Facelifted Hyundai Santa Fe teased ahead of 2020 launch

This shadowy teaser image is our first official look at the facelifted Hyundai Santa Fe. The Korean brand’s revised flagship SUV will be officially unveiled this summer, sporting a range of cosmetic and mechanical updates, before going on sale in the UK in September.

Specific details on the SUV’s cosmetic revisions still remain sparse but, judging by this teaser image, the new Santa Fe will feature a heavily redesigned front end, with a broader radiator grille and fresh T-shaped LED daytime running lights.

Hyundai has also confirmed that the new Santa Fe will feature an all-new platform, which is highly unusual for a facelifted model. The SUV will be based on the brand’s third-generation vehicle platform, which also underpins the US- and China-only Sonata saloon.

The Korean brand says its upgraded underpinnings offer better handling and improved crash safety, thanks to its extensive use of high-tensile steel and its redesigned crumple zones. Refinement should also be boosted, with Hyundai adding additional sound dampening in vibration-sensitive areas such as the engine bay and suspension towers.

The new platform will also make the Santa Fe compatible with Hyundai’s latest range of hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains. Specific details about the powertrains are yet to be confirmed, but we expect both will be based on the firm’s existing 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol unit – which is already used in the Ioniq Hybrid hatchback and Kona Hybrid crossover.

Interior revisions should mirror the platform shift, with the updated Santa Fe featuring the same 10.25-inch infotainment screen and 12.3-inch digital instrument binnacle as the new Sonata. We expect the update will also bring a range of new trim and upholstery options, as well as a few extra paint finishes and alloy wheel designs.

What do you make of the new Hyundai Santa Fe? Let us know in the comments section below…