The Santa Fe is most endearing not for fancy features or a peppy engine or eye-catching looks — it has those — but for the way everything comes together smoothly. The main test vehicle, a $26,000 high-end Limited with front-wheel drive, grew in esteem daily as it proved ever-easier to drive, ever-more convenient, increasingly impressive for its quiet interior. A short drive in a $30,000 Limited with all-wheel drive did nothing to erode the positive impression.

What stood out during the test drive…READ MORE