Hyundai UAE has announced the arrival of the all-new Santa Fe SUV in the country, with an ‘Open for More’ concept that conveys the model’s radical transformation centered on its new design.

 

The fifth-generation Santa Fe enhances the midsize SUV’s city-friendly, adventure-ready appeal with a class-leading, terrace-like living space made possible by its longer wheelbase and larger tailgate opening. The longer wheelbase also allows the new model to offer enhanced third-row seating.

 

“The Santa Fe’s has managed through 23 years has succeeded in capturing the hearts of many customers across our region, this iconic SUV is now reborn” said Bryan Park, President of Hyundai Motor Company. “The All-New Santa Fe’s embodies the boundless outdoors and urban landscape, will establish an unrivaled presence in the mid-sized SUV segment.”

 

Pushing boundaries

“With the launch of the all-new Santa Fe SUV, Hyundai UAE reaffirms its dedication to pushing the boundaries of innovation, comfort, and sustainability. Infused with world-first and class-leading features, the car is a testament to our enduring commitment to excellence, driven forward by our ‘Open for More’ concept that encapsulates our ambition to offer customers unparalleled experiences, blending urban elegance with adventurous spirit. By introducing the fifth-generation Santa Fe to the UAE market, we continue to follow in the footsteps of the nation’s visionary leadership towards sustainability, envisioning a future where hydrogen mobility and eco-friendly technologies set new standards for the automotive industry,” said Suliman AlZaben, Director of Hyundai UAE.

 

Exterior design

For Santa Fe’s first full-model change since 2018, Hyundai Motor adopted an unusual design strategy by starting from the enlarged tailgate area to better facilitate the enjoyment of the outdoors and then moving on to design the exterior. 

 

The new model’s efficient, boxy shape and long wheelbase help convey a powerful presence while the strong yet delicately crafted external design is well-suited to both urban and nature-focused settings.

 

The all-new Santa Fe’s front makes a strong first impression thanks to its high hood, H-shaped headlamps and sharply-defined fenders. Together, the H-shaped headlamps and lower front valance design draw inspiration from the Hyundai emblem to produce a bold and distinctive image. 

 

The longer wheelbase gives the all-new Santa Fe a sense of grandeur, its clean side sculpting complemented by a bold roofline, generous volume around the fenders, robust wheel arches, a shorter front overhang and bold designed 21-inch wheels. 

 

The rear view, distinguished by its wider tailgate, reinforces the sense of solidity while creating a simpler, sculptural look. The H-shaped taillights harmonise with the front H-lights to provide the all-new Santa Fe with a distinctive presence on the road.

 

Interior design

Santa Fe’s all-new interior contrasts with the exterior by emphasising horizontal and vertical design elements and matching the tone and mood of the exterior. An H-shaped design is applied to the dashboard and air vents to enhance the sense of openness and create a unique design balance. 

 

The new interior comes with useful convenience features, such as a UV-C Sterilisation Tray and dual wireless charging system for smartphones, to create a sophisticated user experience with SUV-like practicality. Santa Fe’s first-in-class Panoramic Curved Display, which encompasses the 12.3-inch digital cluster and infotainment system, enhances driver visibility and creates a sense of luxury.

 

With the longer wheelbase, the all-new Santa Fe offers class-leading interior space. Fully foldable second-and third-row seats create a terrace-like space at the rear with the wider tailgate open, enabling users to enjoy the outdoors effortlessly. This appealing design feature reflects Hyundai Motor’s use of big data to identify customers’ interest in the latest outdoor lifestyle trends, such as car camping and gear-intensive adventures. 

 

Eco-friendly materials are used throughout Santa Fe’s interior for soft surfaces, such as the headliner, BCF car mats and seatbacks and coverings, such as the crash pad, door trim and seats. In particular, the leatherette seats are made of materials that minimise human health hazards and are certified as Class 1 in Europe -safe for infants up to 3 years old. 

 

The use of eco-friendly materials extends to the exterior as well. The glossy black paint applied to the exterior trim uses recycled carbon materials. Among the exterior colors, the Ecotronic Gray for North American markets uses a natural bamboo charcoal coating method.

 

 

Practical body profile

The all-new Santa Fe provides class-leading cargo capacity and a spacious tailgate opening , which is great for urban lifestyles and impresses in outdoor use, offering plenty of room for everything from sports equipment to camping gear. The new model maximises outdoor functionality with Hidden-type Assist Handle, located in the C-pillar, for improved roof access.

 

For the all-new Santa Fe, Hyundai prioritised living space by increasing the second-and third-row legroom. The SUV offers best-in-class third-row comfort (with third-row recline) and headroom improvements in response to customer feedback. 

 

The gasoline-powered Santa Fe’s second-row legroom’s length has increased by 35 mm to 1,075 mm. The hybrid’s second-row legroom’s length has increased by 20 mm to 1,055 mm. The third-row legroom’s length has increased by 15 mm to 761 mm. 

 

The SUV offers best-in-class third-row headroom as well. The third-row headroom’s height has increased by 69 mm to 958 mm. The third-row seating height has increased by 30 mm to 282 mm. The third-row seating reclines 10 degrees, an increase over the previous generation.

 

Premium features enhance comfort

To enhance the user experience, the all-new Santa Fe is packed with premium comfort and convenience features, several of which are either the world’s first, first-in-class, or class-leading.

 

Among the all-new Santa Fe’s other convenience features is its high-speed, dual wireless charging system for smartphones. A C-type USB terminal (max. 27W) is also included. In addition, a first-of-its-kind, UV-C Sterilisation Tray is applied to the top of the Santa Fe’s passenger glove compartment, providing easy sterilisation of frequently used items, such as cell phones, wallets, etc.

 

Radar-based Rear Occupant Alert (ROA) helps to remind the driver about rear occupants as a safety precaution after the ignition is turned off.

 

Proactive driver assistance and safety features

The all-new Santa Fe is well-equipped with a host of driving assistance and safety features that reduce user involvement and provide a comfortable, confident driving experience whether simply commuting or on a weekend adventure.

 

Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist 2 can provide a warning and emergency braking if the preceding vehicle suddenly slows down or if a forward collision risk is detected. 

 

Lane Following Assist 2 employs a windshield-mounted camera to help recognise vehicle drifting and helps provide slight steering inputs to return the vehicle back to the center of its lane. 

 

New Driver Attention Warning (DAW) analyses the driver’s attention and can provide warnings when necessary. Driver Monitoring System (DMS), Hyundai Motor’s first in North America, analyses a driver’s vital signs to help ensure safe driving.

 

Among the Santa Fe’s other driver assistance and safety features are Intelligent Speed Limit Assist, 

Rear View Monitor, Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist, Front/Rear Parking Distance Warning, Surround View Monitor, Remote Smart Parking Assist, and Safe Exit Assist.

 

Plenty of fuel-efficient power

The all-new Santa Fe will be available with two powertrain options. A gasoline 2.5-litre engine (Theta III 2.5 GDI – 8AT) with a maximum engine output of 194 ps and maximum torque of 25.1 kgf·m. 

The more powerful choice is the gasoline 2.5-litre turbocharged engine (Theta III 2.5T GDI – 8DCT) provides maximum engine output of 281 ps and maximum torque of 43.0 kgf·m--TradeArabia News Service