2006 Hyundai Santa Fe GLS Full 2.7 petrol from Greece
Summary:
Not only great value, but also a great car
Faults:
Nothing at all, except sometimes a rough change from 1st to 2nd gear (in auto mode) and when coming to a stop from 2nd to 1st. It happens just once and not anymore afterwards. It's strange, but haven't found the remedy, changed the transmission fluid etc, other than guessing, because it was from the first MK2 Santa Fes, that the programming of the first auto boxes were somewhat faulty under such conditions.
However, not at all a real problem to the car, unless that thumping will evolve into a major transmission problem later on. Funny that when changing gears in manual mode, there is no problem at all.
General Comments:
Great car, problem free even though it's now almost 7 years old, everything (electrical, mechanical) works perfectly, tons of space for passengers and cargo, and great visibility all around.
Only downside is that the suspension is a bit stiff and feels like crushing on bad roads. However it handles well, I guess because of the stiffer suspension, you can't have it all on a good value SUV. Regardless of the stiff suspension squeaks, rattles are nowhere to be found.
Consumption could have been better, but we are talking of a 4 speed previous generation autobox and a heavy chassis. This V6 2.7 runs so smooth though, that you ignore how thirsty the engine may be.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 23rd January, 2013
24th Aug 2015, 16:01
OK. I've owned this car for 7 years. Bought it 2nd hand in 2008. Did I make the right decision. Hell NO! This car is an expensive piece of scrap to own.
What's gone wrong with it?
(1) The dual mass flywheel... TWICE, costing me €1400 each time. And at that, I fitted it myself as I am a qualified mechanic. The first time I had 60,000km and the second was 130,000km. BTW, this happened to every single one of these cars. It's a universal problem with the design. Take your chances with getting it fixed under warranty.
(2) The door locks stopped working. Common enough problem too.
(3) The brake calipers seized on it. Again, this is a universal problem with the design of the caliper. This happens to much more than just this 2.2 diesel model. This site has plenty of comments about it. Warranty will NOT cover this.
(4) To prevent engine failure, you must have the engine sump removed and cleaned. This is even if you do service it regularly. Again, this is almost universal to this 2.2 engine.
(5) Because I'm aware of a lot of other people's turbos blowing, a check must be made to ensure the pipe to the turbo is not clogged with crud. I know this, because I'm in the trade. Most people won't know this, and will have to fork out more €€€ for turbo replacement.
(6) Now, at 200,00km, I suspect the oil pump is failing. The replacement part is around €700. And again, it's from Hyundai only.
(7) The CV joint went. Now, that I can't blame on Hyundai. It was my own fault. However, to get a replacement one, you must buy the entire shaft at €750, even though the joint can be replaced on its own. Oh, Hyundai only again, BTW.
Plus, the inner drive boot split. Again, Hyundai only part. For normal manufacturers they're roughly €20-€40. Hyundai? €80+VAT.
I didn't bother mentioning the crap radio. Or I just did :)
I'd change it if I could afford to, but for now, I'm stuck with this expensive piece of scrap.