2013 Fluidic Hyundai Santa Fe exposed through spy shots

It should come as no surprise that Hyundai is in the process of completely revamping the Santa Fe to incorporate the Fluidic design language. The new model (which may be called as the ix45 in select markets), is expected to debut at the upcoming New York Auto Show in April. However, in the age of lighting speed communication, it’s very difficult to keep a secret for long.

Two images of the upcoming Santa Fe have been leaked on to the internet revealing most design details of the upcoming SUV. The reason why we are extremely sure that this is the new Santa Fe is because the six-point grille seems to match the camouflaged test cars caught before.

As one can see, the new Santa Fe dons an extremely chromed up front fascia. The hexagonal grill with three strips is reminiscent of the 2012 Honda CR-V. The swept back fluidic headlamps are a clear evidence of the the company' well known design philosophy. There is a thin garnish of LEDs bordering the fog lamps. The 2013 Santa Fe also comes with a skid plate, although we have a feeling it will be more fashion than function.

The leaked image of the rear reveals that the side windows run almost all the way to the liftgate glass leaving a very pinched top of the rear corner pillar. This is a clear evidence of a third row seating. The twin exhaust pipes on one side give the Santa Fe a sporty look.

The new Santa Fe will powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder petrol engine with 274 hp and 364 Nm of torque. A Euro6 2.0-liter diesel engine rated at 150HP will also find a home under the hood.

As this model is a replacement, Hyundai will have to introduce the all-new Santa Fe late sometime in 2012 or 2013.

How do you like the new Santa Fe?

Source: Hyundai-Blog