Update (May 27, 2026): ‘New dashboard’ and ‘Pleos Connect’ subsections of ‘Interior’ updated.
Two and a half years after Hyundai unveiled the fifth-generation Santa Fe, and barely two years after its U.S. launch, the company had already began road-testing the facelift for the midsize SUV.
Expected to arrive in the U.S. as an MY2027 vehicle, the new Santa Fe should sport a slew of cosmetic and technical upgrades.
Here’s everything we expect from the 2027 Hyundai Santa Fe:
Design
Spy shots of test prototypes confirm that the fifth-generation Hyundai Santa Fe will further distance itself from its predecessor with overhauled front and rear fascias.
The fifth-gen Santa Fe will adopt a radically different lighting architecture with the facelift. The daytime running lights appear to comprise vertical LED strips positioned at the outer edges of the upper fascia, paired with a full-width horizontal LED strip across the top. This layout would create a prominent H-shaped lighting signature.
The primary low- and high-beam units have been spotted lower in the bumper, separated from the DRLs, with a new split horizontal upper grille. This would alter the visual center of gravity and introduce a layered front design. Our rendering shows six distinct H-shaped inserts integrated into the upper panel.
The lower grille appears simplified, with a more uniform mesh pattern. The bumper design looks more squared off with reduced visual detailing.
On the sides, we expect new 21-inch wheels, while at the rear, spy shots suggest there will be new vertical taillamps mounted along the outer edges, and a mid-tailgate horizontal light strip.
Interior
Inside, spy shots suggest the 2027 Hyundai Santa Fe’s dashboard will carry a completely new design.
New Dashboard
Spy shots reveal that the refreshed Santa Fe is switching to a new steering wheel with a squarer shape, and slimmer central AC vents.
While the current model features 12.3-inch cockpit displays integrated into a single panel, the new Santa Fe, as reported for the next-gen 2027 Tucson, is likely to adopt a 9.9-inch digital instrument cluster and a 17-inch touchscreen infotainment system positioned separately in the central area of the dashboard. In the lower trim, Hyundai may use a smaller, 12.9-inch version of this infotainment system.
Below the infotainment display, a panel of multiple physical controls, including switches and knobs, to enable, disable, or adjust frequently used functions such as seat heating, AC temperature and fan speed, audio volume, and hazard warning light looks likely.
Pleos Connect
The next-gen Santa Fe’s infotainment system will run Hyundai Motor Group (HMG)’s all-new ‘Pleos Connect’ software, which is based on the Android Automotive operating system.
Planned to be used in over 20 million cars across HMG brands by 2030, this infotainment system features a smartphone-like user interface, split-view and multi-window functions, ‘Pleos ID’ personalization, and LLM-based voice assistant ‘Gleo AI.’
This infotainment system will also include a marketplace that allows customers to download native apps and games, reducing the need to pair their smartphone.
Specifications
The 2027 Hyundai Santa Fe (rendered above) should continue featuring non-electrified, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid drivetrains with improvements. A major change in this aspect is expected to be the introduction of an extended-range electric powertrain for North America.
Prototypes of the MX5a EREV have been spotted in South Korea, MX5 being the current Santa Fe’s internal codename.
The aforementioned EREV mass production in NA (North America) and China is planned to take place by the end of 2026, and to go into sales as of 2027. In North America, Hyundai and Genesis brands D-Class SUV models will be deployed first to respond to the remaining demand for internal combustion engine.
Jaehoon Chang, former CEO of Hyundai Motor Company, at the 2024 CEO Investor Day, on August 28, 2024
The first-ever Hyundai Santa Fe EREV should have a 2.5-liter turbocharged gas engine under the hood, serving as a generator to charge a battery pack.
From Hyundai’s 2025 presentation, the two-motor system pairs a front motor-generator that can both charge the battery and power the front wheels, with a dedicated drive motor on the rear axle, giving it AWD capability. Hyundai expects around 600 miles of range from its first-gen EREV.
Unlike existing EREVs, Hyundai’s unique system takes advantage of 15 years of hybrid and EV development experience. The ultra-high-performance battery designed by Hyundai engineers produces the same power with less than half the battery capacity compared to conventional EVs. This optimized balance of battery and motor will reduce the cost without losing EV performance.
Chang Hwan Kim, President & Head of Electrification Energy Solutions Tech Unit, at the company’s 2025 CEO Investor Day, on September 18, 2025
Price & Release Date
The 2027 Hyundai Santa Fe should go on sale in the U.S. in late 2026, with prices ranging between USD 35,000-55,000. The Santa Fe EREV’s launch would also explain why the company never introduced the fifth-gen model’s plug-in hybrid variant here.
Also See: Hyundai Santa Fe XRT Hybrid now exists, but just not in the U.S.
Featured Image: TopElectricSUV’s rendering of the 2027 Hyundai Santa Fe
An automobile engineer by training, I’ve analyzed the global car market since 2005, with a keen focus on EVs since 2008. My journey in online automotive publishing spans 17 years, during which I have reviewed cutting-edge automotive technologies and interviewed leading global CEOs and vehicle developers.
