Santa’s here!

The Hyundai Santa Fe has undergone a mid-cycle refresh, with a difference

THE SANTA FE IS HYUNDAI’S take on a big, comfortable SUV; one that is happy on the road but can also tackle the rough(ish) stuff. For 2021, Hyundai has given the Santa Fe a mid-cycle refresh which includes the usual nip and tuck but, unlike almost every other facelift, it also gets a new platform!

Perhaps the most surprising thing here is that this ‘facelifted’ Santa Fe is underpinned by an all-new third-generation architecture, which allows for electrification, while also improving performance, handling, efficiency and safety.

Cosmetic updates include a larger grille which now runs the width of the car, and also houses the headlights on either side, which are split by T-shaped LED DRLs. The rear gets a redesigned bumper and a pair of angular taillights, united by a lightbar. On the inside, there is a new 10.25-inch central display, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a higher central tunnel, with a terrain mode selector and shift-by-wire buttons instead of a gear knob. Hyundai has also improved the overall quality of the interior, with a more extensive use of soft-touch materials.

Thanks to the new platform, the Santa Fe will be offered with hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrain options for the first time. There will also be more conventional powertrains available, without electrification.

The Santa Fe sits above the Tucson in Hyundai’s lineup, but below the brand’s flagship SUV, the Palisade. This new Santa Fe is a big step up from its predecessors. It now gets the kit plus the looks to go up against European rivals like the Skoda Kodiaq and Volkswagen Tiguan, if it comes to our shores.