For just a minute, forget about slalom speeds and skid pad Gs. Forget about track testing and torque, forget about overhead cams and final-drive ratios and focus on what an SUV like the 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe is really supposed to deliver. Its true test is in how it handles the rigors of weekly shopping trips, bar mitzvahs, birthdays, daily commutes and the occasional trip to Grandma's house.
Focus on those real-world chores and it's easy to see the new 2007 Santa Fe as an all-star. By making the Santa Fe wider, longer and more powerful than before, Hyundai has created a suburban multitasker that does almost everything so well it blends into the background of everyday life and we don't mean that in a bad way.
Near luxury
Despite its price and warranty advantage, the original Santa Fe felt a little low-tech and a notch or two below competing Honda and Toyota SUVs. Now the Santa Fe's interior has vehicles like the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V looking somewhat low-buck by comparison.
Although the new Santa Fe is offered in three trim levels, the interior of the top-of-the-line Santa Fe Limited like our two-wheel-drive test car will really have you doing a double-take once inside. With its convincing wood grain trim combined with faux aluminum trim it has an obvious "near luxury" feel.
Other touches also add to the notion that the '07 Santa Fe has been bumped up a few notches. For example, the dash lights and gauges glow in blue similar to some VW products, and the rear seats have their own heating and A/C vents are thoughtfully placed near the doors rather than through the back of the center console.
The Limited's other amenities include comfortable leather seats with a power driver seat, comprehensive steering wheel-mounted audio controls, dual-zone climate controls and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. An optional 10-speaker Infinity sound system and rear-seat DVD player are available as options and by spring of 2007 a navigation system will be offered. XM radio becomes standard on all Hyundai vehicles by the fall of 2006. All of these are features we wouldn't dare expect on a Hyundai just four years ago.
Skin deep
But the Santa Fe's ladder-climbing isn't limited to its interior; the exterior also looks more contemporary. View the SUV from the rear and there's a noticeable resemblance to such midsize crossover SUVs as the VW Touareg. From the side there's a little Lexus RX and Mazda CX-7, and from the front more than a few editors noticed the slight sneer of an Infiniti FX combined with the gracefulness of an Acura MDX.
It might sound like a hodgepodge but the new Hyundai Santa Fe, which is about the same size as a Toyota Highlander, is clean-looking, with smooth lines and a crisp, contemporary feel. Gone is the distinct Korean look of the old Santa Fe with its funky angles and busy bodywork. Projector-style headlights and a prominent grille up front further drive the point home.
Standard V6s
Mechanically, the 2007 Santa Fe is all-new as well. Buyers can choose from two- or four-wheel-drive versions and there are now two available engines: both V6s. The base engine, standard on the Santa Fe GLS, is a 2.7-liter V6 that was available in the previous Santa Fe but now offers the added benefit of variable valve timing. Output is now rated at 185 horsepower and 183 pound-feet of torque.
Replacing the previous Santa Fe's cast-iron 3.5-liter V6 is an all-aluminum 3.3-liter V6 we first saw in the redesigned Sonata it's standard on the Limited and SE trim levels. Despite its slightly smaller displacement, this newer motor is actually more powerful. At 242 hp, the Santa Fe's 3.3-liter V6 delivers 42 more ponies than the old 3.5-liter.
That engine doesn't make the SUV terribly quick. We recorded a 0-60 time of just 8.7 seconds. The Mazda CX-7 is slightly quicker and the V6-powered Toyota RAV4 is a second and a half quicker. However, the Santa Fe still has plenty of power for passing and on the open road our Santa Fe Limited never felt weak or underpowered. The engine is also remarkably smooth. Even under hard acceleration, it doesn't sound harsh or overworked. Instead, there's a low growl that's almost reassuring when merging into freeway traffic.
While a manual transmission is available on the GLS, all Santa Fe Limiteds and SEs get a five-speed automatic transmission. With the automatic, upshifts are precise without being hard and the transmission isn't prone to hunting or confusion even in demanding Los Angeles traffic. Sometimes downshifts are too slow to come, but there's a shift-it-yourself feature for impatient drivers. Sadly, upshifts happen well before redline whether you tap the shift lever or not.
Family-friendly
Unlike more aggressive sports crossover SUVs like the Infiniti FX, the Santa Fe isn't intended to be a sharp-handling, hard-edged SUV. Hyundai describes the 2007 Santa Fe's handling as "engaging" and we think that's about right. The tradeoff is that the ride can be very busy on the highway, but we attribute that more to the Limited's standard 18-inch wheels and tires than an excessively hard suspension. The GLS comes with 16-inch wheels and the extra tire sidewall smoothes out the ride considerably.
Around town the brake pedal feels about right, but can get soft during hard braking. At the track, the Santa Fe exhibited plenty of nosedive and took a long 142 feet to come to a stop from 60 mph. We attribute the vehicle's below-average braking performance primarily to its hefty curb weight it tips the scales at just over 3,800 pounds.
But the suspension does a good job of minimizing body roll and managing that nearly two-ton curb weight. The Santa Fe is easy to control and handling is predictable. Our tester slipped through the slalom cones at 61.3 mph. Its handling is just sharp enough to be entertaining, but the Santa Fe's suspension is really tuned to get the family comfortably across town to Chick-Fil-A.
And what about that all-important kid-carrying quotient? Hyundai has been doing its homework. For 2007, the Santa Fe offers an optional third-row seat a virtual must-have for this increasingly competitive segment. The new Mitsubishi Outlander has one, as does the Toyota RAV4.
Apples to apples
As good as the new Hyundai Santa Fe is, it still needs to be competitively priced, and it is. The base GLS starts at just over $22,000 and our two-wheel-drive Limited with only a few options carried a sticker price of $26,780 (with destination). A smaller RAV4 Limited with a more powerful V6 and similar equipment costs about $1,000 more, while a similarly sized seven-passenger Toyota Highlander with comparable equipment can be $5,000 more.
Ultimately the 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe is the perfect suburban companion for those making more trips to Stride Rite rather than up a twisty mountain pass. The Santa Fe may not be the fastest or sportiest SUV around but it does meet or exceed its competitors on virtually every front and does so with an upscale feel.
The manufacturer provided Edmunds this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.
source:http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/FullTests/articleId=116262#2
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