New Fortuner Rival Spotted For the First Time! » MotorOctane

The Fortuner has ruled the SUV segment for a long time. But automakers remain confident that they can dethrone the Japanese SUV. With the imminent launches of the MG Majestor, Skoda Kodiaq RS and Volkswagen T-Roc R-Line, even Hyundai is set to join this party with this new SUV. Here is what you should know about its new flagship SUV.
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New Hyundai 7-seater SUV Spotted

Hyundai has announced it will introduce 26 new models by 2030. One such upcoming model was recently spotted testing. Hyundai has an extensive range of SUVs on sale in the US. One such SUV is the Santa Fe, and its facelift was spotted testing abroad. The Santa Fe was on sale in India until 2019, but was discontinued due to low sales. It was a CBU unit, which meant that the prices weren’t aggressive enough. But Hyundai are willing to try again with the Santa Fe, hoping for a better response this time. 

Despite the camouflage, we can spot that Hyundai has given it newer headlights and taillights when compared to the outgoing US-spec Santa Fe. The overall design language of the Santa Fe is expected to be identical to that of some of its current SUVs, such as the Creta and Alcazar. 

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New Fortuner Rival – Features & Specifications

US-spec 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe Interior image used for reference.

The cabin is expected to be the USP of the Santa Fe. Hyundai will load it with features like with most of its vehicles. Some features we expect include 10 airbags, Level 2+ ADAS, a 360-degree parking camera, a panoramic sunroof, ventilated front and rear seats, powered front seats with a massage function, a 12.3-inch infotainment screen, a 12.3-inch digital driver’s display, and much more. 

The global spec Santa Fe is offered with a 2.5-litre turbo-petrol engine (277 bhp & 422 Nm) and is mated to an 8-speed DCT and an 8-speed AT. Moreover, it also gets an AWD drivetrain. The same powertrain is expected once it is launched in India. Furthermore, the global spec Santa-Fe gets a 1.6-litre plug-in hybrid alternative. Hyundai is reportedly working on hybrid variants of some of its SUVs, and it will be interesting to see whether we get the Santa Fe hybrid in India. 

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New Fortuner Rival – Expected Pricing And Launch

We are yet to know whether the Santa Fe will be offered as a CBU or a CKD unit, since the prior-generation models were CBU imports. If Hyundai were to price the Santa Fe aggressively to take on the mighty Fortuner, it would have to be a CKD unit. We expect it to be priced between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 60 lakh (on-road, Mumbai). 

The Korean manufacturer is currently planning the launches of the Bayon, the Exter facelift, and the Ioniq 5 facelift, which means the Santa Fe is a long way away at the moment. Speculation suggests that we could see it on Indian roads by early to mid-2027.

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