cars news 10: Spied! 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe Shows off Fresh Face

Last redesigned for the 2013 model year, the Hyundai Santa Fe is due for a makeover soon. And it looks like that makeover will be a significant one, given all the design changes we spotted on a recent prototype running around Europe.

Our spy photographers caught the next-gen Santa Fe out testing on public roads near Hyundai’s development center in Germany. Like the recently spied Hyundai Kona, the Santa Fe adopts a new cascading grille and two-part lighting design. Instead of incorporating both the headlights and daytime running lights in one unit, thin LED strips sit on top of the separate headlights on these models. Eventually, this new face is expected to trickle down to all SUVs in the Hyundai lineup.

Judging from the photos, the new Santa Fe will ditch the curvy design of its predecessor. Along with a flat, squared-off grille, the new model appears to adopt a boxier, more upright rear. That is, unless the heavy camouflage is playing tricks on us.

The 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe is expected to arrive in showrooms late next year. Engines should include gas, diesel, and plug-in hybrid choices. Front-wheel drive is expected to remain the standard configuration for this large crossover, although all-wheel drive should still be available as an option.

Photo Source: CarPix