2009 Hyundai Santa Fe User Reviews

Pros

A great auto that I bought in 2005 as a 2004 leftover.

Cons

none

Purchased As New

I was so impressed with the company I bought a new 2007 leftover
Elantra. the Sante-Fe gets 26 MPG on the highway and the Elantra
gets anywhere from 34 to 36 MPG. the great thing about owning a car
from Hundai is you literally drive the car for 5 years with bumper protection. I don't understand why this car company is never talked
about in any car buying books or advertisements.
if U.S. car companies would follow this companies attention to detail
and customer likes and dislikes our country would never have any
competition to worry....read morehide

Pros

Very comfortable and quiet

Cons

back seat needs a little more legroom, lag shifting from first gear, radio could improve

Purchased As New

Traded in a Chevy Equinox LT for new Santa Fe SE. I am so far very impressed by the overall value of the purchase. The seats are very comfortable, the engine is quiet, the interior quality seems good. Plenty of power for the size of the vehicle. The only thing I wish it had was a little more legroom in the back. It isn't lacking in room, it is just that my Equinox had a rear sliding seat, so it could be pushed back and I grew accustomed to that. Over all I am VERY happy with my purchase and hope that this vehicle lasts for as long as I have heard Hyundais can....read morehide

Pros

Good fuel economy, snappy performance, comfortable ride and interior, and $1.49 gas for a YEAR!

Cons

None so far...

Purchased As New

Bought this car 2 weeks ago and have put 1000 miles on it. Coming out of a 17 mpg '06 F-150 pickup, the Santa Fe's 27 mpg combined city/hwy mileage is a huge plus. The base V-6 is quiet & delivers spirited acceleration in town and when passing on the highway, so I see little reason to bump up to the larger available engine.
The 6-speaker stereo sounds good, offers XM satellite radio, and has jacks for iPod and USB. I like the USB as I can put all my music on a tiny jump drive and don't have to clutter the car with CD's.
The interior is comfortable, well-appointed, and overall build quality is as good as or better than Honda, Toyota, etc. Handling & ride quality are excellent, and the stock Bridgestone Dueler tires seem to do well in rain, on dry pavement, etc. They do make a little noise on rough pavement, but so do most brands of tires on these types of vehicles.
The Santa Fe has stability control, anti-lock brakes, traction control, and 6 air bags, including side curtain bags in all seating positions in case of a side-impact collision. Another nice thing is active head restraints; in the case of a rear-end collision the headrests instantly move up and forward to cushion the head and prevent whiplash and neck injury.
I prefer the exterior looks of the Ford Escape and tried to buy one before I got the Santa Fe, but better financing, warranty, and incentives from Hyundai won me over. Hyundai's 5 year bumper to bumper and 10/100 powertrain warranties were a big plus, as was the $4000+ in rebates and $1.49/gal gas for a year. My dealer also gives me free oil changes & car washes for life, free loaner car on service days, and a lifetime engine warranty.

Overall the Santa Fe is a high-quality, economical, and comfortable vehicle with a lot of safety features- all at a very competitive price. I highly suggest it to those looking for a small SUV....read morehide

Pros

Great fuel economy, comfortable ride, outstanding extra features & storage space

Cons

Nothing I can see so far

Purchased As Used

This is my first "foreign" car purchase, I traded in a much-beloved, long-used 1996 Chevy Blazer for it. Best decision I ever made, although my payments are a bit high. I got this as a used vehicle, it was a demo with 8,800 miles on it. Feels like it's brand new. I love the fact that I've got room to get in & the pedals are right there, even with the seat all the way back. I'm a big gal, & not many vehicles can accomodate my extra size. This one is perfect for me. I love the way everything lights up at night, the way the tailgate door lifts up out of the way, just about everything about this vehicle delights me. I'm finding something different all the time that makes me love it more. I haven't had a chance to test it during the winter, but I'm looking forward to seeing if it performs as well as the Blazer did. But, if you want a comfortable SUV with super gas mileage, this is the one I would highly recommend....read morehide

Pros

Comfortable, quick to manouver,

Cons

Not really good on mpg 17-24...manual seats

Purchased As New

I have a 2004 santa Fe V6, love it.. no problems, great !
On rear view mirror , I have set my garage door opener, so I don't use the one in hand.
I have the silver.. never shows the dirt, even when filthy! Still looks great .
It has a rear mirror windshield wipers, intermittent too. IT has indoor outdoor temp on dashboard. What more can I say...go & drive one!...read morehide

Pros

More bang for the Buck!

