Hyundai Santa Fe – first images of 3rd-gen SUV out

Hyundai Santa Fe – first images of 3rd-gen SUV out
Click to enlarge.

Hyundai has released teaser images of its new, third-generation Santa Fe, which bears the ‘DM’ codename in Korea. The DM Santa Fe is set to be premiered at the New York International Auto Show in April.

Based on the company’s current design philosophy called Fluidic Sculpture, the Santa Fe’s lines are adapted into its own concept called ‘Storm Edge’. The rationale states that this design captures the strong and dynamic images created by nature during the formation of a storm.

Hyundai Santa Fe – first images of 3rd-gen SUV out
Click to enlarge.

So, the Santa Fe’s new lines are bolder, with more voluminous surfaces and it loses the curves of what we see usually see, like on the Sonata. What is similar though is the hexagonal grille that is on the fascia of every Hyundai car on the market.

The new lines also aims to deliver a more premium image, which hints on the ambitions Hyundai has for its new SUV. Expect more details on the vehicle when the New York Show opens.

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Chris Ng

Chris Ng believes that all cars are made equal, and each one has its own unique story to tell. As such, the ex-advertising man is here doing what he truly loves, which is authoring the allegories and anecdotes of automobiles. Having served time in a motoring mag, he believes there's nothing more sublime than keeping the pedal floored and things burbling in top gear.

 

Comments

  • sonata’s grill ? i dun like that, i prefer they stick to simpler designs like the 1 in elantra or tucson

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
    • kesian korean fanboys. i put a neutral comment also kena thumbs down, not that i dun like the car or what…..just the grill

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
  • mfahd_88 on Mar 12, 2012 at 8:32 pm

    other than thier honda citi-ish frontgril, i can’t see the differences with this model with current ix35. i bet that they’ve lost thier creativity in designing thier car
    lol

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • from the side profile i see a bit of Sportage, a bit of Tuscon and those rear lights reminds me of the Audi Q7’s.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • mak ton on Mar 12, 2012 at 8:45 pm

    audi eh?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • tucson versi besar?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • VOLVO FOR LIFE on Mar 12, 2012 at 8:49 pm

    are cars getting fatter?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • ss427 on Mar 13, 2012 at 9:32 am

      Of cos, the general public, esp the westerners are getting bigger and fatter now as compared to say 10 yrs ago. Car manufacturers have to upsize their cars for every successive model to suit the consumer’s tastes and requirements.

      Also, its much easier to build a 5 star NCAP car from a bigger shell as opposed to a smaller one.

      Of cos la, there are exception to the trend. The new POS Civic did exactly the opposite and was promptly blasted by many car mags for blatant cost cutting, utterly ugly shape and sloppy build quality.

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      • Hyundai De La Junk on Mar 13, 2012 at 10:59 am

        New Civic blasted by car mags ?

        It sale like a SUPER HOTCAKE in Canada & USA, No.1 in Canada & No. 2 in USA.

        New Camry also get negative comment & it is the Best Seller in US.

        Car Mags comments MY FOOT

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
        • squawk on Mar 13, 2012 at 4:06 pm

          They must be almost sold out in US cuz they’re up for a facelift there.

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • chikubi on Mar 12, 2012 at 9:40 pm

    Just into 2 comments only….already somebody compared it to honda ah??
    Too many honda salesman la this site!!!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • taboogen on Mar 13, 2012 at 8:09 am

      it is like Honda…. kia are now becoming lat China automaker… copy others design… you know what they will be like the japanese.. sophisticated, then arrogant and down fall coz they know they copied some idiotic buyer will just buy it. btw most of the korean car are design in house (what they told) in Europe (purfh)

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • Kampung on Mar 13, 2012 at 10:03 am

      U what car salesman?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • Just me on Mar 13, 2012 at 10:20 am

      Don’t complain yet, we are lucky this page do not have lots of proton salesman.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Gavin on Mar 12, 2012 at 9:40 pm

    I like what i see, the old sonata was handsome, this new one looks better, sweetest is we get the awesome 2.2 R diesel

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • biggbro on Mar 13, 2012 at 1:29 pm

      This babe is in my waiting list…i just hope they will not delay the new model’s launch here. Any hyundai salesman here has a clue when it will start production? at least the suv scene will be more exciting than what we have now.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
      • I drove a brand new Sante Fei (the one before the current face lift model on sale in Malaysia now) on a 2.5 weeks trip through Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. I was very impressed with its performance throughout the journey except for a short off road stretch in Vietnam. I guess the car is more tuned for normal roads and when we hit any boulders, we found the suspension hitting the undercarriage. We had the best mileage amongst the 14 cars in the convoy, getting an average of about 800 klm on a full tank. We also did not experienced any mechanical problems, I guess this may be because it was a brand new car.

        I have been waiting for the 3rd generation model to be launched here in Malaysia and have deliberately held back purchasing the model currently on sale as it is merely a facelift one and not the latest, as some of the Hyundai salesmen would like you to believe.

        When can we expect this 2012 model to be launched here?

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • chiku on Mar 12, 2012 at 9:53 pm

    just into 2 comments only in korean made car story…already somebody compared it to honda…too many japanese made car salesman la this site…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • You sound like a Hyundai salesman….

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • ss427 on Mar 13, 2012 at 9:37 am

      haha… if anyone tries to say the new Santa Fe looks like the new upcoming CRV… do be advised that the CRV was just launched in North America for less than 6 months.

      Its technically and logistically impossible for Hyundai to so called ‘copy’ the design and put it in their Santa Fe in such short time. LOL :)

      And frankly I really don’t see any CRV cues in the new Santa Fe ya. Its going to be another great effort from Hyundai again :) It is going to be a totally new platform and I believe the next Sorento will be based on this as well.

