I don’t know if you noticed, but Hyundai has been on a roll lately, particularly in the design department. The Korean brand’s been given heaps of praise over the bold looks of the Ioniqs 5 and 6, the Elantra has been made to be quite striking, particularly the N Line trim, and gearheads are frothing at the mouth for its N Vision 74 concept to be a real thing.
Hyundai’s maintaining this momentum with the reveal of the 2024 Santa Fe, giving the midsize SUV a whole design revamp from the inside out.
The current Hyundai Santa Fe is, at best, fine. It’s a well-reviewed mid-sized utility vehicle suited for daily errands that blends into the background. You probably saw several on your commute today and didn’t think twice about it. All that changes next year with the unassuming SUV’s striking glow-up.
Its rounded-out corners now give way to a very sharp and polygonal body that’s more flat and boxy — descriptors that admittedly don’t sound like they’re doing the Hyundai any favors, but photos of the car show how well it comes together.
Increased functionality comes with the new design as well. The wheelbase has been extended, for one, and the more angular shape is meant to increase the Santa Fe’s cargo capacity.
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Competition is stiffer today, but this updated three-row holds its groundSpeaking of the inside, the interior of the Santa Fe has received just as much attention as the exterior. The clean line motif continues across the minimalist dashboard, with a curved display marrying the 12.3-inch display cluster and infotainment screens together into one seamless unit, akin to what BMW has been doing of late.
Expect the interior to feature sustainable materials and to have a bright, airy cabin with soft torch wood-patterned accents. The woodland touches allude to an increased focus on the Santa Fe’s more rugged aspects. According to SangYup Lee, Hyundai’s Executive VP, the all new vehicle is “an SUV that finds a perfect balance between city life and the great outdoors, handling everything from busy family itineraries to car camping adventures.”
The increased capability that the longer wheelbase brings to the table is matched with the option of a third row of seats, something else that’s new for the Santa Fe. We’ll have to wait to learn a bit more of what the revamped Hyundai is capable of, but the collection of images the automaker allude to a vehicle that’s more “van life” ready than it has been in the past.
While we can expect the SUV to be fitted with the existing 2.5-liter turbo four engine and a hybrid model, engine details are under wraps until the Santa Fe makes its debut in August, along with pricing. With at being the case, we’re oddly excited about the SUV’s debut, not for any reason apart from how not exciting the Santa Fe has been of late, and we’re eager for Hyundai’s suburban wallflower to make its way to the foreground.
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