"Radically transformed," the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe's MX5 fifth generation is making the rounds worldwide. After the earlier stop in the US at the 2023 Los Angeles Auto Show, it's time for Australia to welcome it.
Just in case the newly morphed, blocky design of the Hyundai Santa Fe already feels familiar way ahead of the start of sales in any region, you're not the only one feeling that eerie déjà vu. This is mainly because the South Korean automaker has staged many more introductions than usual. First, earlier this year, there was the initial design presentation when we first met the all-new three-row mid-size crossover SUV now sporting a design worthy of a G-Class or Defender comparison.
Secondly, during the final days of summer, Hyundai staged the worldwide launch in the only place that made sense – the city of Santa Fe, New Mexico, United States of America. But again, that was just the overall initial presentation. Now, the company is busy staging the regional introductions when we finally discover the model's particularities for those markets.
The US launch took place earlier this year at the 2023 Los Angeles Auto Show, which is when we found out the 2024 Santa Cruz will arrive on the market in March next year with the standard 2.5T model followed by the hybrid version in late spring. With that news, you would think Hyundai came full circle, with the original Santa Fe being Hyundai's first SUV in the US a little over two decades ago. Well, you'd be wrong.
More precisely, Hyundai is pushing with the regional launches at a time when "global interest in outdoor lifestyles, such as car camping or 'Chabak' (in Korea), is on the rise." And where should they introduce the new Santa Fe next, if not at a market where adventure awaits around every corner? Yep, the South Korean automaker is launching the Santa Fe in Australia next. And, if we look carefully, especially at the powertrain options, it turns out the model is even cooler in the Land Down Under than in the US.
In Australia, Hyundai will sell the latest Santa Fe starting in the first half of next year – which is probably when we will also receive the pricing details. For now, we already know the company will also bring the six-seat version to the Land Down Under, complete with a wide array of driving aids and safety functions like Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist 2, navigation-based Smart Cruise Control 2, or Highway Driving Assist 2, plus a wide variety of powertrain options.
For example, in South Korea and North America, the MX5 generation is limited to the 2.5-liter turbo with 278 hp and 311 lb-ft (422 Nm) plus the 1.6-liter turbo Hybrid with 177 hp and 195 lb-ft (265 Nm). On the contrary, only the electrified variants will go on sale on the Old Continent – the 1.6T Hybrid and the 1.6T Plug-in Hybrid with just 158 hp and 195 lb-ft (265 Nm). Obviously, the latter PHEV goes against the current, where the plug-in is always more potent than the classic hybrid variant.
However, in Australia, all the above are available, and on top of that comes a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter with 192 hp and 181 lb-ft (246 Nm) of torque. Regarding performance, the 2.5 T-GDI remains on top with a zero to 62 mph (100 kph) sprint time of eight seconds and a top speed of 130 mph (210 kph).
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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