Initially expected to launch in South Africa at some point in 2024, the new Hyundai Santa Fe has now been put “on the back burner” for the local market…
Waiting patiently for the new Hyundai Santa Fe to make local landfall? Well, Hyundai Automotive South Africa has confirmed to Cars.co.za that the 5th-generation SUV has been put “on the back burner” for the local market.
Though the South Korean firm’s local distributor stopped short of ruling out the possibility of an introduction at a later date, it told us the new model was not currently “on the horizon”. We can only speculate that the boldly styled new Santa Fe would have come in at an unfeasibly high price point.
For context, the outgoing 4th-generation Santa Fe range was recently rationalised to a single derivative: the Santa Fe 2.2D 4WD Elite for R1 094 500. That’s not far behind the respective flagship versions of the Palisade (R1 204 500) and the Staria (R1 263 900).
In addition, it’s perhaps worth noting that the new version of the SUV is not produced in turbodiesel guise, instead being available in overseas markets only in various petrol and petrol-hybrid forms. Considering the 4th-gen Santa Fe was offered in Mzansi exclusively with an oil-burning motor, this too may have played a role.
In 2023, Hyundai sold 177 examples of the Santa Fe in South Africa, with a high of 30 units in July of that year. Meanwhile, over the opening 7 months of 2024, just 51 units have been registered, with the SUV breaking into double figures only twice. We suspect local stock has started to run dry, with Hyundai selling just 5 units in June and 5 in July 2024.
It’s furthermore worth keeping in mind that as Hyundai Automotive SA bids to regain 4th position in the local sales rankings (year to date, it’s in 5th, behind Ford), the company has seemingly placed a renewed emphasis on the lower end of the market, having recently cut pricing for the Grand i10, i20 hatchback and Venue. In addition, the new Exter – which is poised to play the role of “most-affordable crossover” for the brand – is scheduled to launch in September 2024.
As a reminder, Hyundai released a few images of the new Santa Fe back in July 2023, before revealing more details the following month. Having undergone what the manufacturer describes as a “radical transformation”, the new Santa Fe looks nothing like its predecessor.
Interestingly, Hyundai claims the newcomer’s identity is closely linked to its tailgate area, which is no longer merely a “storage space” but has now become “an open terrace that can be used to effortlessly enjoy the outdoors”. Indeed, the foldable 2nd- and 3rd-row seats create what Hyundai dubs a “terrace-like” space at the rear with the wider tailgate open.
From nose to tail, the fresh-faced Santa Fe is some 45 mm longer than its forebear, now measuring 4 830 mm long and 1 900 mm wide, while standing 1 720 mm tall. There’s an extra 50 mm between the axles, too, taking the wheelbase to 2 815 mm and allowing the new 7-seater model (though some markets will also feature a 6-seater) to offer what Hyundai calls “enhanced” 3rd-row seating.
The tailgate opening is a considerable 145 mm wider than before at 1 275 mm, while the luggage compartment has gained 91 litres of space (now set at a “class-leading” 725 litres; we’re guessing this is with the 3rd row folded flat). Legroom in the 2nd row has increased by 35 mm to 1 075 mm, with occupants of the 3rd row furthermore gaining an extra 15 mm in this area (and an additional 69 mm of headroom), according to Hyundai.
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