer reviews, side-by-side comparison and build and price tools, photo galleries, videos, unbiased editorial content and many other resources. Cars.com puts millions of car buyers in control of their shopping process with the information they need to make stress-free buying decisions.

HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA

Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through more than 820 dealerships nationwide. All Hyundai vehicles sold in the U.S. are covered by the Hyundai Assurance program, which includes the 5-year/60,000-mile fully transferable new vehicle limited warranty, Hyundai's 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty and five years of complimentary Roadside Assistance. Hyundai Blue Link Connected Care provides owners of Hyundai models equipped with the Blue Link telematics system with proactive safety and car care services complimentary for one year with enrollment. These services include Automatic Collision Notification, Enhanced Roadside Assistance, Vehicle Diagnostic Alert, Monthly Vehicle Health Report and in-vehicle service scheduling.

For more details on Hyundai Assurance, please visit www.HyundaiAssurance.com

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SOURCE Hyundai Motor America