Hyundai Santa Fe 2007+

ksyim

I'm desperately looking for my first SUV thesedays.
This is very useful info place, I'm happy to find this forum.
I need many info from you guys. help me...

by the way, I'm a Korean, who lives in California.
I don't know anything detail about car, but I might be able to provide you some New Santa Fe news directly from Korea.

this is 2007 Santa Fe nice-looking picture. enjoy it.

2007 Santa Fe

ksyim

One of my criteria for picking SUV is 3rd row.
last week, I did test drive for Pilot and Highlander.
Pilot's 3rd row seat is quite roomy. it's pretty good for two adults.
But, highlander's 3rd row seat is terrible. it's not for adults at all. only for kids.

I wonder how about 2007 Santa Fe.
I don't expect it is as big as pilot.
but, I really really hope it is better than highlander.

Can you comment something about 3rd row seat of 2007 Santa Fe??
what's your guess?

guyf

Thanks for the nice picture.

I have a concern with the 3rd row in the Santa Fe. From some pictures posted earlier on the forum, the back rest of the 3rd row seem extremely close to the rear hatch. There seem to be no protection for the 3rd row passengers in case of a rear end accident.

The Volvo XC90 for example was designed with a large crush zone behind the 3rd row for proctection of the 3rd row occupants. There just don't seem to have room for this in the new Santa Fe.

mike_belknap

According to one individual who has seen the vehicle in person, the seat is positioned about four inches aft of the third row in the B9 Tribeca (comparatively speaking) and, unlike the Subaru, is roomy enough for two adults.

If the new model still isn't big enough for you, Hyundai will be releasing a larger ("upper-midsize," as they call it), more upscale unibody SUV eight or so months after the Santa Fe. Below I've posted two spy shots that are believed to show this vehicle - internally codenamed "EN." I suppose this is the easiest way to think of it: the EN is to the CM [Santa Fe] what the TG [Azera] is to the NF [Sonata].

Mike

backy

I know this is off-topic, but I have to ask... what is the car next to the SUV in the first picture? Is that the '07 Elantra? It looks kind of like the new Optima, but with a different grille.

mike_belknap

The car in the background is the 2007 Elantra and the car in the foreground is the 2008 "BH" -- a RWD luxury sedan with a longitudinally-mounted 3.8-liter V6 and a 6- or 7-speed automanual transmission (a V8 engine might show up as an option).
The first photo is a bit deceptive in that it makes both the EN and the BH look smaller than they really are: the latter has a wheelbase of about 116 inches, according to one source.

Mike

mschelle

It is my understanding the Hyundai will offer a Santa Fe with the third row seat and one without. Has anyone else heard this?

mike_belknap

Well, the company hasn't definitively come right out and said it, but to my knowledge, only the 7-passenger version will be offered in the States. That is one of those "wait and see" sort of things, though.

Mike

mike_belknap

Here are some more shots of next year's "EN" SUV:
Image 1
Image 2
Image 3
Image 4
Image 5
Image 6 - interior

I personally am very pleased with the aggressiveness of the design - even more so than with the new Santa Fe.
Mike

guyf

I sure hope they will offer a diesel!

mike_belknap

Yeah, me too. They probably will on both EN and CM -- just not initially. Hyundai has announced that the former will come to the market with a 3.8-liter Lambda V6 attached to a six-speed Shiftronic transmission, but they haven't confirmed anything on the Santa Fe just yet. We'll know for sure within the next three months, though.

Mike

marsha7

the "canvas bag" on the back of those posted images...it adds some class to an otherwise droll vehicle...on the production models, will the canvas be offered in colors to match the various paint colors, or is it the Korean Henry Ford version of "any color you want so long as it is black."... :shades:

Couldn't resist, ya know... :shades:

mike_belknap

LOL!

Here are more shots of the Santa Fe CM... but alas, no canvas this time -- just some plastic taped on:
Shots 1 & 2
Shot 3 - underside


Mike

duckied

When in 2006 is the 2007 Santa Fe going to be released? I like the look and design of it. Does anyone think it resembles an Infiniti FX35? Please keep us informed of any news about the 2007!

Thanks!

mike_belknap

"When in 2006 is the 2007 Santa Fe going to be released?"

The vehicle will be on sale in the US beginning in the second quarter of 2006 -- trial production is already underway at the Alabama plant. According to one source, the vehicle will debut in Korea on Friday, the 11th of November, so we should be getting some really good stuff in the next three weeks. The official US debut (at NAIAS) is only about 2.5 months away.