      There’s certainly no Volvo V60 style tailights out back…. unlike the CRV

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
      • Hyundai De La Junk on Mar 13, 2012 at 11:15 am

        The The CRV concept has already been out long before the launch, typically Copycat tak mengaku, who said they can’t copy within 6 months, those low life korean can even copy latest LV bags every season.

        LOL Honda City front Grill

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
        • TurboMan!!! on Mar 13, 2012 at 7:47 pm

          Do you know that the Honda NSX is almost a complete copy of the Ferraris at that time?

          So does it mean that ppl who bought the NSX are idiots? When you see an NSX now, how do you feel? Its a crap car or its a beautiful car.

          And the Mazda Miata is also almost a perfect copy of the Lotus Elan at that time?

          Does it mean the 1 million ppl who bought the Miata are idiots?

          So they copy from one another, so what? Not only the japanese. The Germans are guilty of this as well at one point. As long as they deliver decent cars at a decent price to the people and offer more competition in the market, then why not? The Miatas are light years ahead in terms of reliability compared to the Elan.

          So the next time you open that mouth of yours ( fingers in this case ), try to look at the bigger picture of the car industry. I can give you more examples shall you require.

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • mangata on Mar 12, 2012 at 9:58 pm

    honda city grill????

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Pororo on Mar 12, 2012 at 10:08 pm

    Daebak.. This is nice… just replace the current one.. i already see many gomen agency like Imigresen used this car as official gomen car…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • hyundai on Mar 12, 2012 at 10:31 pm

    is there any relation of the car styling with “the formation of a storm”. i can barely see the concept? are they bluffing us? nice try hyundai.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • I like it.

    Also, squint and you can see the side profile of the Nissan Hi-Cross concept
    http://paultan.org/2012/03/06/nissan-hi-cross-concept-previews-seven-seat-crossover/hi-cross-19/

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • SPARTA!!! on Mar 12, 2012 at 10:58 pm

      i guess nowadays the SUV design most of them are the same.. BTW, it nice…

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Yoo Hyuk on Mar 12, 2012 at 10:56 pm

    Sat gi Hyundai De La Junk, Maserati, dok bash kete2 korea…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Any idea when it will be available in Malaysia ? It will be a perfect timing if it is available in 2013 and also if the diesel IV is introduced then. Perfect for the diesel version with R engine. Alternatively it could come with the blue drive hybrid (with lithium polymer batts) … This model is one of Hyundai’s best sellers in the states ( if not mistaken). …… Sigh …. But the prohibitive price in boleh land….: ( and if Hyundai targets it as a premium SUV. It’s bye and not buy .

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • maman on Mar 12, 2012 at 11:37 pm

      just look at the hyundai elantra…
      i think we might get this after 2014

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
      • Vader on Mar 13, 2012 at 7:45 am

        the elantra is great, only the distributor matters..
        this car been planned by SD for long time, but it still failed to launch at the right time (when there is low stock for Japanese car due to earthquake & flood)..
        now all the Japanese cars start to recover, and even local car makers also ready to launch new model, but still no news for elantra???

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • happyone on Mar 12, 2012 at 11:24 pm

    there’s ady leaked pics in the internet
    http://www.google.com.my/search?tbm=isch&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1024&bih=652&q=2013+santa+fe&gbv=2&oq=2013+santa+&aq=0&aqi=g10&aql=&gs_sm=1&gs_upl=465l3075l0l4303l11l10l0l2l2l0l248l820l0.1.3l4l0&gs_l=img.1.0.0l10.465l3075l0l4303l11l10l0l2l2l0l248l820l0j1j3l4l0.llsin

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Alex CH on Mar 13, 2012 at 1:35 am

    Hope it comes to Malaysia after 2015, after we have moved to Euro4 fuel.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Nice

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  • The Enthusiast on Mar 13, 2012 at 8:59 am

    Looks like a cross of the new Ford Escape and Honda CRV (just the front grill part). I thought Hyundai is adopting the fluid design in all of their cars. This one isn’t. A bit close to Ford’s kinetic design. Love the daylight running LEDs though.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Side profile looks abit like Q7

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  • quottro on Mar 13, 2012 at 9:46 am

    looks like a grown up tucson…. good job hyundai

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  • Kampung on Mar 13, 2012 at 10:05 am

    Ah hah!

    “what we see usually see”…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • DewaSemut on Mar 13, 2012 at 12:05 pm

    Nice… In my opinion the fluidic design is more neat in this one as compared to Tucson… :)

    But… curiously the design seems to be moving towards its siblings’s styling, KIA… perhaps Peter Schreyer work hand in hand with Hyundai’s Casey Hyun by putting a few strokes of his ideas on this new Sante Fe as well? :D

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • squawk on Mar 13, 2012 at 4:09 pm

    Much less flamboyant fluidic sculpture on this which is a good thing for something this big. But in the rearview mirror, I think it will look too much like a Tucson.

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  • maass on Mar 13, 2012 at 6:28 pm

    if u look at the last picture, the line that runs along the side of the car, from the fender behind the wheel arch all the way to the rear tail lights, this line is jagged. Not fluidic at all! At the front door handle, the line runs along the bottom half of the handle. At the rear door handle, the line arrives at the bottom of the handle and then skips to the top of the rear door handle. There is no continuity there. Fluidic ma ass!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • halin on Apr 01, 2012 at 10:55 pm

    when they plan to launch this model???in my list, looking for 7 seater SUV ,….included 2012 CRV…and pajero sport…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

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