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Manufacturers have gone on a weight trimming rampage of late in efforts to boost fuel economy and performance, but it seems the last people they want informed of their crash diets are car buyers. Take the recent press intro for the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe, where the Korean crossover's staggering 266 pounds of ditched mass was repeated to journalists ad nauseam, despite President and CEO John Krafcik's suggestion that consumers might not care about the reduced weight.
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Whether or not Joe Six Pack fully comprehends the benefits of lower mass vehicles, it's easy to see the challenges of adding safety features like knee airbags and a stronger roof (+31 lbs) and soundproofing components (+38 lbs), while counteracting those gains with a loss of 213 lbs through a redesigned chassis, re-worked sheetmetal width, and the incorporation of more high tensile steel. Optimized interior trim also helps, uh, trim an additional 62 lbs from the Santa Fe, while 24 lbs have evaporated from the suspension system and another 7 lbs have been lightened from the powertrain.?
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As you'll read in an upcoming review, the weight loss helps transform the Santa Fe into a more potent player in the midsize SUV realm. But from the manufacturer's perspective, consumers are more likely concerned with MPGs and 0-60 times than "before and after" curb weight figures.
Source: http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/news/auto-blog/hyundai-santa-fe-seriously-slims-down?src=rss
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