Hyundai’s made huge inroads among the sport-utility set in recent years, topped with the introduction of its first full-size SUV Palisade and the new for 2021 Santa Fe is looking to carry that momentum forward.
The South Korean automaker took the covers off the new model, and it’s abundantly clear that they recognize a winning formula when they see it. The new exterior styling borrows from the Palisade – and with good reason – in particular on the front end.
Naturally the new Santa Fe gets more than a Palisade-inspired front end for the new model year, including a new hybrid powertrain with all-wheel drive and a slew of advanced driving safety technologies and convenience features, most of them wrapped up in the nameplates new Calligraphy trim level.
(New Hyundai team targets development of “ultimate mobility vehicles.”)
First things first: the new Santa Fe looks new, starting with the three-dimensional grille and t-shaped LED illumination signature. The new design is aimed at giving the ute a more upright profile that is accented by a scalloped shoulder that makes it look longer.
Hyundai designers didn’t leave the updates to just the exterior. The new interior is clearly focused on making technology a focal point both in terms of function and convenience. The automaker describes the new dash layout as a “high-position console design,” which is to say that the new 10.25-inch touchscreen sits right in the center of the dashboard where it can be viewed easily and clearly.
That’s accented by available Nappa leather, soft-touch materials and ambient lighting to give the Santa Fe an upscale feel that belies its less-than-luxury price. This gets taken a step further with the new Calligraphy trim level.
Tied to the Santa Fe Limited model with the more powerful 2.5-liter turbocharged engine, adding HTRAC AWD with downhill brake control, exclusive-design 20-inch alloy wheels, quilted Nappa leather, full-color heads-up display, premium-finish front grille, premium door and seat accent trim, eco-suede headliner, expanded ambient lighting themes and auto up/down rear windows.
(Hyundai reveals 2021 Sonata N Line – but leaves some questions unanswered.)
