2021 Hyundai Santa Fe breaks cover

The 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe has made its global debut with a striking new design, hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains, and a thoroughly revamped interior. 

Hyundai has pulled the wraps off the all-new 2021 Santa Fe SUV. Updates in the new fourth-gen model include a new platform, striking new design, a thoroughly revamped cabin, and updated powertrains. At the moment, the new Santa Fe is only headed for global markets, with its market launch in Europe expected sometime in September 2020.  

The new Santa Fe shares its platform with the third-generation Sonata sedan. Thanks to this, the vehicle has grown bigger in size – it’s longer, wider, and taller than the outgoing version. In terms of design, the new Sante Fe looks quite sharp, thanks to its geometric grille, twin-pod headlamps, T-shaped LED daytime running lights and a sporty bumper with trapezoidal air dam. The overall profile is quite butch, and the wraparound taillamps with T-shaped LED lights and a light bar at the back give it a very premium feel. The SUV rolls on 20-inch alloy wheels, which also look very sporty.

Inside, everything looks sumptuous – the SUV features a new floating centre console, a 10.25-inch infotainment screen, and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. There’s also ‘shift-by-wire’ buttons that replace a conventional gear lever. In addition to that, the Santa Fe gets Terrain Mode Selector for the very first time.

Thanks to the new platform, the 2021 Santa Fe will be launched with Hyundai’s new ‘Smartstream’ hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains. Hyundai hasn’t revealed the engine specifications as yet, but the new model is expected to be launched with a 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that’ll be coupled with an electric motor – the total system output will stand at over 260bhp and 350Nm. A 1.6-litre mild-hybrid petrol and a 2.2-litre diesel are also expected to join the range.

Although the Santa Fe was available in India in the past, it was never really a sales success for Hyundai. As a result, it’s unlikely that Hyundai will bring the new model here anytime soon. Having said that, Hyundai is reportedly planning to launch to the larger Palisade SUV in India.

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Hyundai's Palisade SUV revealed at the 2018 LA Auto Show 

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