2007 Hyundai Santa Fe

The first fully designed (from start to finish) Hyundai vehicle, the 2007 Santa Fe, in its Southern California design studio has done away with the humpback whale fins over the front fenders and awkward side-panel curves. The new Santa Fe is more conventional in appearance, melding nicely with an overall shape resembling a cross between the Toyota Highlander or RAV4 with just a hint of Acura RDX.

The all-new unibody chassis has been specifically tuned for better on-road handling, and our test drive bore that out. Better balance from the front- and all-wheel-drive models is a significant improvement over the previous gen, due in large part to a crisper steering response.

The physical size of the vehicle has grown with the wheelbase stretched over three inches and track width widened by a similar amount. Designers removed the blocky center pod that interrupted the interior flow and removed many of the swooping curves for a more traditional, integrated dash. Gauges are simplified and backlit, with such stylized touches as the cool blue and orange tinting on selected readouts. Another interior highlight is an optional third-row seat, vestigial though it may be.

Engines for the 2007 Santa Fe come in two sizes --all-aluminum V-6s using continuously variable valve timing. All entry-level GLS units are equipped with a 2.7-liter, 24-valve V-6 producing 185 horsepower at 6000 and 183 pound-feet of torque at 4000 rpm. SE and Limited Santa Fe models are equipped with the 242-horsepower/226-pound-foot of torque, 3.3-liter 24-valve V-6 (from the Sonata). Smaller V-6s come standard with a five-speed manual; a four-speed automatic transmission is optional. All Santa Fe's equipped with the 3.3-liter V-6 will have a five-speed automatic (with a Shiftronic mode) also from the current Sonata. All three models can be ordered in front- or all-wheel-drive configurations.

Sprightly runs through mountain passes to sample both engines made us believers in this sport/utility. There's considerably less buzz and vibration than in the previous 2.7-liter and 3.5-liter V-6s, and where the 2006 model had a numb on-center feel and a jumpy throttle, the new vehicle offers crisp steering and responsive acceleration with a smooth and progressive throttle feel off-idle. Likewise, the difference between front-drive and all-wheel-drive handling dynamics is much less pronounced than is typical for this class, with the AWD "big" V-6 able to venture into the sportiness zone when pushed. Still, we'd like to see the suspension tightened for flatter, more controlled cornering.