An updated one Hyundai Santa Fe has been spied on, and it’s not just a matter of just tweaking the bumpers and changing the wheels.
Instead, this facelift for the polarizing fifth-generation Santa Fe arriving in 2024 is expected to be quite comprehensive, with the large crossover SUV’s unusual low-mounted taillights – complete with bone-shaped graphics – set to be removed.
Instead as a spy video from Shorts car shows the Santa Fe switching to more conventional, vertical taillights.
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These could possibly be connected by a light strip across the entire width.
In addition, this camouflaged prototype also features vertical lighting elements at the front. It appears that both this and a full-width light bar encompass the daytime running lights, with separate headlights within the vertical lights.
The updated Santa Fe is expected to be unveiled in late 2026 or early 2027.
The changes are intended to bring the Santa Fe more visually into line with the larger Palisade, although Hyundai may also introduce elements of its new Art of Steel design language, which made its production car debut on the second-generation Nexo.
It’s unclear whether there will be any changes to the powertrain lineup, aside from the switch to a conventional eight-speed torque converter automatic transmission in the turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline variants, replacing the eight-speed dual-clutch auto.
This change has already been announced for the US market, where the Santa Fe is also built. Our Santa Fes, on the other hand, come from Korea.
The drive range currently includes not only the aforementioned 2.5-liter turbo, but also a 1.6-liter four-cylinder hybrid. It is unclear whether the 2.5-liter turbo four-cylinder hybrid from the larger Palisade will also be used in the Santa Fe.
It’s possible that the Santa Fe update will continue to focus on visual updates and not make any major mechanical changes.
Hyundai is no stranger to giving its vehicles major midlife updates, especially when sales fall short of expectations – examples of this include two separate generations of the Sonata sedan.
Santa Fe sales totaled 57,889 units in Korea in 2025, up from 77,159 in 2024. Its cousin, the Kia Sorento, was Korea’s best-selling model in 2025, while the Santa Fe ranked seventh.
In Australia, however, Santa Fe sales rose by 16.2 percent to 6,264 units in 2025. This was the best performance since 2018, when Hyundai delivered 7,523 units.
MORE: Explore the Hyundai Santa Fe showroom
