Meet the first new Hyundai Santa Fe in five years: And talk about some changes.
Like it or not, Hyundai’s been seriously revamping its entire lineup, from its full-size sedans right through its best-selling crossovers. Now, in its first refresh since the 2019 model year, the Santa Fe debuted in South Korea, showing off a radical new design from the generations we’ve known before. We’ll know more technical information in the coming weeks, though this design debut gives us an opportunity to check out the design inside and out.
From the Santa Fe’s rounded shapes, the 2024 model gets the boxiest design we’ve seen yet from one of the brand’s SUVs (remember, the original Santa Fe was the brand’s first SUV, and it was pretty much all curves). This fifth-generation model sports a far more rugged presence, focused on several H-shaped design elements and giving off the sort of vibe which, Hyundai says, “find a perfect balance between city life and the great outdoors.” The new model gets a distinctive roofline, angular fascias and flared wheel arches and shorter front and rear overhangs to enhance its appeal as a go-anywhere, do-anything sort of SUV.
The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe partly makes a strong case for some off-road cred on that boxy design, though it does still ride on 21-inch wheels. You also get some nice high-end materials inside, including Nappa leather and wood trim on some models. Despite the pitch as an outdoor adventure rig, the brand still does have to appeal to those wanting a more luxurious option too. Beside the materials, the new Santa Fe also gets a dual 12.3-inch display setup in a curved unit. The center console also brings in new switchgear and adopts a floating design, allowing a bit more storage space. That does mean this new SUV adopts the same, stalk-mounted shifter as the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 models, whether you consider that a plus or not.
What about powertrain or technical specs?
At the moment, Hyundai did not go into great detail about the technical specs comprising the 2024 Santa Fe. One shot of the rear end below does show what looks like an H-TRAC badge, as well as a 2.5T logo. That suggests we’ll see a similar setup to what’s in the current (now outgoing) Santa Fe, though we’ll have to wait and see what additional options may be available. Currently, the top-end Santa Fe models get a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 281 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque.
Hyundai did announce it will make its full global debut next month, so we don’t have too much longer to wait. Stay tuned to TFLcar for the actual figures (including, hopefully, some U.S.-market specifics) when that time rolls around.
