Next Generation Hyundai Santa Fe Spied…Already

Next Generation Hyundai Santa Fe Spied…Already: The fourth generation Santa Fe mid-size crossover debuted in 2018 for the 2019 model year in a single size for the North American market. This was a departure from the previous generation, which was split into small and large variations known respectively as Santa Fe Sport and Santa Fe (later known as Santa Fe XL). The Hyundai Palisade effectively replaced the latter model as the three-row in the lineup in 2019, leaving the Santa Fe to assume two-row mid-size duties. Very shortly into its life-cycle, two years to be exact, Hyundai gave the Santa Fe a somewhat unconventional mid-cycle refresh. Doing the opposite of a typical refresh, Hyundai lightly restyled the exterior and interior but completely replaced the platform underneath. This allowed them to bring their excellent hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains into the mix. Despite all of this, Santa Fe has not been performing nearly as well as it typically does, sales-wise.

Enter early Fall 2022, and we have spy shots of the fifth generation for the very first time. Hyundai has accelerated development of this iteration, and as you can see from the photos below, they are extremely far along. According to the Korean Car Blog and Jungyoung Teak TV, the 2024/2025 model should begin on-road testing very soon. This unit was captured in a covered parking deck looking strikingly similar to a Land Rover Defender with its boxy shape and familiar wheel designs. NY Mammoth on YouTube has already produced some renders based off of these photos. If this is what the next generation Hyundai Santa Fe looks like, I think Hyundai will have a much better time selling it this time around.

More on the next generation Hyundai Santa Fe here.