With the release of the new 2026 Palisade, Hyundai is just about done overhauling its lineup to reflect a boxier, more SUV-like aesthetic. In fact, Hyundai is so close to wrapping this lineup refresh that it’s already circling back around to the model that started it all: The Santa Fe. These photos of a road-going 2027 prototype give us our first look at what Hyundai has in store for this trendsetter.
One thing stands out right away: that’s a lot of camouflage for what should be just a mere mid-cycle refresh. And while your author is certainly feeling a sense of deja vu, there’s no reason to believe we’re looking at a repeat of the Volkswagen ID.4/ID Tiguan situation from a week ago. There’s no secret rebrand at work here that we’re aware of. Instead, it appears the Santa Fe is moving a little closer to the Palisade’s styling.
But at least a rebrand would help explain why there’s so much vinyl and fabric still covering the exterior of these Santa Fe prototypes—not to mention the “no photography” banner slapped across the side window. Not that our spy photographers care much about such things, obviously.
Based what we can see here, the front end update looks fairly extensive. The cut-outs suggest we’ll see vertical daytime running lights along with headlights mounted lower in the bumper. It’s possible that the camo up front is merely there to disguise how the new front bumper meets the hood line, but given the extent of the coverage, it’s possible there’s a whole new hood design under there.
In the rear, we’re seeing a similar shift toward an upright/vertical theme. The rear lights appear to have moved from the bumper to outboard of the tailgate, which makes the prototype look more truck-like, but a lot of that is down to the disguise itself.
Expect the 2027 Santa Fe to debut later this spring or this coming fall.
Got a news tip? Let us know at tips@thedrive.com!