The addition of the Hyundai Tucson compact SUV to the company's lineup has given Korea's top automaker the opportunity to expand its flagship SUV. As you can see from these photos, the 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe will be considerably larger than the current 2005 Santa Fe and will be positioned within the brand to compete with more upscale vehicles.
Also evident from our spy shots is the change in design direction for this upcoming version of the Hyundai Santa Fe, due out toward the second half of 2006. The company has more or less replaced the 2005 Hyundai Santa Fe's awkward lines with a more sculpted and distinctive look.
An increase in its overall length will allow the 2007 Santa Fe to contain, for the first time, a third row of seats, moving it more or less into the same class as larger Japanese SUVs such as the Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander.
The 2007 Santa Fe's interior should be more refined than the current edition in order to match the exterior's move toward a less quirky appearance. Hyundai had more room to work with the Santa Fe this time around as the Tucson has now assumed the role of its entry-level SUV.
Hyundai was able to increase the 2007 Santa Fe's size by moving the vehicle's construction to the same platform that was used to build the brand-new 2006 Sonata sedan. And like the Sonata, the 2007 Santa Fe will be built at the company's recently opened facility in Montgomery, Alabama.
Don't expect any big surprises under the hood of the 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe. In fact, it's likely that the vehicle will carry over the 2005 Santa Fe's 3.5-liter V6, perhaps with a little bit more in the way of horsepower, though.
Look for the official debut of the 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe at the 2006 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
Also evident from our spy shots is the change in design direction for this upcoming version of the Hyundai Santa Fe, due out toward the second half of 2006. The company has more or less replaced the 2005 Hyundai Santa Fe's awkward lines with a more sculpted and distinctive look.
An increase in its overall length will allow the 2007 Santa Fe to contain, for the first time, a third row of seats, moving it more or less into the same class as larger Japanese SUVs such as the Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander.
The 2007 Santa Fe's interior should be more refined than the current edition in order to match the exterior's move toward a less quirky appearance. Hyundai had more room to work with the Santa Fe this time around as the Tucson has now assumed the role of its entry-level SUV.
Hyundai was able to increase the 2007 Santa Fe's size by moving the vehicle's construction to the same platform that was used to build the brand-new 2006 Sonata sedan. And like the Sonata, the 2007 Santa Fe will be built at the company's recently opened facility in Montgomery, Alabama.
Don't expect any big surprises under the hood of the 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe. In fact, it's likely that the vehicle will carry over the 2005 Santa Fe's 3.5-liter V6, perhaps with a little bit more in the way of horsepower, though.
Look for the official debut of the 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe at the 2006 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
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