New 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe: Australian details confirmed

Fresh Australian details of the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe have been released ahead of the all-new large SUV’s launch in June and the big news is it will ditch the outgoing model’s turbo-diesel engine in favour of more advanced hybrid power.

When it becomes available Down Under in the third quarter of this year the Korean brand’s next-generation Toyota Kluger rival will introduce a bold new look, with the new seven-seat family SUV bringing a boxier design incorporating a raised bonnet, squared-off front and rear wheel-arches and striking H-shaped headlights.

The squared-off “robust, adventurous” exterior design is repeated within the new Santa Fe’s more spacious cabin, which is full to the brim with sustainable materials, although designers made an exception with the new curved panoramic digital display, which bundles a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and infotainment system into one aesthetically pleasing LCD interface.

Hyundai claims class-leading cabin space with big improvements in second- and third-row legroom, plus more cargo room.

Under the bonnet, the 148kW/440Nm 2.2-litre turbo-diesel is replaced by a hybrid version of the car-maker’s 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine. Total outputs are 172kW and 376Nm and, for the first time, the electrified petrol powertrain will be offered with front-wheel drive as well as all-wheel drive.

Both engines are combined with a six-speed automatic transmission.

Later on, a far more powerful non-hybrid 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine from the Sonata N-Line might also join the line-up. If so, it could power the rugged new XRT version that will toughen up the family SUV with a raised ride height, all-terrain tyres, off-road ready 18-inch rims and extra body armour for protection off the beaten track.

Expect the 2.5T to pump out 207kW/422Nm and be combined with an eight-speed dual-clutch auto and all-wheel drive.

Instead of a being treated to special local market chassis tuning, Hyundai Australia has confirmed the Santa Fe will adopt the global suspension set-up offered in other markets.

When the all-new Santa Fe lands in our market it will be offered in just three trims: a base specification, the mid-spec Elite and a new range-topping Calligraphy flagship to replace the old Highlander grade, aligning Australia with other markets.

All three trims will be equipped with what’s promised to be a “full suite” of advanced safety tech, plus the dual-12.3-inch screens, wired and wireless Apple CarPlay, and the Hyundai's latest Bluelink connectivity system, which introduces over-the-air updates.

Even the base version will come with large 20-inch alloy wheels, while a matte paint option becomes available for the first time, along with six different interior trim options.

Local release timing for the rugged XRT version will be announced later, but it’s thought the rough new Santa Fe off-roader will arrive here with the new 2.5-litre turbo engine before the end of 2024.

Pricing for the updated 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe will be announced in the coming weeks in the build-up to its June debut.

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