The Santa Fe is based on Hyundai's Sonata platform, which isn't a bad thing. It has MacPherson strut front suspension and a trailing-arm independent rear suspension that provide a sedan like ride. Obviously, with such a softly spring top-heavy vehicle handling is not its forte. The ride is comforting, but not as crisp as its main competition, the Mazda Tribute/Ford Escape which cost the same but are much more eager to play. The Santa Fe is more maternal in nature.
I enjoyed driving the Santa Fe a great deal. It just felt right. The new color, Canyon Red, is attention getting to say the least, but it seemed perfect for this much improved Santa Fe, as it shouted, "Look at me," which is what Hyundai needs more of in a competitive market.
Mom's view: I think women like the look of the Santa Fe more than men. It has a mixture of strange curves and bulbous fenders that make it look like its designer had a love affair with a French curve. The base price for the Santa Fe is under $18,000, but I wouldn't want any less engine than the 3.5 and for that you are going to have to pay closer to $24,000. But, you get a lot of standard features such as traction control and ABS.
The cupholders were excellent, the seats were comfortable, and side visibility was good. There was plenty of places for storage, but don't mistake this for a large SUV. In fact, a Subaru Legacy wagon has more usable room.
I found the ride comfortable and well mannered on the highway and fairly accommodating on less well maintained roads. There is a fair amount of wind noise from around the door seals, especially when the wind is coming from the side. The Santa Fe does not react well to these gusts and the steering is numb enough to prevent a dainty recovery. Probably with more time correction moves would be more delicate than mine.