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Filed under: Crossover, Hyundai, First Drives
Standing Out In A Segment Of Me-Too Crossovers



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 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
2013 Hyundai Santa Fe originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 18 Mar 2013 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.


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