THE longstanding Hyundai Santa Fe has been given a boxy, hyper-modern makeover and, after first teasing the incoming mannequin final month, Hyundai has lastly shared particulars together with studies it’s heading Down Beneath in 2024.
The fashionable-looking, premium SUV is a so-called do-it-all household automobile, Hyundai suggests within the video, able to soft-roading adventures and inner-city exploration – below the mantra ‘Open for Extra’.
The premiere didn’t inform us a lot about powertrain, expertise or design, as an alternative centred closely across the Santa Fe’s ‘huge tailgate’ and taking assumed swipes at one other boxy-SUV maker with references to ‘discovery’.
An extended wheelbase, over the earlier mannequin, permits what Hyundai calls ‘terrace-like residing house’ and a bigger tailgate opening, however for households the sensible advantages are extra spacious second- and third-row seating.
It’s bodily bigger than its predecessor too, in virtually each method, each longer (4830mm) and taller (1720mm) however the identical width (1900mm). This implies cargo carrying capability is up, with 725 litres obtainable with the second row in place – a 91-litre enchancment over the outgoing mannequin.
Hyundai designed the incoming Santa Fe with the long run in thoughts, and it reveals, with the boxy styling that’s all of the vary in the intervening time within the giant SUV house. Don’t let the sq. exterior styling idiot you although, as a result of Hyundai claims a surprisingly slippery 0.29 drag coefficient.
The H-shaped headlights, giant arches and sq. look look each dominant and futuristic, Hyundai choosing a mixture of horizontal and vertical design components for the outside.
Inside, a mixture of exhausting and comfortable surfaces make up the cabin, with loads of Nappa leather-based and earthy tones, impressed by “pure mild”.
Options embody a UV sterilisation tray to maintain two telephones clear as they cost, digital rear-view mirror, 12.3-inch digital cluster and large curved panoramic show that seems to be angled in the direction of the motive force.
Giant, spacious seats and an open-plan (for a automotive, anyway) format with an choice for arm rests and power-reclining second-row seats, make this a automobile clearly designed round occupant consolation.
Hyundai’s newest suite of security tech might be fitted to the Santa Fe vary, which features a new driver consideration warning that screens a driver’s consideration and important indicators whereas the automobile is in use.
A complete of 4 petrol- and hybrid-powertrain choices have been introduced globally, though Australia is predicted to obtain the two.5-litre turbo-charged petrol engine and 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol-hybrid choice.
The petrol 2.5-litre engine produces 207kW/422Nm and is mated to an eight-speed DCT, with a claimed 0-100km/h time of eight seconds; not lazy for an SUV of this measurement.
On the economical finish, the hybrid makes use of a 1.6-litre petrol engine producing 132kW/265Nm and electrical motor with unknown output, though a claimed 0-100km/h time of 9.5 seconds recommend related energy to the prevailing hybrid mannequin.
Diesel has been axed altogether, with hybrid and plug-in hybrid taking its place, making this the primary era to dispose of diesel, doubtless for good.
Whereas native specs are but to be confirmed, the hybrid seems like a certain wager given Australia’s rising urge for food for electrified automobile choices.
To not point out Hyundai Australia has been pushing its hybrid expertise, releasing the Kona small SUV, i30 sedan and Tucson medium SUV, and this Santa Fe is prone to prime off the vary of petrol-electric fashions on supply.
Whereas some abroad markets will purchase into the off-road functionality of the brand new Santa Fe, with HTrac all-wheel drive referenced within the video, Australians could also be fast to query its lack of true four-wheel drive and low-range functionality.
In any case, the urban-meets-adventure temporary is a well-liked one and can doubtless nonetheless be nicely obtained Down Beneath. Large cargo carrying capability, road-trip pleasant tech, and trendy styling each inside and outside – pretty much as good as any – ought to assist the Santa Fe shine.
Whereas no official Australian pricing has been supplied, it’s protected to imagine that the feature-rich mannequin will price greater than its predecessor which began from $46,050 and topped out at $69,550 not together with extras.
You’ll be able to watch the digital premiere of the all-new Hyundai Santa Fe, right here.
