Hyundai Santa Fe TEASED ahead of a facelift – but it’s more than just a cosmetic tweak for the 2020 Santa Fe

Hyundai begins the tease for a facelift of the Santa Fe SUV, but it’s more than that with a new platform and hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains too.

When it comes to mid-life facelifts for cars you can usually bank on new bumpers, new lights and new alloys, some extra technology and a tweak or three to the engine range. But the Hyundai Santa Fe – due to be revealed in the summer – goes a lot further than that.

Yes, you can expect changes to the front end (as seen in the first teaser for the new Santa Fe above) and back, new wheels and colours, but this facelift goes much further by adding a new platform. So, it’s a facelift, but it’s a new Santa Fe too.

The new platform is the first outing for Hyundai’s  third generation platform in Europe, with Hyundai saying the new underpinnings will improve handling and crash safety, and up refinement levels.

The new platform will also bring with it access to hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains, neither of which Hyundai care to share details of at this stage, but the plug-in is likely to be similar to the 1.6 litre petrol engine and 59bhp electric motor combining for 227bhp through a six-speed auto ‘box heading for the new Kia Sorento.