Our man with the long lens has caught the European version of the subtly-facelifted 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe. The freshened model, which has already been unveiled in South Korea, will make its European debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September and is expected to reach showrooms in the fourth quarter of 2009. The only visible cosmetic differences between the KDM and EDM Santa Fe concern the specific grille treatment with the chrome trim surround and the clear-colored lower section of the headlamps.

Other than that, the European variant features the same exterior upgrades as the Korean model which consist of redesigned bumpers and new tail lamp covers plus revised exterior mirrors that house turning signals and the new exhaust tips.

We suspect that the European Santa Fe will also receive similar updates to the interior including higher grade materials along with a redesigned center and new equipment features.

In South Korea, the redesigned Santa Fe gained a new pair of turbo diesel engines, a 2.0-liter unit with 184 horsepower and a 2.2-liter with 200 horsepower, both of which are linked to a 6-speed automatic transmission. While these fuel-efficient powertrains won't be offered in North America, our sources state that they will be available in Europe.