Hyundai used to make dull economy cars, but its contemporary vehicles are among the most unusual. The 2024 Santa Fe exemplifies SangYup Lee’s design-led transformation. The Santa Fe was a nice-looking but unoriginal crossover a few years ago. Its catfish-like appearance in 2021 made it stand out. In the crowded mid-size SUV sector, the 2024 Santa Fe stands out more. Its boxy appearance suits Hyundai’s design language while distinguishing it from the rest of the range. The 2024 Santa Fe sports sharp corners, clean lines, a rectangle body form, and trapezoidal wheel arches, unlike its graceful predecessor. The 2024 Santa Fe looks bigger and stronger because of its boxy design and 1.8-inch length increase. The 2″ longer wheelbase makes it appear more stable. Hyundai avoids the “Russian nesting doll” technique many other corporations utilize. Mercedes-Benz is a principal offender with its “same sausage, different sizes” approach. CLA, C, and S-class automobiles differ solely in size. Hyundai, meanwhile, has maintained a similar aesthetic while making each car look different. Like the crossover Tucson and electric Ioniq 5, the Santa Fe sports linear lines and sharp creases. The Santa Fe is sturdy, but the other two cars have triangle-shaped dings, making them sportier. The Ioniq 6 has a sleek, unique shape and characteristics that highlight the lighting and trim, making it look like the Santa Fe despite its more rounded profile and smoother surfaces. Hyundai’s design is unique despite resembling other cars. From the front and back fascias, the SUV is from Seoul, South Korea, not Coventry, England. The squared-off appearance resembles the now-defunct Ford Flex, a crossover/station wagon. Hyundai boasts modern lighting and crisp surfaces. Hyundai’s Ioniq electric cars have 8-bit pixel illumination, whereas the Tucson, Santa Cruz pickup and Palisade have shield-shaped lights that merge into the grille. A slender light bar joins Santa Fe’s two primary headlights, which have a blocky “H” pattern like the Ioniq range’s pixel lights. The low-set front bumper and taillights have the “H” shape too. First, the 2024 Santa Fe may appeal to only some. Hyundai produced a unique crossover and a set of similar but different automobiles. Even if you don’t like Hyundai’s stylistic risks, the firm has transformed since the early 2000s, when it manufactured dull cars that took you from A to B.
