2026 Santa Fe (Image courtesy of Hyundai Motor)
SEOUL, Feb. 3 (Korea Bizwire) — Hyundai Motor’s Santa Fe, the company’s flagship midsize sport utility vehicle, is struggling to regain its footing in South Korea, falling out of the domestic top 10 sales rankings for a third consecutive month.
The Santa Fe sold 3,379 units in January, according to Hyundai, trailing not only fellow sport utility models such as the Palisade (4,994 units) and Tucson (4,269), but also sedans including the Avante, Sonata and Grandeur, each of which topped 5,000 units. The model has failed to crack the monthly top 10 since November.
The slump stands in sharp contrast to the performance of Kia’s Sorento, long considered the Santa Fe’s twin rival in the midsize SUV segment. Built on the same platform and offering similar powertrains — including a 2.5-liter gasoline turbo and a 1.6-liter turbo hybrid — the two vehicles were once seen as near equals.
But their fortunes have diverged markedly. The Sorento became the nation’s best-selling vehicle in 2024 and surpassed 100,000 units in domestic sales last year, securing the top spot for a second consecutive year.
In January alone, it sold 8,388 units — more than double the Santa Fe’s total — widening a gap that was negligible just two years ago. In October 2023, the monthly difference between the two models was fewer than 500 units; last year, the annual sales gap ballooned to more than 42,000 units.
This photo provided by Kia Corp. shows the company’s Sorento SUV. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
Industry analysts attribute the Santa Fe’s weaker performance in part to the polarizing design of its fully redesigned fifth-generation model, launched in September 2023.
While its boxy silhouette and distinctive H-shaped lighting earned it comparisons to Land Rover’s Defender, the rear design in particular drew mixed reviews. Initial enthusiasm faded, and monthly sales slipped from over 8,000 units to around 5,000 last year.
At the same time, anticipation surrounding a refreshed model — expected later this year and potentially including an extended-range electric vehicle variant — may be prompting consumers to delay purchases.
“The sales contrast between the Sorento and Santa Fe has become striking in the domestic market,” one industry official said. “There’s even a joke that Santa Fe is helping Sorento stay No. 1. But a new model launch could provide the momentum Hyundai needs to reverse the trend.”
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
