Hyundai has officially unveiled the new interior and exterior design of the 2024 Santa Fe. The company has introduced sharp lines that oddly resemble the famous Defender SUV. The South Korean company has presented its latest version with distinctive "H" pattern daytime running lights and an unconventional rear door.

This isn't the first time that a design resembling the Defender has been seen. Several months ago, images of the Chinese "Ston 01" car, which imitated the Land Rover Defender, were circulating online. This model was introduced as an initial prototype by Rox Motor and was named "Luo Ke".

Regarding the 2024 Santa Fe, Hyundai has refrained from providing concrete facts or details for comparison with its competitors. However, today they've rectified this by offering various dimensions, capabilities, and engine specifications. They've introduced the Santa Fe XRT model, which is considered the most powerful version of the Santa Fe, though it remains an experimental design for now.

Exterior Design:

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe is based on a wheelbase of 110.8 inches (2815 mm), surpassing the previous model by 1.9 inches (48 mm). The overall length extends to 190.2 inches (4830 mm), indicating an increase of 1.8 inches (46 mm). The width remains unchanged at 74.8 inches (1900 mm), but the new car's roof height reaches 67.7 inches (1720 mm), making it 0.4 inches (10 mm) taller than the old model.

Interior Design:

Hyundai drew inspiration from the Land Rover Defender for the interior design of the 2024 Santa Fe. They've made various interior modifications, including a third-row seating option for the American version and several other changes. Hyundai has focused on enhancing comfort and convenience during long drives in the 2024 Santa Fe. Notably, they've created ample interior space, enabling movable rear seats and more comfortable, electronically adjustable front seats. The cargo space in the rear trunk has also been increased by 3.2 cubic feet (91 liters), totaling 25.6 cubic feet (725 liters).

Additionally, Hyundai has introduced several features for greater comfort, including dual wireless smartphone charging, a central storage compartment accessible from both the front and rear, a dedicated UV-C sanitization area in the glove box for cleaning phones and wallets, and several other yet-to-be-detailed advantages.

Performance and Powertrain:

The engine capacity and power depend on the imported region. In Korea and North America, customers can choose between a 2.5-liter turbo engine generating 277 horsepower and 422 Newton-meters of torque, or a hybrid turbocharged 1.6-liter engine producing 178 horsepower and 264 Newton-meters of torque. The 2.5-liter version accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 62 mph) in 8.0 seconds, while the hybrid variant takes 9.5 seconds.

In Europe, consumers can opt for the same 1.6-liter hybrid engine or choose the PHEV version, also equipped with a 1.6-liter engine producing 158 horsepower and the same torque as the regular hybrid. Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 62 mph) for this version is 9.1 seconds.

In some other markets, a 2.5-liter engine with 191 horsepower will be available. Although not significantly underpowered, its acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 62 mph) takes 11.5 seconds.

Expected Price:

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe seems well-equipped, but its performance remains unknown at this moment. However, it's expected that prices will start at around $30,000 for the base version. As for the Santa Fe XRT version, it remains unclear for now.

Despite these multiple specifications and captivating design, some analysts anticipate that Hyundai might face competition challenges in this sector, especially after the introduction of the new 2024 Land Cruiser (Prado 2024) by Toyota.