Tougher Hyundai Santa Fe XRT revealed

Hyundai Australia has expressed a keen interest in the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe XRT just revealed in the US, even though the toughened-up seven-seat SUV is a North America-only product – for the time being.

A local Hyundai spokesperson told carsales the “XRT would make a great addition” to the upcoming 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe range, “but at this stage nothing is confirmed” because at this stage it’s only been locked in for the US and Canada.

Still, the prospect of a more rugged car-based family hauler is clearly tickling the fancy of many auto brands at the moment – at least in the US, where Nissan has its Pathfinder Rock Creek, Kia has its Sorento X-Line and Subaru has its Wilderness portfolio.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe XRT is the watered-down production version of the XRT concept shown in August, fitted with a series of black exterior trim bits and extra body cladding to toughen up its aesthetic, alongside chunkier 245/60-profile all-terrain tyres and unique black 18-inch alloys.

The upgraded rubber – and more than likely new springs – adds close to 40mm of extra ground clearance and will ensure the big SUV does a better job of maintaining grip on loose surfaces and more challenging terrain.

Adding to the already enhanced versatility is a set of black roof rails with cross bars, giving campers and adventure types more storage space for their gear.

Lurking under the bonnet of the XRT is the same Sonata N-Line-derived 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine as seen in the rest of the new-generation Santa Fe line-up, good for 207kW of power and 422Nm of torque.

All-wheel drive will feature as standard on the XRT, while transmission duties are handled by an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic.

If you like what you see you’ll be happy to hear that, although the XRT isn’t on the cards for an immediate introduction Down Under, there is a strong chance it or an equivalent will materialise in local showrooms at some stage, since Hyundai has filed two trademark applications relating to the XRT nameplate with IP Australia.

The submissions in question specifically comprise ‘XRT’ and ‘Hyundai XRT’ and were both filed in late September by Hyundai Australia as opposed to its parent company, suggesting that something more than routine nameplate protection is afoot.

A quick look through Hyundai’s North American portfolio reveals there are XRT versions of the Tucson, Palisade and the previous-generation Santa Fe, all of which bodes well for the chances of at least the new Santa Fe XRT being sold in Australia at some stage.

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