COSTA MESA, Calif., April 26, 2013 – The Northwest Automotive Press Association (NWAPA) named the all-new 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport “Best Compact CUV” during the 2013 Mudfest competition last week in Snoqualmie, Washington. More than 30 NWAPA automotive journalists participated in the event at the 300-plus acre DirtFish Rally School site in Snoqualmie, WA.
“Mudfest gives our members the ability to test the top crossovers, side-by-side, in real-world conditions,” said Ryan Douthit, host of Driving Sports TV and this year’s event organizer. “Working with the DirtFish staff, we designed a number of test courses that really challenged the vehicles in terms of road-handling and their ability to navigate through very rugged off-road conditions. The fact that our members selected the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport for this honor speaks volumes about what it offers compared to competitive vehicles in its class.”
“The Pacific Northwest terrain provided media the opportunity to put the Santa Fe Sport AWD turbo through a number of exercises that included a wet pavement autocross course and a real-world drive through the hills surrounding DirtFish Rally School,” said Scott Margason, director product planning, Hyundai Motor America. “NWAPA members were able to experience the Santa Fe Sport AWD turbo capabilities, including the punch of the twin-scroll turbocharger and the dual continuously variable value timing, which delivered both outstanding performance and fuel economy.”
The 2013 Best Compact CUV award from NWAPA is one in a list of honors the 2013 Santa Fe Sport has garnered since launching during the fourth quarter of 2012. Santa Fe Sport received the honor of “Best New Crossover” in the Midsize and Large Crossovers category in Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Magazine, was named to this year’s Ward’s “10 Best Interiors” list for its upscale and highly-functional interior, and was awarded “Crossover of the Year” by the editors of Autobytel.