The updated crossover could arrive next year featuring a redesigned infotainment system and an electrified powertrain. It may debut next year with a completely revised front fascia and a refreshed rear end. The crossover could be available with a new range-extended powertrain option.
The Hyundai Santa Fe received a bold, boxy redesign for the 2024 model year, and now the automaker is already developing a facelifted version. Recently photographed prototypes undergoing cold-weather testing in Europe suggest the upcoming update could bring a number of notable changes.
Despite being heavily camouflaged, the test vehicles reveal a redesigned front end. The squared-off headlights with H-shaped daytime running lights seen on the current model appear to have been replaced by much smaller lighting units positioned lower within the bumper.
This revised layout seems to have given Hyundai’s designers room to introduce a noticeably wider grille. On either side, vertical LED daytime running lights are present, and they also function as turn signals.
While finer details remain difficult to discern, the crossover appears to retain its rectangular, centrally mounted intake. Additionally, the lower intake has been revised and now seems to feature a more prominent sensor positioned at its center.
At the rear, the full-width light bar and H-style taillights appear to have been replaced with new vertical lighting elements that mirror the design theme used up front. Elsewhere, a newly styled bumper is visible, and it looks considerably more rounded compared to the sharply angular design of the current version.
Interior photos weren’t captured by spy photographers, but several updates are expected inside the cabin. The extent of these changes is still unclear, though the crossover is likely to adopt Hyundai’s new Pleos Connect infotainment system. Built on Android Automotive OS, the system is scheduled to launch later this year.
At this stage, little additional information is available about the refreshed crossover. However, earlier spy shots have indicated that the Santa Fe could be offered with a new range-extended powertrain.
That setup would likely be offered alongside the current engine lineup. This includes a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder producing 277 hp (207 kW / 281 PS) and 311 lb-ft (421 Nm) of torque, as well as a hybridized 1.6-liter turbo engine delivering a combined 231 hp (172 kW / 234 PS) and 271 lb-ft (367 Nm).
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