The Hyundai Santa Fe (Korean: 현대 싼타페) is a sports utility vehicle (SUV) produced by the South Korean manufacturer Hyundai since 2000. It is named after the city of Santa Fe, New Mexico, and was introduced for the 2001 model year as Hyundai's first SUV, released at the same time as the Ford Escape and Pontiac Aztek. The Santa Fe was a milestone in the company's restructuring program of the late 1990s because, despite receiving criticism from journalists for its obscure looks, the SUV was a hit with American buyers. The SUV was so popular that at times, Hyundai had trouble supplying the demand. The Santa Fe quickly became Hyundai's best seller and contributed to Hyundai's success in the United States. As of 2007, the Santa Fe falls between the slightly smaller compact crossover Tucson and th