Yes, This Really Is The New Hyundai Santa Fe

Remember when the Hyundai Santa Fe used to be a cheap, anonymous box that was big on value and space, but didn’t have a whole lot going for it? The last couple of versions have done plenty to shed that image, but now, the three-row SUV is looking like a completely different animal.

If you’d have described this new version to someone a few years ago, they’d have assumed you’d mixed hallucinogens into your breakfast cereal. But these days, with striking cars like the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 in the Hyundai stable, and Kia grabbing attention with the equally boxy EV9, it’s far less surprising.

There’s an imposing front end featuring lots of straight lines and headlight clusters with a ‘H’ motif for the daytime-running lights, boxy arches, and a slab-like tailgate. The proportions are all about practicality, with the Sante Fe’s design said to maximise “rear cargo capacity and better accommodate outdoor and urban activities”. And yes, the press pack does include a picture of the Sante Fe sporting a roof tent.

Inside, meanwhile, there’s a curved display which incorporates a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and the infotainment system. There’s a certain Land Rover) vibe to proceedings, particularly with that part-digital, part-physical climate control setup below the infotainment screen.

The cabin looks like it should bring a level of plushness we’ve not yet seen in a Santa Fe, with comfy-looking, Nappa-leather clad seats, “soft-touch, wood-patterned garnish”, and brightly coloured materials said to “create a sense of spaciousness”. There’s also a big emphasis on sustainable materials, including the use of recycled plastics in the suede headliner, floor matts and the seatbacks on the second and third row of seats.

That, for now, is about all we know. Full details about onboard tech and the available powertrains are absent for now - as we’ve seen before from Hyundai and its associated brands, this is more of a photo dump, with all the key details set to come later on.

We do at least know it will have some engines, as evidenced by the tailpipe. Expect a range of hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains, with anyone after a big electric SUV to be sent the way of the incoming Ioniq 7 instead.