First, we at Gaywheels.com would like to welcome Hyundai to the family of automotive manufacturers who offer benefits and protections to its LGBTQ employees (c’mon, Kia, you are the last holdout). We can now recommend any Hyundai while assuring you that our family members who make the cars are protected in the workplace.  And with that, let’s take a test drive of this year’s Santa Fe SUV…..

IMHO, this is one of the best economical, basic SUVs on the road today.  It’s nice, but not fancy; stylish, but not in an over-the-top gay way.  The interior features accents like stitching and soft materials that are gentle to the touch, even when you have to wipe up a smoothie or street taco. The Santa Fe is a great combination of basic wow-ness with the ability to handle stains and other mishaps that are part of an active gay lifestyle. (The third row of seats is cramped, but the other seats are generous and comfortable.)

I tested the top-tier 2.0 turbo (with all-wheel drive) Santa Fe Sport, which starts at $33,450. This baby, with a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder turbo, really roared and I loved it. The engine seems small, but it handles the road and highway traffic well. There was limited-to-no outside noise as well. I could easily hear Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan serenade me as I dreamt of how different my life would’ve been if I’d showed some initiative when I still weighed under 200 pounds, which was a long time ago.  The get-up-and-go was there when needed, and in this practical car, that is reassuring. I love turbos (who doesn’t) but be sure you need and want one, as it does increase your costs.

By comparison, you can get into the base 2.4L trim for $25,350. The base is both impressive and unimpressive. The Santa Fe comes standard with a 3.3-liter V6 engine that offers 290 horses and 252 pound-feet of torque. This engine is also responsive without being loud or challenging, and that’s great. But if you really want power, you should get the turbo engine for another six-grand. Power comes with costs, indeed.

For all you hepcats, standard features include techie items like Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, a seven-inch display (an impressive seven inches at that), and a six-speaker sound system. Those are nice things to have, and Hyundai does them well. I like the Santa Fe a lot because it really brought out my base gay needs for reliability and room to perform.  If you are shopping for a practical SUV, I would also check out the Honda Pilot. (The Ford Edge is in the same category but I have not driven that car yet, and the Kia Sorento is also a competitor but as I said above, Kia’s workplace for BLT-GQs is lacking.)

Goodness, there are so many choices and so many things to consider when buying a new car these days. Take time to shop and don’t be afraid to ask questions.  We here at Gaywheels.com are happy to answer your questions about anything…

…as opposed to many in Washington who have the power to truly take away our right to choose.