Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama has produced its first saleable 2007 Santa Fe sport utility vehicle, marking the official start of production of the newly redesigned SUV.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Data Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more


The Santa Fe is the second vehicle added to the Montgomery plant’s production, where the first Sonata sedan rolled off the line last May.


The 2007 Santa Fe was launched in January 2006 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, but has not been available for purchase until now.


Shipments to dealers across North America will begin once there is a sufficient variety of vehicle trim and colour choices.


The Santa Fe was the first production vehicle designed at Hyundai’s design center in Irvine, California.

Just Auto Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Auto Technology Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Continental has secured the Window Displays Innovation Award in the 2025 Just Auto Excellence Awards for its Window Projection solution, transforming side windows into dynamic, data-rich canvases. Discover how this compact projection technology and intelligent software are reshaping in-car UX and opening fresh revenue streams for OEMs and mobility providers.

Discover the Impact