Okay – so no one ever said that driving a 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe would be fun. But everyone shopping for a mid-sized SUV does expect a vehicle such as this to be capable, in terms of performance, utility and efficiency. And sure enough, the Santa Fe delivers an extremely capable experience, top to bottom and at the pump.

It also delivers its share of giggles.
Take, for instance, the soft blue backlighting inside the cabin, the refined and spacious interior, or that cute little third-row seat tucked away in back. Treats such as these make driving the Santa Fe worth a good chortle or two if not a full belly laugh, and a darn pleasant experience mile after happy mile. Derived from the Hyundai Sonata, the Santa Fe provides a car-like driving experience, meaning that it muffles the bumps and rough road spots, successfully evening out the ride and producing handling that is sure and stable.

On a long and winding 150-mile drive between Santa Barbara and Orange County, Calif., the Santa Fe easily navigated a variety of roads, surfaces, and conditions. Through it all, the SUV rarely lost composure, responding promptly to input from the driver, absorbing road irregularities and navigating corners capably though the P235/60R18 tires registered their complaint when pushed hard through turns and body roll was moderate. Changing lanes, parking, and maneuvering through Southern California’s traffic snarls took little effort; the Santa Fe’s turning radius is very tight and visibility, thanks to the large rear doors and big windows, is excellent. Braking is firm and responsive, with just a touch of awkward pedal play.

Acceleration, however, could be better. The 3.3-liter V6 engine with the five-speed automatic transmission delivered its 242 horsepower and 226 lb. ft. of torque on command, but it took the powertrain a moment to catch up with the driver’s instruction. Sluggish off the line, the Santa Fe nonetheless gains momentum quickly and delivers a smooth ribbon of power. Driving in the transmission’s default “D” setting exacerbates the Santa Fe’s sluggish nature, and most drivers will likely prefer to slip into Shiftronic mode (standard on Limited and SE models, available on GLS). Though the net gain using Shiftronic is hardly a hoot, it is a more efficient way to pull power from the Santa Fe’s 2.7-liter or 3.3-liter engine.

So, you feel the need to hammer the throttle on take-off, which means that gas mileage spirals down to Hummer H3 territory, right? Wrong. Despite our flogging, our tester registered an average of 18.1 mpg through various driving situations including congested freeway driving, driving with a load, around-town motoring, and highway cruising. Yes, that’s less than the 19/24 EPA rating, but it’s closer than one might expect and very competitive with similar models. For an SUV, it sips more than slurps.

Driving controls are smartly placed, with the exception being the secondary controls on the steering wheel. Placed farther up on the wheel than is comfortable, the controls require a concerted effort to manipulate, reducing their effectiveness. Perhaps best of all, however, is the Santa Fe’s silence. The cabin is nice and quiet, separating a considerable amount of road and wind noise from its passengers. Hyundai people will tell you that the cabin’s interior hush is a result of the use of laminated steel in the Santa Fe’s construction, and we agree with the outcome: a quiet cabin with one of the most refined rides in its class thanks to top-grade interior materials (in the Limited) and well-executed controls. There’s a bit too much hard plastic around the front passengers, however, but that’s offset by other quality touches, such as dampened compartment lids, lined cubbyholes, and blue illuminated cupholders. The upper-crust woven mesh headliner says it all, though. Hyundai has invested in the content and the engineering behind the Santa Fe, and the result is a very capable SUV that we think people will thoroughly enjoy.

Capable.
Granted, the word lacks a certain panache. But shoppers in the market for a mid-size SUV fuss less over panache then they do value. That’s value as in a competitive price for a dependable, well-executed car – as opposed to the bargain of the day, and it’s quickly becoming the definition of Hyundai value, and no other new vehicle more capably represents that than the new Santa Fe.