2003 Hyundai Santa Fe 2.0 Diesel review from UK and Ireland
"Funky SUV with amazing 5 year warranty"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Nothing.
General comments?
OK SUV with amazing 5 year warranty. Cheap-ish to buy & run. Friendly dealer service. Loads of space.
Average on road handling - well, good if the road is smooth with no potholes - that excludes the UK, them!
Quite comfortable (much more car-like than a Suzuki Grand Vitara for example, and less bumpy too)
Loads of space, with OK performance for a heavy 2.0l vehicle (would tow my caravan better than a 1.9TDi Passat auto). OK turning circle, excellent brakes, medium weight steering.
This model has good "grunt" (plenty of torque) for towing, but its general performance is rather sluggish. If you don't tow, get the 2.6 petrol.
Cannot believe they have such a poor "predicted" reliability in the USA as mine and several other I know of ('03 on) have been faultless.
Lumpy wheel arches and bonnet scoop make it difficult to judge where the car ends when parking. Reversing sensors a must.
The only significant criticism I have is that both my wife and I suffered back pain from driving it (we're both over 50) - it seems impossible to get the right relationship between seat and steering wheel adjustments.
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| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| First year of ownership | 2004 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2005 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.0 diesel Automatic |
| Performance marks | 5/10 |
| Reliability marks | 10/10 |
| Comfort marks | 6/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 10/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 10/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 30000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 38000 miles |
| Previous car | Suzuki Grand Vitara |
| Date of Entry | 8th June, 2006 |