For decades, the Koreans have wandered in the desert of the automobile industry, searching for the vehicle that would propel them into becoming a major player in the global car market. For the longest time, they have pursued their automotive oasis built on their perseverance and hard work. Still, it hardly translated into Japanese-like quality, resulting in a stigma that wasn’t easy to shake off.

Finally, the skills they have learned from their mistakes are beginning to show. Not only have they created a good vehicle, they’ve actually created a desirable one. No longer content to play the reliability card, they want the full house of customer aspiration, a hand usually dealt to the Japanese big boys and the German marques. And judging by the Santa Fe, it looks like the Koreans now have the upper hand.

Okay, enough with the introduction. Normally, a proper review would have the conclusion and the recommendation at the end. But we’ll make an exception this time. Bottom line is we love it. If you have a million-and-a-half pesos and you’re looking for a car, don’t bother calling Botchi Santos for a “Wrong Car, Right Car” assessment. Just head over to the nearest Hyundai dealer and get one of the sweetest SUVs on sale right now.

Our unit comes in what looks like metallic maroon, but according to Hyundai, the color is Superior Red. The Santa Fe is handsome, muscular and proportionate. Its stance is SUV-macho, yet not hardcore testosterone-y. This car is calculated to appeal to the growing fun, fearless female demographic as well. A wise move by Hyundai.

There’s the big grille, the sleek, swept-back headlights, the flush fog lamps, twin exhausts, a bulging feature line snaking its way across the sides. All these little details come together and succeed in making the Santa Fe one of the most visually arresting SUVs to come in recent years not just from Hyundai, but from any carmaker.

Sometimes, a good-looking car is let down by its interiors. No matter how impressed the people are outside ogling its appearance, it has to please its master first. Not just through a handsome interior, but a very functional one. On these two counts, the Santa Fe passes with flying colors.

Leather seating is nothing new in today’s market. Even the SUV sales champ, the Toyota Fortuner, now sports leather seats. Interesting timing, too: The Fortuner’s leather seats came just a few months after the Santa Fe had been launched. Even Toyota must be somewhat threatened.

Instead of the usual beige, the Hyundai’s leather upholstery is black with red piping. It gives off a very racy and sleek look.

The sound system is also topnotch, more than enough for most people. It’s an OEM integrated system with an MP3-capable CD and cassette player (we wonder who still uses these) that pumps out driving music through six speakers. According to Hyundai, another reason for the good sound is the internal amplifier, a very rare feature in a stock vehicle.

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Source: Top Gear

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