Anita Lienert test-drove the 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe. She found the top-of-the-line Limited Edition trim well-equipped in safety features and offering plenty of power from the 3.3-liter V-6 engine. The latter, by the way, is one of two engine choices available for the SUV. Her biggest gripe was the lack of optional features like a rear entertainment system available for the lower trims.

But her father, a retired police officer, after examining the Santa Fe’s new sheetmetal and high-quality interior, asked his daughter how much she paid for her 2005 Lexus 330. When she told him, he said she got “robbed” after comparing it to the $26,140 price tag. She agreed, pointing out that the Korean automaker benchmarked Toyota’s luxury brand when it redesigned the Santa Fe. Yet it not only costs thousands less than the RX, but segment competitors the Toyota Highlander and Honda Pilot.

Our take? The Santa Fe joins the new Sonata and Azera as harbingers of Hyundai’s renewed entry into the competitive U.S. market with all making positive waves among critics and consumers alike. We agree with analysts that it is the Koreans that Toyota Motor Co. is keeping its eye on as it continues its goal towards number one automaker in the world. Hyundai has boasted that it will be among the top five automakers worldwide by 2010 and we agree if it continues releasing high-quality vehicles like the Santa Fe.


Via Detroit News