It was a dark and stormy design…
Well, not quite, but this somewhat shadowed teaser image from Hyundai provides a first look at the maker’s next-generation Santa Fe crossover. The 2013 remake introduces what the maker has dubbed “Storm Edge,” an update of its well-regarded Fluidic Sculpture design language.
The two renderings come less than a month before Hyundai rolls out the 2013 Santa Fe at the upcoming New York International Auto Show. The update of the CUV is an important and symbolic move for the Korean carmaker. The original Santa Fe marked the transformation of the Hyundai brand from one focusing on cheap and boring products into a maker of stylish, fun-to-drive – if still affordable – automobiles.
The most notable change comes with an updated take on the familiar Hyundai six-sided grille. It now features flatter, but thicker, cross slats. The front look borrows heavily from the maker’s new Azera, especially when it comes to the wraparound headlamps, which feature LED accents around the main projector bulbs.
As with a number of recent Hyundai models, the 2013 Santa Fe features a more upscale design with clear European influences – think Audi Q5, in particular.
The two images suggest that unless Hyundai has another surprise for us in the Big Apple the 2013 Santa Fe will stick with a two-row layout – the maker having abandoned its three-row model in 2009.
But there are a number of rumors – as our friends at Autoblog.com point out – suggesting we might also see the launch of a new three-row, long-wheelbase spinoff of the Hyundai Santa Fe, which could serve as a replacement for the less popular Veracruz.
Hyundai is waiting for New York to fill us in on the powertrain options. The current choices are a 175-horsepower 2.4-liter inline-four and a 276-hp 3.5-liter V-6, with a six-speed automatic transmission.
But as the new crossover shares its underlying platform with the latest-generation Sonata we would not be surprised if Hyundai abandons the six-banger and shifts to an entirely four-cylinder-based driveline family, possibly including a turbo and even the Sonata’s hybrid.
