Even in the case of longevity and steady sales numbers, sometimes you need to make radical changes to keep a certain nameplate alive. That’s exactly what Hyundai did with its well-known crossover, which has been in production for more than two decades and enters the fifth generation. The new model brings radical changes in many ways and now looks way more attractive than it ever did. The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe MX5 also brings a completely new cabin that doesn’t just look great but also offers more space than before.
At the same time, some aspects of this redesign remain evolutionary. The chassis and suspension changes are rather subtle, while the powertrain lineup remains mostly the same, with the exception of the base engine. All in all, the new Santa Fe looks very fresh, and it is ready to hit showrooms in the first half of next year.
2024 Hyundai Santa Fe MX5 Redesign
As we’ve just mentioned, the all-new 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe MX5 has just been presented, and from what we can see, it comes with a mix of radical and subtle changes. We will start with the most prominent changes first, of course, and that primarily refers to the completely new exterior design.
While the previous generations of this SUV featured a typical crossover layout, things are a little bit different this time. The new model brings a rugged, boxy appearance, which takes a lot of inspiration from the world’s most renowned off-roaders. The front end is highlighted by interesting LED patterns on the headlights, while the pretty much upright tailgate clearly indicates that the cabin is spacious and super practical. The boxy shape gets complemented by massive fenders on the sides, while 21-inch wheels are available for the first time in this SUV.
But at the same time, things remain pretty similar under the skin, with a similar chassis and suspension design, though officials claim that the new setup is softer and will provide a smoother and more comfortable ride. What’s also important to mention is that the new generation is taller, longer, and with a longer wheelbase and among other benefits, which also means more interior space than before.
Interior
The interior looks as impressive as the exterior design of the new Santa Fe. The first thing you’ll notice is the new dashboard design, which now utilizes a more conventional design, full of straight lines and way bolder than before. That’s a design approach you would normally expect from a rugged off-roader and in this case, it works pretty well. The dashboard combines these rugged aesthetics with nice materials and a good portion of tech features, highlighted by a couple of massive, curved screens that take charge of the infotainment system, as well as the instrument cluster. Furthermore, the lower section of the center stack incorporates another, notably smaller screen that works in combination with physical buttons, as a unit that controls climate controls, radio and similar things. Finally, there is a new steering wheel, very Land Rover-like, with a steering column-mounted gear shifter.
As we’ve just mentioned, the new generation features bigger dimensions and, therefore, there is more space on the inside. Three rows of seats are standard and, according to the officials, both the second and third rows offer more legroom. At the same time, the cargo area is also more spacious, with quite respectable 26 cubic feet of space.
2024 Hyundai Santa Fe MX5 Powertrain
As for the powertrain, most things remain the same, and that is one of the aspects of this redesign that’s rather evolutionary than revolutionary. The base naturally-aspirated inline-four won’t be on offer anymore. Instead, base models will feature a way more capable turbo-four, which is a clear indicator of the management’s intentions to make the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe MX5 way more upscale. That engine puts out around 277 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque.
Also, count on hybrid versions of this mid-size crossover. We are pretty sure there will be no bigger changes, so the offer should start with a conventional hybrid, which combines a 1.6-liter turbo-four engine with a single electric motor, for a max output of 226 horsepower. We also count on a plug-in hybrid version, equipped with the same engine but a more capable electric motor, for a combined output of 261 horsepower. This version also features a much larger battery pack, which ensures around 30 miles of the all-electric range. Most rivals, such as Honda Passport and Chevy Blazer, don’t have electrified versions on offer.
2024 Hyundai Santa Fe MX5 Release Date and Price
Although the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe MX5 already had a premiere, sales won’t start before the first half of the next year. As for the price, the officials are still quiet, but we expect base models to go a little bit under 40.000 dollars.
