The Hyundai Santa Fe launched the Korean automaker’s Storm Edge design language for the 2013 model year, and a recent mid-cycle refresh pushes those design elements even further. Though the 2017 Santa Fe only sports a minor refresh, the changes to the front and rear fascias, along with slight interior updates, give the crossover a more polished look. But are these changes significant enough to keep customers interested?
For the new model year, Hyundai has refreshed the front fascia by crafting a slightly larger grille with extra horizontal slats, an updated bumper with a slimmer lower grille, and a new foglight design. The headlight housings keep the same overall shape, but the lights themselves are more squared off. The foglights are now vertically situated, replacing the more rounded design of the outgoing model. The new Santa Fe features a more sculpted side profile, with deeper character lines that flow from the hood to the taillights.
Looking at the rear, Hyundai has updated the taillights and rear bumper. The taillights feature a completely new design, echoing the new squared-off look of the headlights. The housings remain the same, but the brake lights now sit on top of the vertical turn signal and reverse lights. The reflectors are now vertical, like the foglights on the front fascia, and mirror the new shape. The small changes provide for a cleaner, sharper appearance, but the exhaust carries over from the old model.
Not many changes have been made to the interior. The steering wheel is almost identical to the old model, with a slightly larger center stack design. The infotainment screen is larger, and to accommodate the new size, Hyundai has moved the controls to below the screen instead of beside it. The infotainment and HVAC controls are better positioned on the center stack compared to setup of the outgoing model, but they still feel busy and not well thought out. The instrument cluster remains unchanged along with the two-tone interior.
The 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe has been refreshed for the new model year with slight changes to the exterior and interior. Are the minor tweaks enough to keep this crossover relevant and current in customers’ minds? Let us know in the comments below.
Last week’s Refreshing or Revolting featured the 2017 Toyota Corolla, and the comments were largely negative.
Roger03 said, “I’m not a fan of that new ‘snowplow’ front end but I am of the new LED foglights.”
Tibbz noted, “Yuk, beauty is in the eye of the beholder but there are some blind eyes.”
Meanwhile deephouse said, “New Civic looks 1000x better.”
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