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03-18-2013, 09:20 AM
Filed under: Crossover (http://www.autoblog.com/category/crossovers-cuvs/), Hyundai (http://www.autoblog.com/category/hyundai/), First Drives (http://www.autoblog.com/category/driving/)
Standing Out In A Segment Of Me-Too Crossovers
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/03/2013-hyundai-sante-fe-fd.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2013-hyundai-sante-fe-first-drive/)
This may sound strange, but bear with us - there is indeed a point to this little exercise. Okay, ready? We'd like you to close your eyes and imagine a crossover. Any modern crossover is fine.
Done? Good. Recall what you saw in your mind's eye. What did it look like? Did it have a somewhat aggressive shape - an upright greenhouse, pronounced wheel wells with some type of body cladding, a bold grille up front bracketed by large headlamps and hulking bodysides with a bit of visual flair provided by creases or rising shoulder lines? Did it sit jacked up a tad on oversized alloy wheels, distancing itself from any thoughts of mere station wagons? Yep, that was a crossover all right.
Point being, there isn't all that much to differentiate today's crop of car-based utility vehicles, at least when it comes to visuals and overall impressions, which means, to use a somewhat tired phrase, the devil is in the details. Clearly, what makes a family choose one over another has a lot to do with their individual wants and needs, and each automaker is building a vehicle (or two, or three) designed to appeal to these masses, but with ever-so-slightly differing formulas.
It was with all these thoughts swirling through our minds that we accepted an invitation to drive the new three-row 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe (http://autoblog.com/hyundai/santa+fe) in San Diego, California for a full day of highways, twisty roads and ocean breezes. We were rewarded mostly with confirmation of our preconceived notions, but also with a few genuinely surprising details designed to attract the eyes and wallets of buyers all across North America.Continue reading 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe (http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/18/2013-hyundai-santa-fe-first-drive-review/)
2013 Hyundai Santa Fe (http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/18/2013-hyundai-santa-fe-first-drive-review/) originally appeared on Autoblog (http://www.autoblog.com) on Mon, 18 Mar 2013 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds (http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/).
Permalink (http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/18/2013-hyundai-santa-fe-first-drive-review/) | Email this (http://www.autoblog.com/forward/20507409/) | Comments (http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/18/2013-hyundai-santa-fe-first-drive-review/#comments)
More... (http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/18/2013-hyundai-santa-fe-first-drive-review/)
Standing Out In A Segment Of Me-Too Crossovers
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/03/2013-hyundai-sante-fe-fd.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2013-hyundai-sante-fe-first-drive/)
This may sound strange, but bear with us - there is indeed a point to this little exercise. Okay, ready? We'd like you to close your eyes and imagine a crossover. Any modern crossover is fine.
Done? Good. Recall what you saw in your mind's eye. What did it look like? Did it have a somewhat aggressive shape - an upright greenhouse, pronounced wheel wells with some type of body cladding, a bold grille up front bracketed by large headlamps and hulking bodysides with a bit of visual flair provided by creases or rising shoulder lines? Did it sit jacked up a tad on oversized alloy wheels, distancing itself from any thoughts of mere station wagons? Yep, that was a crossover all right.
Point being, there isn't all that much to differentiate today's crop of car-based utility vehicles, at least when it comes to visuals and overall impressions, which means, to use a somewhat tired phrase, the devil is in the details. Clearly, what makes a family choose one over another has a lot to do with their individual wants and needs, and each automaker is building a vehicle (or two, or three) designed to appeal to these masses, but with ever-so-slightly differing formulas.
It was with all these thoughts swirling through our minds that we accepted an invitation to drive the new three-row 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe (http://autoblog.com/hyundai/santa+fe) in San Diego, California for a full day of highways, twisty roads and ocean breezes. We were rewarded mostly with confirmation of our preconceived notions, but also with a few genuinely surprising details designed to attract the eyes and wallets of buyers all across North America.Continue reading 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe (http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/18/2013-hyundai-santa-fe-first-drive-review/)
2013 Hyundai Santa Fe (http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/18/2013-hyundai-santa-fe-first-drive-review/) originally appeared on Autoblog (http://www.autoblog.com) on Mon, 18 Mar 2013 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds (http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/).
Permalink (http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/18/2013-hyundai-santa-fe-first-drive-review/) | Email this (http://www.autoblog.com/forward/20507409/) | Comments (http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/18/2013-hyundai-santa-fe-first-drive-review/#comments)
More... (http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/18/2013-hyundai-santa-fe-first-drive-review/)