I recently had the opportunity to test-drive a 2010 Hyunda Santa Fe with the new Theta II 2.4L I4, and came away impressed with both the vehicle and the new powertrain. My comment in this thread though is the overall value to be found in the base GL model (Canada) with the 6-speed manual. Not only is it unusual to find a traditional stick in this segment, but starting at $26K CAD with tons of standard equipment and the versatility of a CUV, this seems like a heck of a vehicle. Granted it isn't bargain basement pricing, but it is easy to rack up a Mazda3 hatchback to this price and beyond.
As a fan of the driver engagement of manual transmissions, I have been skeptical of a lot of the new gearboxes making their way into new cars. Everybody keeps telling me the manual is gone the way of the horse and buggy, and everything new will be a CVT. Well, I'm glad to see that trend isn't here yet, and opting for a fun-to-drive manual is still an option on value leading models like this Santa Fe GL. Even the new Honda CR-Z hybrid is apparently coming equipped with a stick, so there's still hope.
A long story short, I'm impressed with Hyundai for making this available, and I hope they sell a few to make it viable in the future.