The new Hyundai Santa Fe is a proper boxy SUV

It’s actually quite a handsome thing, wouldn’t you say? In a sort of Range Rover-ish, old Ford Flex kind of way. There’s a bit of Hyundai’s cuboidal ruler-led design in the lower vent accents akin the Ioniq 6, but above the belt line it’s a total stranger.

In spite of that, it is distinctive in terms of its light signatures, with ‘H’ day runners matching the ‘H’-shaped rears. Speaking of the rears, they’re perhaps our only qualm with the new Santa Fe’s look. It’s not the shape of them as much as it is how low down they are, bringing up troubling memories of the SsangYong Rodius. There is a bit more definition along the side thanks to some pretty prominent wheel arches, but even they are comprised of three straight edges.

The blocky appearance isn’t without purpose, however. Hyundai extended the wheelbase, pushed out the corners and flattened the exterior surfaces to boost practicality, maximise the size of opening apertures and interior space. The boot space is described as ‘terrace-like’ by Hyundai.

“With its longer wheelbase, roomy interior and terrace-like tailgate space, the new Santa Fe leans into its SUV strengths to offer more versatility than ever before as well as a premium customer experience,” said SangYup Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of Hyundai Global Design Center.

The new Santa Fe is as much designed to facilitate an outdoor lifestyle as it is to be a practical family wagon in the most traditional sense.

On the inside, there’s very much an homage to past generations of Range Rover, with the slanted climate panel and raised centre console. A mixture of physical and touch controls for the climate and media sits below a curved twin-screen for the driver display and infotainment. There’s plenty of mood lighting and even two wireless mobile phone charging pads.

As for what’s going on under the Santa Fe’s cuboidal skin? Little is known about powertrains and platform, though it’s safe to expect a range of internal combustion and plug-in hybrids. Hyundai’s all-electric SUV, the Ioniq 7, will share underpinnings with the Kia EV9 and is expected later this year. As for the Santa Fe, we can expect more details when it makes its full premier in August.