One freezing morning the car make a weird noise when pulling out of the parking bay, then back wheels locked. Lasted for 3 seconds then stopped.
No other problems so far.
I really like this car so far. I wanted a luxurious interior, good fuel economy and 4x4 ability to get me to work in light to moderate snow/rain.
The final choices were the Toyota Highlander, a 2000 Lexus RX300 with 40K miles or the Jeep Liberty. The Jeep lost out when I sat in one and found the interior to be too basic. I found the Highlander to be expensive, although looking back now I spent an almost equal sum on the Santa Fe. I wasn't expecting to though :) The Highlander was a good alternative, but I never got around to testing one out though. I do LOVE Toyota. What really swayed me was all the glowing reviews of the Santa Fe on this website. And the Hyundai warranty. That warranty is unbeatable in the USA.
Some things I like:
THE GOOD:
The 4x4 ability has powered me through 4inches + of snow on the way to work. I rate the power of this car. I can't wait to test it out in some dirt off roading which I will do once the car is a bit older and I am less protective of it. NOTE: The Hyundai notes and warranty info state that you are not covered by the warranty or the roadside support when off roading.
The interior is solid and beautiful in all gray leather. Really top class interior, could be in a Lexus or Mercedes.
The Monsoon sound system is excellent with in-dash 6 disk changer. It's a pretty serious power system, with an amp mounted under the passenger seat.
Several times I have had to stop VERY quickly on I95 in rush hour traffic and the ABS brakes have stopped on a dime without sliding.
The trunk came with a cargo mat and storage net. This is great for when you want to store some groceries or shopping or anything you don't want to slide around in the trunk.
The heated seats are great in cold weather.
The 24/7 roadside support from Hyundai (or their 3rd party agents) is a good security blanket.
THE BAD:
The fuel gage is questionable. It shoots from 3/4 full to 1/4 full over 40 miles.
The driver's legroom is not great. My right knee touches the center console and the driver's seat does not go far back enough. Could do with 20% more room for my legs under the steering column.
When needing to suddenly accelerate to top speed to pass somebody on the interstate, there is about a 2 second delay between flooring the pedal and the car rocketing to full speed. This is because it downshifts 2 or 3 gears. I could do without this delay.
When driving in manual mode, the gearbox won't shift gears up if it thinks it would be better not to. When I drive in this mode I want the gearbox to do what I want it to do, no questions asked.
Conclusions:
A good value car. I really like it so far.
Fuel economy is good in this class. I get 18 - 20 mpg on a combination of highway and city driving.
The car looks sexy in all black too.
I am curious to know how tall the driver is. I am 6'0" and am considering buying a Santa Fe. I would like to know if my height will be a problem with this vehicle.
The reviewer of the car (me) is 6' 2". Reasonably large person, 200 LBs. 8 months on and I still like the car although the transmission has been bumpy lately. I need to take it in for a repair.
Hi, I also own a Santa Fe. 2002 GLS, purchased in Feb of 2002. I do like the car too, but also have an issue with the amt of time it takes to pass another vehicle. It is this reason that is making me want to go buy another vehicle. I just feel it is unsafe. I feel like this car just plain "has no guts". Am I worrying about this unneccessarily, do you think? Plus, is it my imagination or does having the AC on seem to make the car want to sort of "die". I swear I feel this happening and I hesitate to use the air! I was just wondering if you experienced that.
Thanks! (PS - yes, I'm a single female car owner and not very car-smart!)
I am a few days away from buying a Santa Fe. I truly appreciate the reviews and great comments I have read here, they'll go a long way in helping me decide on an '04 Santa Fe or not. I am concerned about the AC issue and the 2 second acceleration delay time. Does anyone else have this problem? Is there an answer I should expect when I question dealers about it at test drive?
Any reasonable explanations? Thanks.
My wife and I just purchased a 2004 Santa Fe LX AWD and we love it! In relation to the driver side leg room, I'm 6'3 220lbs and I'm okay with the amount of space provided. Don't get me wrong, it is a little tight, but not enough of a problem to make it a deal breaker.
As for the acceleration delay, I think they are getting better. I know that the 2004 is actually the opposite of the problems found on the 2002 model. I have noticed that it seems to be geared to accelerate too quickly when starting off. I haven't noticed anything unusual when passing.
Overall, I would agree that the Santa Fe LX AWD is a great SUV. In fact my wife said when we first bought the car that she wouldn't drive it... now she wants to drive it everywhere she goes and I get stuck with her so-called "cute" little Mercury Cougar.
Hope this helps.
I have had my 2003 Santa Fe for about 3.5 years. When I purchased this vehicle I loved it! I also got several positive comments from others.
Since then I have had numerous problems. Following my 60,000 mile service my engine went out. According to the dealership this was caused by a key-way (Sp?) malfunction and caused the whole thing to seize up without any prior warning. Thank goodness for the 100,000 mile warranty! I also have had a problem with the transfer case leaking. This is something that has been a problem with this vehicle from my understanding.
The latest thing (62,000 miles) is that there is a delay in the ignition when I go to start it. This might be something with the fuel valve according to what I have been told. I have it in at the dealership right now, so we will see what they say.
Anyways, I am considering trading my Santa Fe in. I am looking for something that is family friendly, affordable, and gets a bit better gas mileage.
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