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2007 Hyundai Santa Fe Road & Trail Test

Why Buy a Premium Crossover SUV?

If I could only improve as quickly after learning life lessons as Hyundai pulls up its collective socks from model to model, Id have the happiest marriage in the history of time. Once again, the not so little brand that could has upstaged entry-level rivals with a product that delivers miles more value than anything in its humble price range should, with an overall refinement and attention to detail normally associated with premium marques.

"OK Hofmann, now weve heard it all", you say? Fair enough, I can understand your skepticism, because you havent had the privilege of prodding around a new Santa Fe yet, or for that matter driving it; but believe me, when you do youll be wondering why you spent so much on some other crossover.

As expected, the Santa Fe has grown somewhat, from its slightly larger

The Santa Fe has come a long way in a short amount of time. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

than midsize dimensions to a true midsize SUV, with significant improvements in passenger and cargo capacity plus a substantive feel at the wheel that the previous model didnt quite achieve. Dont get me wrong, the old Santa Fe was and still is a very capable machine, but similar to how the previous Accent pales in comparison to the new one, or this years Sonata is miles more refined than the 2005 model, or for that matter how the flagship Azera makes the mind quickly forget the wanna-be luxury XG 350, the all-new 2007

Larger, wonderfully refined and more stylish, the Santa Fe pulls Hyundai up into premium territory. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

Santa Fe feels more like a Lexus RX 350 than a bargain-basement SUV, at least when outfitted in top-line leather-clad trim.

I was initially impressed when poking around at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit last January, where the new crossover was introduced, but this didnt stop me from tapping, slamming, pushing, turning and generally fidgeting around with anything that moved, or for that matter all that was stationary inside the production version. Hmmm... a clean, understated design outside and in,

Looks and feels more like a Lexus than a Hyundai. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

not without character but not as polarizing as the previous model. Nice tight panel gaps, weather stripping in the engine compartment and no visible wires, resulting in an efficient appearance under the hood - Toyotas rival RAV4 doesnt even deliver that. Easy ingress and egress, plus a suitably meaty steering wheel to hang onto with integrated cruise and audio controls. Those seats are comfortable at all positions, even the optional third row, with soft, supple perforated leather in top-line trim, second row recliners, and there are near zero tolerance levels with all the switchgear, or in English, no side-to-side

Rear seat accommodation is more than adequate. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

slop with the nicely damped buttons and knobs. Some premium brands havent even mastered this, but of course, I expected the Santa Fe to be good being that the entry-level Tucson is ultra-tight as well.

The Santa Fe feels the same way on the road; ultra-tight, wonderfully smooth and when asked to perform, capable of delivering surprisingly spirited dynamics. It comes in three flavors, by the way, starting with GLS, moving up to SE and then topped off with the Limited designation. If youre questioning whether you need to move up to the Limited model to get this inviting environment Im describing, think again. Certainly leather is not standard,

Even the center armrest is stylish. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

but the no-cost cloth not only appears durable, it looks fabulous. Im a big fan of cloth, as it breathes better than leather, is cooler in the summer and warmer in the cold, and with the Santa Fes choice of fabrics I hardly felt like I was shopping at the clearance rack. To me, the beige seemed richest, but gray and black looked good too. Hyundai includes the requisite faux woodgrain, which will either make you wish theyd gone all the way with the premium experience and fitted real walnut, maple or zebrano, or rather be glad that the hardwood forests of the world havent been depleted any further. Truly, this woodgrain is some of Hyundais best work in the field, with a weighty feel that gives it

Sits seven and sleeps two. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

a lifelike quality. On the dash its trimmed with a thick strip of aluminum-like accent that, together with the wood, manages to achieve a mix of old-world warmth and new-age technology. I was also impressed with the interior plastics, not as soft to the touch as in an Audi or Lexus, but still finished in an attractive non-glare matte that felt higher end than most others in this class.
In the second row theres enough room to truly stretch out, and when reclining the seatbacks rearward it feels a bit like business class; albeit without the warm cookies and gelato ice cream. Hyundais hundred million plus spent in its three design centers continues to pay off too, even with little touches like the styling and functionality of the

Even with the second row up theres plenty of room for cargo. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

pull-down center armrest. Unlike some cushy lumps that are purposeful yet hardly pleasing to the eye, the Santa Fes is downright stylish, and features integrated cupholders plus a lidded compartment thats ideal for storing the kids iPods, drive-through restaurant kids meal toys, etc. Its well constructed too, with no tendency to wiggle about on its moorings; a common problem with armrests.

Climbing into the very rear, if the optional third row is included, is fairly easy too, as the second row seats slide forward amply to make room for getting in and out. And once back there, theres a decent amount of legroom plus space for feet under the second row. Im five-foot-eight... I know, not particularly tall... but there was enough headroom for someone

Its smooth on the road... no matter what road. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

at least two inches taller, being that I wore a ball cap and could fit my fingers between the roofliner and my head without touching either. This said, however, my frame is taller in the legs than torso, so someone configured differently might experience less positive results. For instance, a woman journalist who claimed a five-foot, seven-inch height was scraping the roof liner, her torso obviously longer than mine. No matter, as these seats are normally relegated to those underage, and therefore, even if hauling most teens, should suffice. Theyre a heck of a lot more accommodating than those in the Subaru B9 Tribeca, that cheat rear riders in elbow room too, or the Jeep Commander which, while offering theatre-style visibility forgot to include anywhere for feet to go at all, or for that matter the new RAV4,

Off to the wild green yonder... (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

which made it near impossible to return the second row seatback to its normal upright incline while seated in back. The Santa Fe is larger back there than in a number of others too, only coming up short when compared to the third row spaciousness of Fords Freestyle. All round, an impressive feat.

My seat of choice, mind you, was behind the steering wheel; and not only because of the extra elbow room available. Similar to the long-term Sonata our West Coast office enjoyed for almost ten months, the Santa Fe delivered a surprisingly supple smoothness on the road, absorbing the normal bumps and dips associated with driving around rural roads and tiny townships, but nevertheless taking to the tighter turns with ease, even at higher than posted speeds thanks to a stiff overall structure, gas shocks all-round, a willing and able front strut and multi-link

Both V6 engines offer decent power, but the refined punch from the 3.3L mated to the 5-speed automatic is worth the extra coin needed to upgrade. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

rear suspension setup, plus engine-rpm sensing rack-and-pinion steering; made even better when the standard 16-inch rims are swapped for a set of 18s as found on upper trim level models. Again, like the rest of the vehicle, its driving dynamics were biased towards refinement, with noise, vibration and harshness levels reduced to a point that my driving partner and I were dumbfounded. Hyundai made us aware that this is due in part to the new models increase in body stiffness, additional use of laminated steel, a strengthened dash panel substructure, leading to an SUV thats quieter than Toyotas Highlander and even Volvos XC90. When I said that the new Santa Fe rivals premium brands when it came to fit, finish and materials quality, I cant go without adding that its near silent cabin adds to the ambience when rolling down the highway.

The 5-speed automatic with manual-mode shifts with seamless precision. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

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