2019 Hyundai Santa Fe Debuts With New Upscale Vibe

The Santa Fe is one of the most successful products in Hyundai’s history and is arriving this year with an all-new look as well as improved safety and convenience features.

Making its North American debut at the 2018 New York Auto Show, Hyundai is proudly showcasing its new crossovers alongside the Santa Fe, including an updated Tucson and an electric version of the Kona. This new version of the Santa Fe is the replacement for the Santa Fe Sport, which will be dropping the “Sport” moniker. The current seven-passenger Santa Fe will now be called the Santa Fe XL and will carry on for this year but will be replaced by an all-new product with seating for eight and a new name. Interestingly, this Santa Fe will now get an option for an occasional use third-row seat.

The design of compact Kona is making its way to the Santa Fe, and you’ll immediately notice the new “Cascading Grille” that emphasizes the wider stance. There are also new LED lighting elements that will make this generation of Santa Fe stand out from past models.

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The interior has been updated show off Hyundai’s approach to premium cabins. Additionally, there’s more cabin space and better visibility for drivers. Pilots will also be offered a head-up display. There’s also the usual array of safety features and some new ones including a Rear Seat Occupant Alert designed to remind parents about children left in the car and Safe Exit Assist that will prevent the doors from being opened into oncoming traffic.

Under the hood, Hyundai will offer three engines: a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 185 hp and 178 lb-ft of torque, a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that makes 235 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque, and a 2.2-liter four-cylinder diesel engine that will make 190 hp and 322 lb-ft of torque. These engines will be paired with a new eight-speed automatic and can be matched to the new AWD system that features a variable-torque-split clutch with active torque vectoring between the front and rear axles. The all-wheel-drive system even has three selectable drive modes to choose from.

It seems like a worthy successor to the popular Santa Fe nameplate, and we’ll learn more about the vehicle including pricing and trim levels when it goes on sale here in the summer of 2018.

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