Mother Proof's view

Puberty is the strangest phenomenon. One moment, the awkward, gangly stage is so prevalent, and the next moment, sometimes much sooner than expected, the youngster is completely transformed into near adulthood. The thought of this is so much scarier to me now as the mom of two young girls. Remind me to switch to organic milk before it’s too late! The most perplexing thing is that this transformation can seemingly happen overnight – as with the 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe. In previous model years, I’ve commented that the Santa Fe was very feminine and young-looking. What happened? The Santa Fe is all grown up, slenderized, sophisticated, sleek and gorgeous. I’m a little jealous to tell you the truth, and I think that means I’m spending way too much time with cars. (Note to self: Make a date for a girls night out as soon as possible.)

Every safety feature offered in the Santa Fe is standard equipment: Electronic stability control, antilock brakes, advanced front airbags, front side-impact airbags, side curtain airbags, a tire pressure monitoring system, anti-whiplash active head restraints and more. No more choosing between saving the family’s budget and saving family members’ lives.

The ’07 Santa Fe offers the option of a third row for those of us needing to carry more people than cargo, although this row folds flat for additional storage space. Despite that thoughtful addition, Hyundai still hasn’t listened to Mother Proof shouting that its Latch connectors are a major pain. I opted instead to install child-safety seats with the seat belt.

Other appreciated interior features include heated front seats (standard in the Limited version), lighted cupholders, two sets of sunglass holders, extra storage in the dash, a two-tiered center console, front and rear in-door storage, rear A/C vents, steering-wheel-mounted audio controls (including the all-important mute button), and a very clean and simple look, all without feeling the least bit stripped.

The cargo area of the Santa Fe is a perfect example of what all manufacturers should do. The easy-open, fingernail-friendly cargo door handle is great. An extra set of dry-cleaning hooks back there kept me from risking suffocation by hanging my dry cleaning near my children in the second row. The plastic-lined, leak-proof under-floor cargo bin with slide in/out adjustable dividers is an absolute dream for neat freaks, and a complete necessity for everyone else.

The Santa Fe’s driving experience is also improved. With Hyundai engineers looking toward vehicles like the Lexus RX, Acura MDX and Volvo XC90, the Santa Fe has transformed into a less trucky, more crossover-esque ride. This, in combination with improved fuel economy over previous model years, gets me all hot and bothered (in a good way).

The 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe has quickly evolved out of its awkward prepubescent stage into a vehicle that adults would be proud to drive and hormonal teens wouldn’t be embarrassed to be driven in.

*For more information on the Hyundai Santa Fe and its safety features, visit www.cars.com.

LET’S TALK NUMBERS

LATCH Connectors: 2

Seating Capacity (includes driver): 5-7

IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS THAT COUNT

Storage Compartments (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Ample – Galore

Cargo/Trunk Space (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Ample

SENSE AND STYLE

Family Friendly (Not Really, Fair, Great, Excellent): Great

Fun-Factor (None, Some, Good Times, Groove On): Good Times