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Hyundai Rolls Out Off-Road Ready Santa FE XRT Concept SUV

2024 Hyundai Santa Fe XRT Concept 0 Hero
Photos: Hyundai

It was just last month that Hyundai pulled the cover off of its all-new, completely redesigned Santa Fe. Marking the first major model overhaul for the SUV since 2018, the new fifth-generation Santa Fe aims to offer an ideal combination of practicality, utility, comfort, and off-road prowess. In a bid to demonstrate this latter trait, the South Korean carmaker has now taken the gen-five Santa Fe and given the futuristic-looking sport utility vehicle with the bonafide go-anywhere treatment in the form of the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe XRT Concept. 

2024 Hyundai Santa Fe XRT Concept 1
Photo: Hyundai

Benefitting from Hyundai’s HTRAC all-wheel drive system, the XRT Concept sees the new Santa Fe bestowed with a multi-inch lift kit that affords this off-road and camp-ready version of the SUV significantly more ground clearance than the regular version of the Santa Fe. A front skid plate also provides protection for the fore-end of the vehicle while a set of semi-integrated tow hooks are present for recovery purposes. In place of the standard SUV’s lightly flared fenders is a markedly more pronounced set at all four corners that open up space for the concept’s five-arm split-spoke off-road wheels, all-terrain tires, and increased suspension travel. The new fender flares also boast protruding mount for action cameras. 

2024 Hyundai Santa Fe XRT Concept 2
Photo: Hyundai

Taking a page from the new Defender’s playbook, the New Santa Fe concept also features a factory-installed roof ladder and a removable fuel storage cell covering one of its rear side windows. Hyundai has also opted to give the concept a limb-riser kit, a modular perforated panel exterior mounting system, and a custom XRT-branded roof rack that now accommodates a full-sized spare wheel and tire. Cloaked in a custom matte brown paint job, the one-off concept also features bespoke blacked-out trim complete with custom XRT badging. Though comprised of less than a dozen modifications in total, the XRT concept nonetheless does a terrific job of demonstrating just how well the new fifth-gen SUV lends itself to off-road builds. 

2024 Hyundai Santa Fe XRT Concept 3
Photo: Hyundai

While the company doesn’t plan on green-lighting the XRT concept for production at this time, the carmaker has stated that the go-anywhere one-off will likely become an available trim level in the coming years — albeit in a less extreme form. The regular versions of the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe SUV are scheduled for North American and European releases in the first half of 2024.