The current generation Hyundai Santa Fe has been around since 2018. It received a major overhaul in 2020 although it is still classified as a facelift despite moving to a different platform.
For the record, the pre-facelifted Santa Fe sits on top of the Hyundai-Kia Y6 platform while the newer version uses the same Hyundai-Kia N3 foundation as the Kia Sorento. That said, it’s time for Hyundai to introduce the next generation Santa Fe and luckily, the new version is out and tested in South Korea.
A Korean YouTube channel captured the prototype in the parking lot, sitting side by side with the Kia Carnival. It’s still heavily camouflaged, with very recessed panels with faux panels to obscure the design. The new multi-headlight configuration is also seen in the video, although it’s still difficult to determine what the graphics of the future headlights will look like.
Even so, the next Santa Fe seems to have a more boxy design than the previous model. It’s pretty obvious up front but is highlighted even further when viewed from the side. You’ll also notice the steeper angle of the windshield, with the dark A-pillar hiding in plain sight. This, plus the chunky rim design and separate roof rails, adds to the crossover’s boxier appearance.
We can also take a peek at the next Santa Fe interior. Not much to see, except for the white leather seats and the seats folded flat on the floor. The back, on the other hand, is still as well-hidden as the front although the video can’t give us a preview of the taillights.
The video description says that this is a Hyundai Santa Fe hybrid, which is nothing new for the nameplate. We expect more spy shots of the mid-range crossover in the coming weeks or months, though don’t expect full disclosure any time soon.
If we had to guess, we would bet that the fifth generation Hyundai Santa Fe will debut in the second half of next year for the 2024 model year.
