Safety galore

Hyundai also packs the Santa Fe with lots of safety features, such as six air bags, electronic stability control, tire pressure monitoring and brake assist, which will apply maximum brake force if it detects an emergency.

All in all, the Santa Fe isn't a bad vehicle. But Hyundai has raised the bar on itself, and when you get into this vehicle, there's very little that makes you say, "Wow, I really want one of these."

Hyundai doesn't even feel like the value vehicle in this segment, which is ground the carmaker often holds over the competition. It takes $23,000 to get a base model with an automatic transmission, and the top-of-the-line model cost more than $30,000.

With so much attention being paid to compact crossovers, the expectation has become that every vehicle needs to be the very best in the bunch.

    See also:

    Windshield defrosting and defogging
    WARNING - Windshield heating Do not use the or position during cooling operation in extremely humid weather. The difference between the temperature of the outside air and that of the windshiel ...

    Electronic stability control (ESC)
    The Electronic Stability control (ESC) system is designed to stabilize the vehicle during cornering maneuvers. ESC checks where you are steering and where the vehicle is actually going. ESC applie ...

    BIGGER CHANGES INSIDE AND ON THE ROAD
    The Accent’s interior is much simpler than the Fiesta, lacking the SYNC integration and offering fewer buttons and more intuitive controls. Hyundai insists that the interior is a “premium” offerin ...