Russelsheim, Germany - This is the first official image released by Hyundai of the upcoming fourth-generation Santa Fe, which will be revealed in February ahead of its public debut at the Geneva Motor Show early in early March.
Hyundai SA is looking at a possible South African launch late in 2018 or early in 2019, but no final decision has yet been made.
Meanwhile, the picture shows a strong waistline, almost level with the ground, rather than wedged as on the current Santa Fe, lending presence and stance to the new model’s profile, and a neatly trimmed glazed area that kicks up at the back like a contemporary hatchback - albeit on a much larger scale!
Everything below that is shadowed, so we can’t pick out any details of wheels, bumpers, bashplates, etc, nor has Hyundai revealed any details of powertrains.
It does, however, say that the new Santa Fe will offer a comprehensive package of active safety features, called Smart Sense, which includes a rear occupant alert, that monitors the rear seats to detect passengers and alerts you if forget your children in the back of the car, and an upgraded rear cross-traffic warning that now automatically applies the brakes when it sports an impending collision while you’re reversing out of a narrow parking bay or driveway.