The interior is another bar raised for Hyundai, with a shield of controls surrounded by the usual swoops and fluid curves. It's all trimmed in two-tone materials, an upscale touch that looks better when it's capped in glossy trim than in faux wood. The Santa Fe and Sport have the usual airbags (including a driver knee airbag) and stability control. Bluetooth is standard and a rearview camera is an option on all but the base model. Blind-spot monitors and parking sensors were new options are available. The Sport makes the usual Hyundai case for value. It gets power windows, locks, and mirrors; air conditioning; cruise control; tilt/telescoping steering; steering-wheel audio and phone controls; and 17-inch wheels. Daytime running lights and an auto up/down front passenger window are now standard across the lineup. The standard audio system is an AM/FM/CD player with satellite radio, USB and auxiliary ports, Bluetooth with audio streaming, and six speakers. A panoramic sunroof, Infinity audio, a hands-free tailgate, and an improved navigation system lift the Santa Fe Sport to a higher price plateau.

The pros of owning the Hyundai Santa Fe are numerous. It rides incredibly smooth and at 50,000 shows virtually no wear-and-tear. The audio system is incredible, with the speakers being able to balance bass and treble well. The volume also makes it so no one ever has a hard time hearing the music. Seat warmers in the front seats are also a plus, especially in the cold winter months. One negative would be the trunk space. For a truck so big, the trunk is surprisingly shallow. This is not a problem for me necessarily, but for someone who carries around a lot of equipment and needs storage space it might be. Equally concerning is the gas mileage on the car. Even on "eco" settings it only gets about 24-27 miles per gallon. While this is good compared to other trucks and SUVs, my 2000 Honda CR-V got about the same gas mileage, and I was hoping for more out of the new car. Lastly, the car handles the road well, but the steering wheel is a bit "loose." I do not know if that is the proper term, but it is really the only way to describe it. Another term may be increased wheel sensitivity. Basically, even the slightest movement of the wheel turns the car more than I would anticipate.

We purchased a Santa Fe Sport several years ago. I was in the hospital, and our family car was falling apart. I was seriously ill, and my family was very worried about me. Most importantly, they wanted me to come home. I am very tall and have very long legs. My illness made it so that I was not able to bend well in the middle, therefore the nurses gave us two options. Either I had to be taken home in an ambulance, at our expense, or we had to have a car with enough height that I could ease into it comfortably. My husband went shopping and found the Santa Fe Sport. He took my daughter with him and gauged the height of the vehicle based off her height. I had never even seen a photo of the car when he bought it. He came to pick me up, and it was perfect. We have owned the car for five years and have been very happy with it. It handled well in the snow and ice and took our family on great vacations to the beach. We love the car!