12:50 31-07-2026

Hyundai Santa Fe Baja Concept: extreme off-road look, no production plans yet

Hyundai and designer The Kyza imagined an extreme Baja-ready Santa Fe with massive tires and dual spares, but it exists only as a rendering for now.

Hyundai Santa Fe has received an extreme version built for Baja desert racing, though ordering one is still far off. The project, created by Hyundai together with designer Khyzyl Saleem, known as The Kyza, exists only as computer renderings and a video. Hyundai has not announced a test prototype or a production program.

The virtual off-roader gets massive tires, widened bodywork, extra lighting, and two spare wheels mounted at the rear. These details look convincing, but on their own they don’t turn a family crossover into a race car. Genuine Baja competition would require long-travel suspension, underbody protection, upgraded cooling, a roll cage, and a serious transmission overhaul.

The production Santa Fe XRT shows just how wide the gap is between a rendering and a car you can actually buy. The US version comes with a 2.5-liter turbocharged engine producing around 277 horsepower, HTRAC all-wheel drive, all-terrain tires sized 245/60 R18, and 211 mm of ground clearance. Maximum towing capacity reaches roughly 2,040 kg. Pricing starts at $42,040.

Hyundai has experimented with a rugged Santa Fe look before. The earlier XRT Concept featured large wheels, a roof rack, and extra external storage, but officially it remained a design study never intended for sale.

The brand has more serious reasons to pursue this direction as well. The CRATER concept continued the XRT’s off-road styling with 33-inch tires, underbody protection, and simulated locking differentials, though Hyundai also describes it as a design exploration rather than a future production model.

Motor1 rightly points out that entering desert racing could draw attention to Hyundai’s performance division. For now, though, the Baja Santa Fe is only a visual statement. Buyers of the production XRT should focus on ground clearance, tire type, and all-wheel-drive capability rather than the equipment on a virtual car that isn’t available at dealerships.