The updated one Hyundai Santa Fe has been tested with a fresh look ahead of its expected arrival in showrooms sometime in 2027 – and it says goodbye to its controversial taillight design.
As these spy photos show, the boxy design of the current fifth-generation Santa Fe, which launches in Australia in 2024, will be significantly revised front and rear, with narrower headlights and a simpler front grille and bumper.
The three-row SUV will also forego its current distinctive, low-mounted taillights and instead use more conventional vertical brake lights connected by a horizontal light bar.
According to previous spy shots of the Santa Fe, the update retains the current model’s core shape and sharp window lines, but takes inspiration from the Art of Steel design language introduced on the second-generation Nexo hydrogen fuel cell midsize SUV.
With Daily Sparkz you can save thousands on a new car. Click Here to get a great deal.
The same design theme will carry over to other models, including the smaller Kona SUV, which was recently tested ahead of its expected launch in 2028.
Hyundai recently announced that it will align the exterior design of its vehicles across all models while maintaining the distinctive identity of each nameplate.
The facelifted Santa Fe will also bring significant changes to the cabin. A larger center screen indicates that it will run Hyundai’s new-generation Android Automotive-based Pleos operating system.
The automaker announced Pleos in 2025 and said Hyundai and its luxury Genesis brand will reach 20 million vehicles by 2030. It’s expected to make its debut in the next i30 and Tucson, which should come around the same time as the updated Santa Fe.
Powertrains are expected to remain unchanged, with the possible addition of a new extended range electric vehicle (EREV) option, which is not confirmed for Australia.
The current local model range includes a 1.6-litre turbo petrol four-cylinder hybrid with a six-speed automatic and a 2.5-litre turbo four-cylinder with an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT).
While in some countries the eight-speed gearbox will be replaced with a conventional automatic transmission due to customer complaints, Hyundai Australia previously said Daily Sparkz There are no plans to replace the gearbox in local models.
The larger Palisade’s range in Australia is also expanding, with new entry-level and top-of-the-range models as part of a revitalized range in the second half of 2026.
MORE: Explore the Hyundai Santa Fe showroom
