The Hyundai Santa Fe looks even more Land Rover-y with XRT duds

The Hyundai Santa Fe got one heck of a makeover this year, ditching its drabby-flabby milquetoast styling for sharper edges and a much more butch aesthetic. Does it kind of look like a knock-off Land Rover? Sure. Is that a problem? Not at all.

Now, Hyundai is upping the Santa Fe’s rugged factor even more, with the introduction of an XRT trim that makes its debut this week at the Los Angeles auto show. The XRT builds off the top-end Santa Fe Calligraphy – meaning it’s fully kitted out inside – but adds 18-inch wheels with 30-inch 245/60 all-terrain tires. The XRT has 1.5 additional inches of ground clearance over other Santa Fes, and it can tow up to 4,500 pounds. No extra-robust version of the Santa’s all-wheel-drive system, however.

Globally, the Santa Fe has various gasoline, diesel, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid powertrain options. In the US, Hyundai will offer a 2.5-liter turbo I4 with 277hp, 311lb ft of torque, and an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission, as well as a hybrid setup based around a 1.6-liter turbo I4 with 232hp, 271lb ft, and a 6-speed automatic gearbox.

Those wannabe-Discovery cues continue inside, with an interior that’s once again been designed with a ruler and not much else. A pair of 12.3-inch screens span the dash, housing Hyundai’s latest multimedia software, and there’s an angled control panel on the center console for climate and vehicle functions. The Santa Fe can seat up to seven passengers.

The new Santa Fe is slowly hitting dealerships around the world, with Hyundai’s home market of South Korea getting the SUV first. European and North American customers will have to wait a few more months, at which point we’ll have full pricing and fuel economy data, too.