The Hyundai Santa Fe got one heck of a makeover this year, ditching its drabby-flabby milquetoast styling for sharper edges and a much more butch aesthetic. Does it kind of look like a knock-off Land Rover? Sure. Is that a problem? Not at all.
Now, Hyundai is upping the Santa Fe’s rugged factor even more, with the introduction of an XRT trim that debuted at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The XRT builds off the top-end Santa Fe Calligraphy—meaning it’s fully kitted out inside—but adds 18-inch wheels with 30-inch 245/60 all-terrain tires. The XRT has around 3.8cm of additional ground clearance over other Santa Fes, and it can tow up to 2,040kg. No extra-robust version of the Santa’s all-wheel-drive system, however.
Globally, the Santa Fe has various gasoline, diesel, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid powertrain options. In the US, Hyundai will offer a 2.5-liter turbopetrol straight-four with 277hp, 421Nm of torque, and an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, as well as a hybrid setup based around a 1.6-liter turbopetrol straight-four with 232hp, 367Nm, and a six-speed automatic gearbox.
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Those wannabe-Discovery cues continue inside, with an interior that’s once again been designed with a ruler and not much else. A pair of 12.3-inch screens span the dash, housing Hyundai’s latest multimedia software, and there’s an angled control panel on the center console for climate and vehicle functions. The Santa Fe can seat up to seven passengers.
The new Santa Fe is slowly hitting dealerships around the world, with Hyundai’s home market of South Korea getting the SUV first. Other customers across the globe will have to wait a few more months, at which point we’ll have full pricing and fuel economy data, too.
More photos of the Hyundai Santa Fe XRT 2024
NOTE: This article first appeared on TopGear.com. Minor edits have been made.
