Introducing the updated Santa Fe and it's more than just a standard midlife facelift. In fact, it now rides on a new platform and has a redesigned interior as well. The exterior, however, is what catches the eyes first.
The midsize crossover is wider than before and features a bold grille that extends the entire width of the front. Depending on trim level, the grille also has unique trim patterns but all Santa Fes receive integrated T-shaped daytime running lights. The already narrow headlights have also been restyled.
Looks good - Hyundai has definitely stepped up it game on interiors. They were horrible for so many years.
SantaFe is very popular in the Toronto area, see them everywhere. I guess that's probably the biggest rub, they are the Honda Civic of small SUVs. Ubiquitous.
The Santa Fe is slowly moving out of 'small' status and moving toward midsized.....The Tucson has taken over the compact class at Hyundai, and the Kona and Venue are even smaller. I know the current Santa Fe is already larger than the likes of the Tuscon, Rav4, CR-V, and Equinox...and it seems this new one is going to grow slightly.
I had a Santa Fe as a rental a year and a half ago, not sure what year it was, but it had those squint-headlights, mildly impressed, I remember it being noticeably quiet.
It's a little lumpy for my taste, too much bulk to the sheetmetal sculpting, but it definitely gives the car a more upscale look. When you go minimal in this segment, it tends to look like a cheap lifeless appliance commodity. Many automakers just squeeze the fun out of design to get cost down.
Not sure about the new front clip, but it's certainly going to get noticed.
The dash is basically the same w/ the changes being a larger sized nav screen and more premium materials.
The change is at the center console where, like the Palisade, the traditional shifter gets replaced.
The bigger news is the addition of a hybrid and PHEV, which necessitated the platform switch, in light of the Euro market (likely won't see the PHEV here).
Likely will also see the 2.5T + 8 spd DCT combo, which has gotten good reviews in the new Sorento.
The bigger news is the addition of a hybrid and PHEV, which necessitated the platform switch, in light of the Euro market (likely won't see the PHEV here).
Is there an official source for no plug-in hybrid for here? Just wondering, everything, and I mean EVERYTHING I have read everywhere else says it is likely we do get it here?
That grille is bad, but so are most of the new Hyundai ugly split light designs.
I also don't believe the article is correct in saying the vehicle is on a new platform. I could be wrong about the platform, but clearly all the body panels are the same except the front end - the rear is the same except the lightbar across (I hate that EVERYBODY is doing that just because) - they're not going to use a brand new platform on a refresh and then keep the same body everywhere.
If the interior is anything like our Palisade it's gonna be a hit.
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