Funny enough, some of the first mid-size crossover SUVs to arrive on the market were wholly opposed – like yin and yang, night and day, or water and fire. Those were the rather bland Toyota Highlander and quirkiness impersonated, aka the Pontiac Aztek, by the way.
History has shown that consumers favored sense and simplicity over passion and night-time scares, so it is pretty clear which of them is still alive and well. That would be Toyota's Highlander, of course, which has become so successful over time that – along with its numerous rivals – has fully popularized the mid-size CUV segment in places like North America or China and has also grown into the all-new, first-ever 2024 Grand Highlander.
Meanwhile, the Pontiac Aztek is remembered as a failure and a styling example that should not be followed. However, that does not mean automakers are not brave enough to try something different from the traditional recipe. And we really cannot blame South Korean carmaker Hyundai for lack of daringness, especially over the past decade or so. As such, is anyone surprised by the forward-thinking looks of the successful fourth iteration of the Santa Fe nameplate, especially the facelift from 2020?
Probably not, which is at least one of the reasons Hyundai is plotting the course for even more boldness. At least, that is what we see from the fifth-gen 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe's boxy prototypes spied on by our spy photographer partners over the past few months. It was back in November 2022 when we first caught glimpses of the rugged new looks, and the fresh design was certainly giving out mini-Palisade vibes, both on the road and in the snow.
Then, when spring came, the next iteration was spied on again, and it was even kind enough to partially reveal its interior goodies. Well, that was more than enough to rekindle the affection of the imaginative realm of digital car content creators, so here are the good folks over at the AutoYa info channel on YouTube, who have (again) imagined the CGI looks of the upcoming fifth iteration of Hyundai's mid-size crossover SUV.
As always, the unreleased next-generation South Korean mid-size crossover SUV shows all of its hypothetical goodies with help from an unofficial color reel – and this time around, the resident pixel master raises the stakes with a quick look inside the ritzy cabin, as well. Unfortunately, only the design cues have a place in our virtual discussion because there are no technical specifications or a potential release date. Alas, that does not mean we cannot speculate based on the current mix of ICE, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid powertrains – especially if Hyundai decides to keep the fresher N3 platform underneath the new body styling.
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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