After over a yr of spy pictures and leaks, the fifth-generation Hyundai Santa Fe has been unveiled, and it’s fairly a departure from at the moment’s automotive.
In response to Hyundai, the brand new Santa Fe has undergone “radical transformation” with a “lifestyle-based design typology that maximises rear cargo capability”, and “main updates formed by huge information across the newest outside life-style developments”.
For those who’re not fluent in PR-speak, the crossover is daring, boxy, spacious, and barely rugged.
Up entrance, the Santa Fe continues Hyundai’s current pattern of mixing the headlights seamlessly into the grille. The headlamp items have a daring dot matrix-style H graphic, and are linked along with a lightweight bar that stretches throughout the grille.
By blacking out the A-, B-, C- and D-pillars, the brand new Santa Fe has a floating roof look. Some fashions of the pictured right here have been fitted with silver highlights on the C- and D-pillars, lending them a Land Rover Defender vibe.
The black out therapy has additionally been utilized to the decrease part of the entrance and rear bumpers, facet sills, and across the wheel arches.
High-spec fashions mix the usual angular wheel arches with 21-inch wheels to offer the reborn fifth-generation Santa Fe an especially strong stance.
Uncommon design options proceed on the rear, the place the total width tail-light strip has been positioned within the backside third of the tailgate. Just like the entrance, the tail-lights have graphics that appear like a dot matrix H.
Because the tailgate has no lower outs for the principle tail-light strip, it lifts up as one big rectangular slab, probably making entry to the boot a little bit simpler. This design does, nevertheless, necessitate a secondary set of tail-lights to be positioned within the bumper.
Hyundai says the brand new automotive has “class-leading inside area” due to longer wheelbase, and second- and third-row seats that lie fully flat.
The outside’s boxy theme is carried over into the inside, which mixes straight strains with soft-touch leather-like surfaces.
Hyundai says the cabin has been “impressed by pure mild”, and the bright-coloured seats characteristic Nappa leather-based, whereas the door and sprint have suede accents and wood-patterned panels.
A big curved rectangular slab homes a 12.3-inch instrumentation show, and a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen.
As with the outside window graphics, the chunky four-spoke steering wheel has a powerful Defender affect, with boxy shapes, central airbag cowl with a easy stripe rather than the Hyundai badge, and column-mounted gear selector.
To go along with “outside life-style” aesthetic, the Santa Fe has dials and huge buttons on the dashboard. There’s a small secondary touchscreen for the local weather management system.
The centre tunnel options two wi-fi smartphone charging pads, two USB-C ports, two outsized cupholders, and an open-air storage beneath.
Recycled plastic materials is used for the brand new Santa Fe’s fake suede headliner, flooring mats, and second- and third-row seatbacks. Moreover the crash pad and door trim are coated in an “eco-friendly” leatherette.
No particulars in regards to the automotive’s drivetrain choices or precise dimensions have been offered at the moment. Presumably we’ll be taught extra in regards to the new Santa Fe when the automotive has its official international launch in August this yr.
The tailgate of one of many automobiles unveiled at the moment does bear H-Trac and a pair of.5T badging, indicating the crossover can be accessible with all-wheel drive and a 2.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine.
Abroad, the present Santa Fe is out there with a 2.5-litre turbo four-cylinder making 207kW and 422Nm. It’s possible the brand new automotive can be accessible with some model of that engine.
We count on the Santa Fe to be provided with hybrid and plug-in hybrid choices once more.
With the Santa Fe scheduled for its full debut subsequent month, we count on it’s going to land on Australian shores a while in 2024.
It is going to be attention-grabbing to see how the market reacts to the Santa Fe’s daring styling. To finish of the June 2023, Hyundai has offered 3036 Santa Fes, putting it effectively behind its sibling Kia Sorento (5311) and rival Toyota Kluger (4658).
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