2012 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited 3.5L V6 from North America

Summary:

Horrible gas mileage with bad customer service

Faults:

The car had no issues at all. Very reliable except for one major problem. The gas mileage was terrible. I was getting 13 MPG in the city and only 18 MPG on the highway. Took it to the dealer multiple times and they claimed it was normal. That I should not go faster than 50mph, and that I should not roll the windows down or use the A/C.

I will never buy another Hyundai for as long as I live. Dealer support is terrible as well. Dealerships are old, crummy and dirty. Customer service is horrible. Stay away from this brand.

General Comments:

The car has horrible gas mileage for a V6. 13 MPG in the city and the dealerships claimed this was normal.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 9th July, 2019

2012 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited AWD 3.5 from North America

Summary:

Good value for the money spent

Faults:

Nothing as of yet; only had the car for six months.

General Comments:

I bought the car because it had the most options you can get for the price, and an excellent five year warranty. Mine is black with the dark brown leather interior, and is loaded, other than the navigation package.

I bought the six cylinder so I could tow with it, as the dealership said it could tow 3500lbs. After having had a hitch installed and taking possession of the vehicle, I found out that it can only really handle 1700lbs unless you use electric braking on the trailer. I tow a boat that is around 3000lbs, and it does not have electric brakes, nor do any of the small utility trailers I tow.

The engine is very responsive and quick off the line. It is very easy to speed in this vehicle, as the ride is so comfortable you don't realize how fast you are going. The transmission shifts cleanly and easily, and even has a shift lever allowing for manual changing of the gears, which is especially helpful in slippery conditions.

Right now, I am not thrilled with the gas mileage. I average $60.00 a fill and only get 400km out of the tank. The advertised gas mileage was 12.5L/100km in city and 7.7L/100km on the highway. Best I have got is 9.9L/100km on a 1 hour trip. A two hour trip costs me $30.00 when I should be around $20.00. The dealership has said the engine still has to break in, and should be better by 18,000km. We shall see.

I absolutely love the surround sound. The stereo works beautifully, kicking out a nice full sound, to the point where you can actually hear individual instruments in songs. The Bluetooth works very well too, and is a joy when driving, as the handsfree works right off the steering wheel.

Heated seats are a must with full leather, and I personally find them comfortable. Overall cabin size is not that big on this vehicle though, and I have to move my seat up closer to give more room for friends in the back.

I have only had two annoyances with this vehicle so far; the first being the key doesn't always turn in the ignition switch. You have to hang on to the wheel tight and give it a few yanks back and forth, and then the key will turn. This is actually something they mention in the owner's manual. The other annoyance is I had the dealership put in a remote starter, and the fob has the lock and unlock buttons on top of each other.

You cannot unlock it with gloves on, because as you push the unlock, the lock button is also going down. This can be rather frustrating in the cold winter.

Overall, I love the handling of the vehicle and look forward to many good years with it. I will update my review when I start towing again in boating season.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 3rd March, 2013