Hyundai Santa Fe – renders of fourth-gen SUV shown

After teasing the arrival of the fourth-generation Hyundai Santa Fe, the carmaker has now released official renders of the SUV ahead of its global premiere in February. The new model replaces the third-generation DM, which has been around for close to six years now.

Upon first glance, it’s obvious the new Santa Fe has undergone a significant overhaul in terms of its design. The front draws inspiration from the Kona and Nexo, with slim LED daytime running lights in line with the top of the grille. This echoes what we’ve seen with an earlier teaser image of the actual car.

Said grille is also more sculpted compared to the hexagonal-shaped one on the DM, with a new mesh design as well. The main headlights are positioned below the DRLs, with two bulbs on each side of the grille. Further down is the lower grille, a skid plate and what should be the vehicle’s fog lamps.

Referring back to the darkened profile image from before the distinct character line that runs from the DRLs, over the door handles and towards the rear taillights are also seen on the render. It is accompanied by flared fenders and a scalloped section of the doors.

Efforts have also been done to improve outward visibility by reducing the width of the bottom of the A-pillar, the height of the beltline and size of the third-quarter glass panel. That last bit is also beneficial to passengers in the second and third row seats, besides the driver.

At the rear, there is some disparity in the shape of the taillights, but this is likely due to the exaggerated nature of renders. Nonetheless, they appear to be relatively slim in appearance, with Y-shaped graphics within them. Another skid plate forms part of the front fascia, with chrome surrounds for the reflectors/rear fog lamps.

While there is no preview of the SUV’s interior, Hyundai has revealed some information on what to expect. For starters, the increased wheelbase (and vehicle length) makes things roomier inside. Hyundai claims best-in-class legroom for the second row, and there’s more headroom for those in the third row.

If that isn’t enough, the carmaker also says it will be easier to get in and out of the third row, and it will be a comfortable place for those seated there. A one-touch folding function for the seats will also be available to maximise cargo storage capacity if needed.

As reported previously, the Santa Fe will come with a range of active safety features under the Smart Sense technology umbrella. The industry-first Rear Occupant Alert monitors the rear seats to detect passengers and alerts the driver when leaving the car, similar to Nissan’s Rear Door Alert.

Joining it is Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning, which is now enhanced by an automated braking function. To avoid the risk of collision when reversing out of narrow spaces with limited visibility, the system warns the driver and applies the brakes automatically if needed.

There’s more too, mainly targeted at those with families, including the Safe Exit Assist system. Claimed to be a first among carmakers, it warns the driver when it senses a car approaching from the back and automatically locks the rear door. Hyundai says the automated child lock technology will contribute to preventing youth accidents.

GALLERY: Next-gen Hyundai Santa Fe spyshots

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