I’m in the market for good, late model used car.  While I like the idea of driving a new set of wheels off the lot, I dislike how much of the purchase price I’ll lose when they hit the street.

What make and model is in the lead that will handle two kids and a dog?  Not Honda, the Pilot is too pricey. Toyota would have been a lead off contender, but not today, not next year or maybe the next five.  Ford is coming back, but it doesn’t have a model that adequately suits my needs.

Like a lot more people, I’m looking at a Hyundai, specifically a 2009 Santa Fe — stylish, reliable and crash worthy.  With a family, I like to play it safe.  The company, however, is doing anything but, judging by its models, markets and marketing.

No Silver Bullet wrote about Hyundai’s different marketing approach last year.  So, when we learned about its new “Uncensored” campaign, we had to comment again.  Hyundai’s is exploiting growing confidence as a mature automaker and it is clear these folks are playing for keeps by eschewing the same, tired automobile marketing.

“Uncensored” captures what the car maker says are very organic conversations, unscripted, unedited remarks of drivers as they tested various Hyundai models in major U.S. cities this spring.  Now, a company would have lug nuts for brains if it were to air negative comments.  What’s notable is how the company takes the campaign two steps further.

First, according to the Hyundai press release,”125 non-Hyundai sedan owners will be given a new 2011 Sonata to drive for 30 days. Their comments will be posted – unscripted and unedited – on Hyundai’s Facebook site. The second is a multi-city ride-and-drive, which includes a video booth where consumers can film their drive impression and post video directly to their own Facebook page.”

Yeah, Hyundai has confidence… and some guts.

How odd.  A car company has me anticipating buying one of their cars, watching their commercials and searching out the comments on Facebook.  Better yet, amazing.