Hyundai has unveiled exterior teaser images of the new Santa Fe, which had been known by its code name DM in Korea.
It will have its world premiere at the New York motor show early next month and is expected in New Zealand later this year.
Hyundai will keep thename Santa Fe for the new vehicle, continuing the solid-brand heritage of the car-maker's most representative SUV model.
It will be the third generation of the Santa Fe with worldwide sales of about 2.56 million (Korea: 680,000/ overseas: 1.95 million) since its 2000 debut.
Based on Hyundai's design philosophy, Fluidic Sculpture, the new Santa Fe adopts its own design concept called "Storm Edge", which captures the strong and dynamic images created by nature during the formation of a storm.
The third-generation Santa Fe features sophisticated and refined lines, which are in harmony with bold and voluminous surfaces, completing a more aggressive and classic look than its predecessor.
The design adopts the hexagonal grille - a key design cue of the Hyundai family look - a two-tone voluminous bottom car body and wider front and rear bumpers, creating a futuristic and urban-style SUV image.
Dynamic side character lines give a more aerodynamic feeling, while emotional details expressed on the exterior design deliver a premium image, suggesting a new design direction for Hyundai's next-generation SUVs.
The current model of the Santa Fe sells in New Zealand from $53,990 for the 2.4-litre petrol version, while the medium-sized SUV was New Zealand's number one selling diesel SUV for 2006, 2007 and 2009.
