When Hyundai highlighted the design of the all-new Santa Fe back in July, the reworked SUV garnered quite a bit of customer attention. The automaker didn’t share any specific details about the larger, boxier SUV however. That’s changed, with the automaker on Thursday releasing everything you might want to know about the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe lineup.
The fifth-generation Santa Fe is a larger vehicle than its predecessors, embracing that SUV ethos through more than its exterior styling. The truck is just under two inches longer than before, measuring 190.2 inches long. That’s still about five inches shorter than something like the BMW X5, and six inches shorter than the Hyundai Palisade. That added length allowed Hyundai to extend the wheelbase to 110.8 inches, bringing more room for rear passengers. Second and third-row legroom measure 42.3 and 30 inches, respectively. That's a gain of nearly three inches in the last row when compared to the outgoing model. This will be the first time that Hyundai has offered third-row seating as an option for U.S. Santa Fe customers. There’s also more cargo volume on offer this time around, with up to 26 cubic feet of space behind that third row.
That larger vehicle is wrapped in a much more attractive skin than its outgoing sibling, seemingly borrowing themes right from Coventry. The looks alone will attract customers, which is something you couldn’t say for the old SUV.
Things are a bit less different under the hood of the all-new Santa Fe. The outgoing model’s naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-pot is no longer on offer, instead replaced by the brand’s 2.5-liter turbo motor. This offering will provide 277 hp and 311 lb-ft of torque, and continues to come paired to an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Customers will be able to spec the powertrain in either front-wheel or all-wheel drive configurations. A turbocharged 1.6-liter hybrid is also slated to make the generational leap, which will provide at least 226 hp like the current offering. The powertrain is exclusively offered with all-wheel drive and comes backed by an old-school six-speed automatic. The brand has discontinued the plug-in hybrid variant of the Santa Fe for the SUV’s fifth generation. Despite our familiarity with these engines, we’ll need to wait for the EPA to test out this new bodywork before fuel economy figures are provided. The Santa Fe will also now offer larger 21-inch wheels, whereas the outgoing model only ever supported 20-inch rollers.
Inside the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe is where things really take a step forward. The interior is very horizontal in its layout, with tons of open space ahead of front-row passengers. The dashboard itself is handsomely styled, particularly the vehicle-length climate control grilles beneath the dual 12.3-inch infotainment and cluster setup. The relocated column shifter is a nice touch, helping to bring some of that truck flair to the equation. The light theme featured in these photos looks particularly like a Range Rover, which was no accident on the part of Hyundai. Just look at the steering wheel and tell me it isn’t a direct copy. The available second-row captains' chairs don’t hurt the comparisons either, and come backed with standard power adjustments. Third-row passengers get a bit less flexibility, but can recline their seats by as much as 10 degrees for additional comfort. There are also some unique touches to be found, including a UV-C sterilization light mounted inside the glove box. Interior color themes include Obsidian black, Supersonic gray, Pecan brown, Forest green, and black Ink.
The Hyundai Santa Fe will also come backed by the automaker’s entire suite of driver assistance technologies, such as Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist 2, Lane Following Assist 2, Driver Monitoring System with New Driver Attention Warning, and Smart Cruise Control 2 among others.
Hyundai is not quite ready to tell us how much this all-new Santa Fe model is going to cost. That said, we do know that the SUV is slated to arrive in the U.S. showrooms at some point during the first half of 2024. The hybrid model will likely serve as the entry point to the model, with the more potent turbo sitting atop the range.
Born and raised in Metro Detroit, associate editor Lucas Bell has spent his entire life surrounded by the automotive industry. He may daily drive an aging Mustang, but his Porsche 944 and NB Miata both take up most of his free time.
