Hyundai executives must have popped champagne corks when they signed off on the * * * 2013 Santa Fe Sport crossover. Not because it's the best vehicle Hyundai's ever developed -- that honor still goes to the Sonata midsize sedan, in my book -- but because it marks the first time the Korean automaker was confident enough to price a new vehicle at par with models from long-established automakers.
Hyundai built its reputation by offering more features per dollar than you'd get in a comparable model from Chevy, Ford, Honda or Toyota.
The company's leaders knew the brand image was dodgy. They aimed to overwhelm customers' doubts by offering longer warranties and more features -- navigation systems, leather, sunroofs, you name it -- than older, more respected brands did.
Read Article