Does anyone think it resembles an Infiniti FX35?

I think it really does in some respects. Those that have seen the CM in person typically comment on how surprisingly sporty the vehicle appears -- specifically, how it resembles the FX!

Please keep us informed of any news about the 2007!

Well, let's see... how 'bout some preliminary exterior specifications?
Length: 4675 mm (184.1 in)
Width: 1890 mm (74.4 in)
Height: 1725 mm (67.9 in)
Wheelbase: 2700 mm (106.3 in)

So basically, with the exception of 2.5 inches in width, it has a footprint about the same size as a Toyota Highlander. It will undoubtedly be a bit roomier, however.

Mike

mike_belknap

Apparently the US release date has been pushed back again -- to the third quarter this time:
ShowTalk 2006 - NAIAS

So my revised reply is:
Home-market Release: November 11, 2005
Auto Show Debut: January 8-10, 2006
US Release: Summer 2006.

Honestly, though, there have been so many conflicting reports coming out of the company (even from the same individuals!), I take even this newest information with a grain of salt. This is definitely a "wait-and-see" sort of thing. But while it's a bit irritating for some, it's actually a super-good thing in the end for the consumer: nearly all of Hyundai's release postponements have been quality-control related. And besides, it's their most important vehicle -- you can't blame 'em for wanting to get it juuuust right.


Mike

mike_belknap

Hmm... now I'm wondering if it has a little something to do with this.

Mike

backy

"This" makes me wonder about the ability of Hyundai's marketeers. I find it hard to believe the minivan market has swung twice in so short a time as to, first, make Hyundai drop the Entourage, then a few months later bring it back. Haven't they noticed the minivan market is in decline? Also the market for large SUVs. But Hyundai is going to introduce one of each in the next few months. If I were them, I'd focus more on getting the hybrid Accent out, and also the new Elantra, since buyers now want more fuel-efficient cars and the current Elantra is outclassed in fuel economy and in other ways by competitors like Toyota, Honda, and Mazda.

guyf

http://www.canadiandriver.com/news/051028-1.htm

Mike, what's your take on the "6 passengers cross-over". Will the new Santa Fe be a 6 seater?

mike_belknap

The new Santa Fe will apparently be a seven-seater in the 2+3+2 arrangement. The six-passenger crossover that they speak of will be similar overall to the Chrysler Pacifica or Mercedes-Benz R Class, with some styling cues from the Portico and Neos-III concepts. The '08 model-year vehicle will be fullsize and may offer a hybrid electric motor/gas-V6 powertrain. An even closer concept will be shown at NAIAS in January. The other unibody seven-passenger SUV is the "EN" from the spy photos above -- it is currently set to go on sale at the end of next year.

Mike

mike_belknap

Though nothing definitive yet, I am starting to hear fairly widespread reports that the new Santa Fe will be offered with both 5- and 7-passenger seating configurations -- an idea that I very much like. These sources claim that the situation is unique to the US market, with most other markets offering the third-row as standard equipment.
As usual, I'll keep you all posted on any future developments.

Mike

guyf

Good news! I would definitively look at a diesel Santa Fe 5 seater when my current lease is due in June 07.

Thanks Mike!

mike_belknap

Two new sweet shots: Image one, Image two.

Note the "VGT" on the side of this Korean unit -- it indicates that this particular vehicle is sporting Hyundai's new 2.2-liter VGT diesel 4-cylinder engine. A pretty nice lookin' ride, eh?

Mike

navigator89

Wow Mike, thanks for the pictures. The Santa Fe looks good but kinda small.

I have to ask, how are you able to find so many spyshots? Do you have some connections with Hyundai?

Anyway, whatever it is thanks.

mike_belknap

I'm not an insider and don't work for them in any capacity: I frequent certain Korean spy shot websites and message boards.

Mike

taz16

mike_belknap

Due to a rearrangement of the site, the URL for "Image 2" no longer works. To view it, click here.

Mike

mike_belknap

Yep, those were among the first to surface (the 2nd one you posted was the very first, I believe). It's amazing how inaccurate the Lehmann chop turned out to be -- he's usually more on top of things than that. :confuse: Oh well....

A bit more news: according to one individual (who claims to have had contacts at the national dealer meeting last week), the 3.3-liter Lambda V6 with a 5-speed Shiftronic transmission will be the only available powertrain and the fold-away third-row seats will be standard. Who knows...?