Cons

road noise and ride

Purchased As New

I still can't believe I own a Hyundai!!! Take your ego aside and get your magnifying glass out. This Crossover is one to compete with the japanese bohemoths. Only time will tell if it is as reliable as the rooster that wakes some of us every morning.

After a month of owning this vehicle I still scrutinize every angle that makes it a worthwhile competitor in the crossover market. The leather interior rivals that of honda, the interior space, given the 3rd row, totally blew the RAV4 out of the water. The engine is quite peppy for its breed, although not a thoroughbred more a spirited pony.

The only real 4 problems so far that I have experienced.
1. Crossbars - the maximum span between crossbars should be increased. (limited # of cargo boxes can fit on the SUV because the liftgate would hit the cargo box)
2. NAV or DVD (RSE) - CAN'T have both simultanously, WHY?
3. Speed bumps - DO NOT GO OVER 5 MPH ON A SPEED BUMP!!! (trust me, you'll think you broke your suspension)
4. lastly, the SUV pulls to the right when you gun the pedal from a full stop. (what do you expect it is a Front Wheel Drive)

hope my 2 cents gives you the courage to buy a HYUNDAI! Time to compare it to a 2009 Chevy Traverse......read morehide

Pros

Very smooth ride and roomy interion

Cons

Do not like the door handles on the inside and seat adjustment handle plastic

Purchased As New

I bought my Santa Fe with SE pack 1, I wanted the larger engine, the fog lights, 18 inch wheels and for $900 dollars it was well spent. I love the ride of the SUV it is smooth, quiet and handles well. The gas mileage is good, I drove to the dealership in Houston and back to College Station; I got 22 miles a gallon that would have been better except for the Houston gridlock traffic. I highly recommend this vehicle it has a lot of space and you get a lot of features for the money. I highly recommend you get the larger engine because it allows you to tow and the acceleration is 10 times better. I have friends that have very nice cars such as BMW, Mercedez etc and they love the car....read morehide

Pros

Excellent ride and handeling. Excellent finish

Cons

I haven't seen the 24 mpg yet but I drive mostly short trips.

Purchased As New

I have driven my Santa Fe just over 15 months now and have not had any problems. It handles very well and the fit and finish is perfect as far as I can tell. So far, I have only had two tanks of gas that I got more than 20 mpg, but I go on mostly short trips, many less than a mile. It has more than enough power, yet it is very quiet....read morehide

Pros

powerful engine, very quite inside, second row seats recline, trunk in the back cargo hold, & PRICE!

Cons

Drivers seat does not lower enough,

Purchased As New

Fantastic SUV, you get so much more for the price. I've had mine for 4 months now, and I'm so glad with my choice. It rides like a dream, very smooth and quite.


My daughter loves the fact the back seats recline, and there is a lot of legroom for full size adults (unlike other SUV's I tested)

As far as gas mileage goes, on a trip from Vermont to Cape Cod, I got 26.8 miles per gallon. That is amazing considering the cargo area was packed with stuff for a 1-week vacation. Back and forth driving to work, I have never gotten below 20mpg with this SUV.

I have the AWD version, and it handles great. The EBS that this vehicle has really makes it stick to the road around the corners. The engine is very powerful, great acceleration when you need it. It has plenty of power to tow a utility trailer or a camper.

You can't go wrong with a car that gives you a 10-year warranty either. This is our new family car (and our other car is a 2004 Honda Accord) due all the room it has, and how comfortable it is. My wife feels very safe driving this and riding as a passenger.

The trunk under the back cargo hold is fantastic; you can put so much stuff there and keep it out of sight. I have a back cargo mat that is perfect when dropping off the recycling and all my sports equipment- it is really easy to clean up....read morehide

Pros

Great ride, lots of room and dependable

Cons

gas milage

Purchased As New

I have taken my Santa Fe everywhere it has served me well. I is way ahead in performance and reliability than my Durango. I have never felt so good driving a vehicle until I purchased my Santa Fe. The sound system in it is second to none. it handles better than any car I have driven. The features for the money is a bargain. One would say if you ever drive a Santa Fe you'll not wanna drive another vehicle. Give it a try you'll love it....read morehide