2025 Hyundai Santa Fe XRT and more off-road focussed versions of Palisade and Tucson confirmed for Australia to take on Toyota LandCruiser, Subaru Forester and more

Hyundai confirmed its worst-kept secret - it’s toughening up and launching the XRT sub-brand in Australia.

The all-new Santa Fe XRT is coming our way, as was widely expected, but the brand confirmed at this week’s New York Motor Show that the Tucson XRT and Palisade XRT are also likely headed Down Under.

Instead of being limited to just a single model, XRT will now effectively become the company’s latest sub-brand, alongside its N-badged performance models and Ioniq electric cars. While not quite as rugged as a Toyota LandCruiser, the XRT trim line will focus on more practical elements, such as increased ride height and all-terrain tyres. It will also include some unique styling touches, including black wheels. 

However, it should be noted that the XRT variants on display at the New York show offered different levels of change between them. For example, the Palisade XRT had unique black alloy wheels but missed out on all-terrain tyres. Whereas the Santa Fe had a unique wheel and chunkier tyre package.

Hyundai Australia is light on details, admitting it cannot confirm exactly when the first XRT will arrive locally, but has made it clear it is working on a plan for all three currently revealed variants.

Australian XRT models may vary from the US versions, as ours will be sourced from South Korean factories, not the US.

Hyundai revealed the Santa Fe XRT in concept form in mid-2023, featuring an even more rugged look complete with a ladder to a roof storage system and side storage pods on the rear exterior (in an obvious nod to the Land Rover Defender). 

Hyundai said at the time that the XRT concept was “tailored to cater diverse needs of outdoor enthusiasts” and “is designed to ignite the ultimate adventure spirit and focuses on unleashing the desires of those seeking the thrill of the wild".

Clearly the brand is trying to expand the appeal of its SUV models, particularly attracting those who want a more adventure-capable car. This should help improve the brand’s chances against the likes of the LandCruiser, Defender and more compact offerings like the Subaru Forester.