It seems that every time I open up the automotive news I read that Hyundai is either winning a new award or breaking a new record. Message boards across the Internet are full of positive comments about reliability, safety and the value offered by Hyundai vehicles. I’ve driven every Hyundai model since the early 90’s and have seen first hand their climb to the brand that represents value and quality. So when the 2007 Santa Fe arrived for review, I was eager to get the keys and hit the road.

The first thing I noticed is that it’s larger then the previous model, and has a more upscale appearance. On the Limited trim, the exterior has been enhanced with chrome door inserts, sporty looking headlamps and several design cues from some of today’s top luxury brand SUVs. You don’t have to look long to see some Infiniti FX & VW Touareg in the styling of the Santa Fe. Inside, the Santa Fe is all about refinement. The new dash looks like it was taken directly from a luxury car and works very well with the upscale exterior. Second row passengers will enjoy generous leg and hip room as well as their own air vents and large cup holders. Behind the second seats is plenty of cargo room with an extremely useful storage system built into the floor – all of which can be replaced with a third row of seats.

Driving Impressions On the road, the Santa Fe is a joy to drive. It’s easy to forget that you’re driving an SUV, thanks to its car-like feel and comfortable driving position. Bumps and cracks in the road pass by smoothly, and engine noise is not a factor. Wind rush at highway speeds is well controlled for the most part, but cross winds can quickly raise the noise level. Even with a strong crosswind, the Santa Fe’s cabin is quiet enough that no one has to raise their voice during conversation.

The Santa Fe’s engine is powerful when pushed, though I noticed a lot of torque steer during hard acceleration take-offs on the front-wheel drive versions. Passing power was more then ample, the Santa Fe quickly adding speed to overtake other vehicles. Handling was predictable and confident.

Inside the new Santa Fe it’s easy to see design cues from other class leading SUVs, the most obvious being the Lexus RX. Up front, the Santa Fe has large comfortable seats, though I personally would like more side bolstering to fit my aggressive driving style. The rear seats are nicely padded and provide generous room for two adult passengers; three adults can fit for short trips.

Quality On most accounts, it looks like the Santa Fe delivers quality right on target. Most of the interior materials are high quality, with soft-touch textures on par with the competition, though some unwanted hard plastic pieces could be found here and there. Fit and finish on the interior was above average overall – there were a few pieces of trim that didn’t align exactly right, but overall the Santa Fe exceeds its domestic competitors. Outside, the Santa Fe had minor issues with fit and finish - uneven gaps where noticed around the rear hatch that stood out like a soar thumb. With such a well executed design, we hope that these design issues will not pop up on models that make it to the dealerships.

Design Hyundai did its homework to insure that the Santa Fe’s design worked around the driver. Controls are easy to find and use, visibility is outstanding thanks to large tall windows all around, and there are enough adjustments to insure any driver is comfortable behind the wheel. And they didn’t stop with a well-designed exterior and interior – they went one step further to give the Santa Fe a “Wow” factor. Take the Santa Fe for a drive a night and you’ll be basked in a very trendy and hip looking blue glowing interior. Not only did Hyundai ensure every button, switch and display featured the same blue glow, it went as far to include blue lighting inside the front cup holders. Set a bottle of water inside and watch it glow an electric blue. Every passenger who rides in the Santa Fe at night is certain to comment!

Advice It’s easy to compare the Santa Fe to up market luxury competitors, and it matches many of them in different areas. I would recommend checking the option box for the AWD system to overcome the torque steer as well as provide the benefits of AWD. For those looking for a reliable, easy to drive, roomy SUV, you must test drive the Santa Fe – and if possible, do it at night to see the impressive blue glow of the interior.