New Hyundai Santa Fe arrives with bold look, updated tech features

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- There was certainly nothing wrong with the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe, but Hyundai decided the time was right for a change - a big change.

At last fall's LA Auto Show, the 2024 Santa Fe was rolled out, showing off a new boxy look.

If you like squared-off vehicles, you're in luck. It's a big departure from the previous generation, or any previous generations, including the first Santa Fe a long time ago.

Arriving as a 2001 model, it was Hyundai's first SUV. It was also a pretty big statement.

Not only that the brand was joining the burgeoning crossover segment, but that it was also was really coming into its own as a mainstream car maker.

A solid competitor in an ultra-competitive market, whereas previously, Hyundai had often been labeled as a "budget" brand.

This new fifth-generation Santa Fe is boxier, bigger, and wearing today's technology.

For example, wireless phone charging, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, active safety systems, and lots of other things that were barely on the drawing board when that first Santa Fe emerged. like adaptive cruise control and in-car Wi-Fi service.

There's modern technology under the hood, too. The standard turbocharged 2.5-liter four cylinder makes an impressive 277 horsepower.

Compare that to the first Santa Fe's optional 2.7-liter V6 that made a mild (by today's standards) 181 horsepower.

Also available, as with the previous generation, is the Santa Fe Hybrid.

When that earliest one launched in 2000, even the Toyota Prius was barely a blip on the automotive radar. Now, hybrid vehicles are much more mainstream.

Hyundai's designers had a little fun beyond just the boxy theme.

There's a clever "H" pattern in the front and rear lights, especially noticeable when the brake lights or signals are activated.

Definitely a counterpoint to the "all cars look alike today" complaint. The new Santa Fe carries a base price of $33,950 to $48,800.

The buying public's tastes have changed since that first Santa Fe arrived for the 2001 model year, as back then sedans still dominated the automotive market by a wide margin.

In the years since, SUVs have passed sedans to become the sweet spot of the market, and the small to medium-sized crossovers are the sweet spot of that sweet spot.

The Santa Fe is a three-row model these days to broaden its appeal, and is on the larger size within the compact SUV class. It's full of tech and comes in at a reasonable price.

It's not Hyundai's biggest seller, but it's an important vehicle, now made in the U.S. and offering all the features buyers want.