As is the trend in SUVs and crossovers, the Santa Fe is built using unibody construction for a car-like ride and more responsive handling. The benefit for consumers, of course, is refinement. Bumps and road blemishes are isolated from the cabin by the frame and suspension, dissipating jolts so that passengers remain comfortable. Think of a Sonata sedan with an SUV shell and you get the idea. Indeed, the Santa Fe is built on a Sonata-derived platform, at the same Hyundai plant in Montgomery, Ala., that manufacturers the company’s volume-selling sedan. That makes the 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe about as different a vehicle from its predecessor as the 2006 Sonata was to its progenitor – which is to say, significantly improved in terms of space, power and refinement. Given that the Santa Fe has been a sales leader for Hyundai since it debuted, Hyundai engineers also introduced several significant refinements to the nuts and bolts of this new SUV, such as a revised suspension and a new engine.

Hyundai has forsaken the typical four-cylinder/six-cylinder powertrain lineup, offering shoppers a choice between two V6 engines. A 2.7-liter that makes 185 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 183 lb.-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm comes standard on the GLS, and a 3.3-liter engine that generates 242 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 226 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,500 rpm comes on the SE and Limited models. First introduced in the 2006 Hyundai Sonata, the 3.3-liter V6 is from Hyundai’s Lambda engine group. The 2.7-liter V6, meanwhile, is a new engine from the “Mu” engine family, the same overworked motor that’s available in the 2007 Kia Optima. Granted, Hyundai’s decision to offer only V6 engines is a bit odd given the specter of rising fuel prices and the emerging popularity of four-cylinder vehicles, but when specifications were finalized for the new Santa Fe, gas cost much less than it does today. With fuel economy for the smaller V6 only slightly improved – 21/26 vs. 19/24 for the larger engine – it may seem that most people will opt for the increased power of the 3.3-liter engine. But consider this: compared to the 2006 Toyota RAV4’s inline four-cylinder powerplant, Hyundai’s base engine makes 20 more horsepower at the relatively small cost of about three miles per gallon, based on EPA ratings.

Food for thought, eh? While you’re chewing on that, think over the Santa Fe’s transmission choices: the base five-speed manual or four-speed automatic, and the five-speed automatic standard on the SE and Limited models. Both automatics come with Hyundai’s Shiftronic manual shifting feature. A redesigned suspension manages the Santa Fe’s ride and handling, with a MacPherson strut setup in front and a multi-link, trailing arm suspension in the rear. The result is a firmer but more pleasant ride, which easily handles road irregularities. Standard four-wheel-disc brakes with ABS, EBD and Brake Assist bring the Santa Fe to a stop. Base GLS models get 16-inch wheels and P235/70R16 tires, while SE and Limited shoppers enjoy 18-inch wheels and P235/60R18 tires. Turning those wheels is an excellent power rack-and-pinion steering system that features a very tight turning radius.