With the on sale date of the new 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe just a few months away, Hyundai dropped even more details on the all new SUV at the LA Auto Show.
Hyundai went full on rugged crossover with the new Santa Fe. It really gives off mini Land Rover vibes. Some might criticize the design because of that, but as the saying goes, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
While the design is boxy, somehow Hyundai designers were able to make the Santa Fe more aerodynamic than before. Hyundai designers say that they were able to increase its drag coefficient by 11 percent over the outgoing generation, an impressive feat given all the right angles.
Hyundai put thoughtful touches on the exterior of the Santa Fe showing that it’s kept its owners’ everyday lives in mind. For instance there are hidden grab handles in the C-pillar that one can use to pull themselves up with when accessing the roof or roof rack. The most interesting and useful part of the design is the tailgate.
Hyundai designers say they treated the tailgate more as an opening to the world; a “terrance-like” opening that people use for things like tailgating, picnics, and stargazing. As a result, the opening is larger than the outgoing generation, with 57 inches of more space. Cars designed for just kicking around in seems to be a trend in LA reveals this week.
Other new features include Relaxation Comfort seats with leg rest for the first row that allows the driver to recline and relax; power reclining second row captains chairs, a bilateral center console that can be opened from the front and back and on top end Calligraphy trims, a dual wireless phone charger that allows you to charge two phones at once.
Hyundai is also getting in on the outdoors trend with the Santa Fe XRT. It gains 30-inch off road tires, 1.5 inches of additional ground clearance and is rated to tow 4,500 pounds when properly equipped. The Santa Fe gets turbocharged engines all around this time. The base engine is a 2.5-liter 277 horsepower turbocharged I4 or an optional 1.6-liter turbo hybrid setup with 232 combined system hp.
Hyundai isn’t talking pricing yet for the 2024 Hyundai, but we can expect it to hit dealers in March 2024 while the Hybrid models will go on sale in the spring.