Hyundai is launching its all-new fourth-generation 2019 Santa Fe SUV later this year with a pair of gas engines, and a new diesel engine option is poised to follow in early 2019. But that's not all that's coming for the company's dramatically restyled new crossover: A hybrid model is on the way.

"We will have [a] hybrid version for the facelift," said Hyundai product planner Jong Hoon Chae, suggesting the electrified model is at least a few years away. The surprise news was revealed during a Q&A session in Seoul at a media event on Thursday.

It is not clear if the powertrain will offer a plug for enhanced EV range, or if it will be a conventional hybrid. It is also not immediately known if US dealers will get this powertrain variant, but it seems highly likely given that Hyundai acknowledges that North America is the Santa Fe's main market. 

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