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2019 Hyundai Santa Fe diesel engine cancelled before it arrives

When the totally redone 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe was revealed in February, we were told a 2.2-liter turbocharged diesel engine would be an option for the crossover. Now, a company spokesperson told Green Car Reports that Hyundai is canning the diesel for the U.S. market. In addition to that, the diesel was going to be the only Santa Fe with three rows. Since the diesel is done with, the third row is toast as well. With gas prices so low compared to diesel, we imagine consumers won't be clamoring for an oil burner crossover. Given this, the choice makes sense for this exact moment in time. Hyundai isn't exactly in dire need of a three-row vehicle anymore either, after the reveal of its giant Palisade SUV we just drove. In case you wanted to know what you could never have, the Santa Fe's diesel engine is slated to make 190 horsepower and 322 pound-feet of torque. Now you'll be limited to either the 185-hp 2.4-liter or 235-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter. The best fuel economy you'll get in a Santa Fe is 22 mpg city and 29 mpg highway in the 2.4-liter. This promise, then retraction of a diesel in a crossover is reminiscent of Mazda's attempt to bring its diesel engine to the United States in the CX-5. Then Volkswagen Dieselgate hit us, and Mazda learned why it couldn't make its diesel competitive. Perhaps Hyundai isn't willing to test the trust of U.S. car buyers with a diesel engine quite yet. That being said, GM, Jeep, Jaguar and Land Rover sell SUVs with diesel engines here. Related video:

Hyundai to offer new shopping service with money-back guarantee

The internet has made purchasing a car easier than ever before. There are dozens of websites, including Autoblog, that have apps and search tools to help find and compare new car prices. Still, the idea of actually walking into a dealership to deal with haggling, trade-ins, financing and paperwork still seems daunting. Starting soon, Hyundai will be streamlining much of that process with its new Shopper Assurance program. The new service helps knock out much of the legwork before you even step into a dealer. There's even a money-back guarantee. With Shopper Assurance, potential customers can search Hyundai inventory with "market prices" listed. That price includes the car's MSRP minus incentives and other dealer discounts. Most of the paperwork for the purchase can be done online. This includes valuing a trade-in, applying for financing, checking credit scores and calculating payments. Test drives can be scheduled online and can be done anywhere, including a customer's home or office. The most interesting part of the new service is the three-day money back guarantee. If for some reason a customer isn't satisfied, they can return the car for full refund. That said, there are a couple of caveats. The car must have fewer than 300 miles on the odometer since purchase and a dealer must inspect the car for damage or wear. The new service will launch later this year in Miami, Orlando, Dallas and Houston and will roll out in 2018 nationwide. Related Video:

IIHS gives 90 models its Top Safety Pick award in one fell swoop

Although the Audi A7 and the Toyota Sienna are positioned on completely different ends of the automotive spectrum, they overlap in one important area: both earned a Top Safety Pick+ award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). They're among the 49 cars that received the distinction for 2021, while 41 additional models scored a Top Safety Pick (without the plus) award from the institute, bringing the number of winners to 90. Earning a coveted Top Safety Pick award from the IIHS is easier said than done. Recipients need to score a good rating in the institute's six crash tests, be available with a front crash prevention system that scores a superior or advanced rating in vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian evaluations, and be offered with (but, crucially, not necessarily fitted standard with) headlights that are either good or acceptable. Vehicles that have good or acceptable headlights across the full range, regardless of trim level, are eligible for the Top Safety Pick+ award. The Hyundai Group (which includes Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis) earned more awards than any other carmaker, with 12 standard Top Safety Pick distinctions and five earning a Pick+. Volvo led the Pick+ chart with its entire lineup of nine vehicles. At the other end of the spectrum, Mitsubishi still hasn't earned a single award, and General Motors only nabbed one of each. Safety is spreading across market segments, according to the IIHS. It pointed out that, in 2020, there were no minivans or pickup trucks on the list of Top Safety Pick recipients. Fast forward to 2021, and the list includes the Honda Odyssey, the Toyota Sienna, and the Ram 1500 crew cab; the first two earned a Pick+. The full list of 2021 award winners is on the IIHS website. Note that, for some models, only units built after a certain date earned an award. This distinction reflects a change (usually in headlights) during the production run. Cars sold in the United States are safer than ever, but automakers still sell vehicles with a zero-star crash test rating in many global markets. Suzuki's 2020 S-Presso flunked a reasonably basic round of tests in 2020. Featured Gallery 2021 Hyundai Palisade View 12 Photos Audi Hyundai Volvo