BY ROBIN WARNER
Hyundai's modest Santa Fe sport-ute is seven years old, and it's experiencing a growth spurt. The new-for-2007 SUV is 3.2 inches longer between the wheels — now 106.3 — and has been stretched almost seven inches from nose to tail, up to 184.1. So, although it used to belong in the compact-SUV class, the new Santa Fe is about as big as the Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander. Those larger outside dimensions pay dividends inside. Interior volume is way up over the previous Santa Fe's; it now has a cavernous 59 cubic feet in front and 49 in the back seat (versus 54 and 47, respectively). Plus, there are 34 cubic feet of cargo space behind the seats (up from 31). That tail-end space can also now accommodate a pair of flat-folding third-row seats, available as part of the $1200 to $1250 (depending on trim level) Touring package. The interior has a clean, tight-fitting finish, although it's a bit bland for our taste.
The base Santa Fe GLS comes with a 2.7-liter V-6 that makes 185 horsepower. It hooks up to a five-speed manual or optional four-speed automatic that adds $1200 to the tab. The SE and Limited models get the all-aluminum 3.3-liter V-6 and five-speed automatic first seen in the Sonata. In this application, the 3.3 makes a healthy 242 horsepower and 226 pound-feet of torque.
Driving the new Santa Fe is a pleasure. The interior of the front-drive $26,595 Limited model that we tested was well isolated from outside intrusions. At 70 mph, road noise was just 69 decibels. And although the soft-riding suspension absorbs bumps well, the Santa Fe leans excessively midcorner. That certainly played a part in its merely adequate 0.75 g on the skidpad.
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