2020 Hyundai Santa Fe: new details revealed of extensive facelift

2020 Hyundai Santa Fe: new details revealed of extensive facelift

Autocar

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Large seven-seat SUV moves upmarket with fresh underpinnings, new hybrid powertrains and revamped styling

Hyundai has released the first details of a significant update for its Santa Fe flagship SUV, which brings a bold styling overhaul, fresh hybrid powertrains and an all-new platform in a bid to enhance the model’s premium appeal. 

The seven-seater is the first model in Hyundai’s European line-up to move across to the ‘third-generation’ architecture, which already underpins the US-market Sonata saloon. The brand claims the new platform will offer “improved performance, efficiency and safety”. 

Headline features include a new ventilation system that improves air movement through the engine bay, allowing heat to dissipate and improving the Santa Fe’s stability. Heavy components are also located lower in the chassis for a lower centre of gravity. 

The SUV’s dynamic performance is also claimed to have been improved by relocating the steering arms, while reinforced sound and vibration absorption material throughout the chassis aids rolling refinement.

The 2020 Santa Fe will be available with hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains for the first time. The former will be available from launch, and mates Hyundai's new 'Smartstream' 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with a 59bhp electric motor and a 1.49kW lithium ion battery to produce 227bhp and 258lb ft. Both front- and four-wheel drive configurations are available.

The four-wheel-drive-only PHEV option will arrive on the market next year. Already deployed in the Santa Fe's recently refreshed Kia Sorento sibling, it pairs the same 1.6-litre engine with a 90bhp electric motor for a combined output of 261bhp and 258lb ft. Hyundai is yet to confirm a WLTP-certified electric-only range figure, but the Santa Fe PHEV's 13.8kWh battery pack offers a claimed 40 miles per charge on the NEDC cycle.  

Hyundai claims neither hybrid option loses out on passenger or load space, with the battery packs for each located under the front seats. 

The new Smartstream petrol engine uses Hyundai's newly developed Continuously Variable Valve Duration (CVVD) technology, which is said to improve performance by 4%, fuel efficiency by 5% and emissions by 12% over the outgoing 1.6-litre motor by varying how long the inlet and outlet valves remain open according to the driving situation. Also featured is a Low-pressure Exhaust Gas Recirculation function, which sends burnt gas back to the combustion chamber to cool the engine and reduce CO2 emissions. 

A pure combustion option will also be offered in the form of an upgraded version of the current car's 2.2-litre diesel motor. Improvements include a reshaped camshaft, a higher-pressure injection system and a switch from a steel block to aluminum, resulting in a 19.5% weight loss. Power - sent to either the front axle or all four wheels through a newly developed eight-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox - is up slightly from 197bhp to 199bhp, but torque output is unchanged at 325lb ft.  

The Skoda Kodiaq rival has been completely visually overhauled as well, bearing a bold new design that Hyundai says combines “rugged presence and sophistication”. It's slightly larger all round than its predecessor, measuring 4785mm long, 1900mm wide and 1685mm high. 

The front grille, which has been significantly enlarged to span the entire width of the car, features a new 3D mesh pattern and is flanked by a pair of distinctive T-shaped daytime running lights. The lower air intake sits within a new skid plate, while vertically orientated side vents aim to strengthen the car’s “upright and robust impression".

At the back, the Santa Fe has gained a new reflector bar that stretches between redesigned brake light clusters and a new lower bumper in the same style as the front end. The external redesign is finished off with wider wheel arches and new alloy wheel designs.

Inside, the new platform is said to allow for enhanced comfort and convenience over the outgoing car, with a focus on premium, soft-touch materials throughout. 

The dashboard and centre console have been redesigned, and the current car’s 7.0in infotainment touchscreen has been swapped out for a 10.25in unit as standard, while the analogue gauge cluster makes way for a new 12.3in digital unit.

The gear selector is gone, too, replaced by a shift-by-wire button arrangement on the new floating centre console and a rotary 'Terrain Mode' selector which sets the vehicle up for driving on surfaces such as sand, snow and mud. 

A new Luxury trim has been introduced at the top of the Santa Fe range, bringing bespoke 20in alloy wheels and colour-matching bumper and wheel arch trim, rather than the black items found on lower-spec cars.

Andreas-Christoph Hoffman, vice-president of marketing and product at Hyundai Motor Europe, said: “With the range of new features, the new Santa Fe further progresses as a premium vehicle. It once again shows that we are listening to our customers and are constantly providing the latest features to serve their needs. 

“This is also the case regarding our powertrain line-up. With the introduction of the new Santa Fe, our whole SUV line-up will be available with electrified versions ranging from hybrid solutions to fuel cell.”

The new Santa Fe will go on sale in Europe from September, with more official details to be revealed in the coming months. 

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