Mike

mike_belknap

Photo1
Photo2
Photo3

From the last shot, the cabin seems to have some good width to it. According to one source, the standard tires will be P225/65R17s, with P235/60R18s being optional.

Mike

kguykmh

Most recently photo of 2007 santafe(CM)

http://kr.img.dc.yahoo.com/b4/data/car_new/national1130905362.gif

http://kr.img.dc.yahoo.com/b4/data/car_new/national1130905362_2.gif

nice look!

mike_belknap

Here are some official teaser images. Enjoy!
Mike

backy

Are those headlamp washers I see? I wonder if they will be on the U.S. version.

mike_belknap

Yep - I don't know if they'll show.

Mike

mike_belknap

Mike

mike_belknap

Photo(s) #2

Here's an introductory site.

Mike

kguykmh

That means it shall take your heart.

mike_belknap

Oh, that's cool! Thanks for the translation -- I was wondering what it said.

Mike

marsha7

It wasn't so long ago that Hyundai, and Korean cars in general, were not quite up to par, so to speak...in my understanding, which may be wrong, they were no where near Japanese quality, 10 year warranties notwithstanding...

Have they really improved THAT much in just 5 years???...do they really rival the Japanese in quality???...and longevity???...after all, it is easy to give a 10 year warranty if the company may not exist in 10 years, if you catch my drift... :confuse: :confuse:

backy

Have they really improved THAT much in just 5 years???

Yes. Hyundai has improved a LOT since they started focusing on quality around 1999. You can see the improvement in the cars themselves and also in quality and reliability metrics from sources such as Consumer Reports and JD Power.

...do they really rival the Japanese in quality???

Yes, I think so. I've owned many Japanese cars before the two Hyundais I bought in '01 and '04, and I also study new car offerings closely. IMO the quality of Hyundai's latest designs, such as the '06 Sonata on which the Santa Fe is based, are the equal of their competition in all the significant areas. The last leap was in engine design, and Hyundai has recently closed that gap with their new I4 and V6 engines, such as the 3.3L and 3.8L CVVT V6s used in the Santa Fe.

...and longevity???...

That is hard to say, since the quality push at Hyundai began only about five years ago. My '01 Elantra is holding up very well, but it's only five years old. I do frequently see mid-90s vintage Accents on the road, and Elantras from the mid to late 90s, but there weren't many Hyundais sold in the US during the 90s, due to the backlash over the original Excel. So if you are looking for a 10-year record of reliability before buying a Hyundai, you may need to wait a few more years--and miss out on some fine vehicles.

Think about the 10 year warranty this way... if Hyundai's vehicles were unreliable, the warranty costs would kill them. And that isn't happening. The warranty is there to draw buyers like you who still remember the '86 Excel, and who haven't discovered yet what Hyundai offers today.

nissan240sx

nissan240sx

nissan240sx

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nissan240sx

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navigator89

Thanks for the pictures. The design seems attractive overall, however just looking at the picture it doesnt seem like the 3rd row will be very hospitable. The wheelbase seems kind of short and the roofline curves too much.

Who knows, hopefully the production wont be like that.

guyf

I guess we will have to wait to see it "in the flesh" to make a final opinion. It reminds me of the RX330 form some angles and the Tribeca from others. Certainly more refined and nicer than the current Santa Fe.

Anyway it's how it looks from the inside that's more important for me if I am to own one.... :shades:

opirus1

http://autospy.dreamwiz.com/board/bbs.php?table=spyshot2&query=view&uid=638

kguykmh

Anyone agrees my thought? so cute
They seems to be for America because of orange signal ramp

mike_belknap

I may have to agree with you there!

Anyway, these are home-market vehicles: Hyundai has been adament that the US only get Alabama-built models. You can also tell that these units aren't North American-bound by the fact that they have side repeater lamps and "VGT" badges (the latter can barely be made-out below the former).
Everything else, though, looks identical to the one we'll be getting here.

Mike

mike_belknap

Here are some interior shots for ya.
Image1 shows a gray interior theme with manual climate control; image2 shows a gray, leather-trimmed interior with automatic climate control; and image3 is a black interior with wood trim, manufacturer-installed navigation system, and automatic climate control.
They are all production KDM vehicles. I'll post some more photos later today/tonight.

Mike

mike_belknap

Here are those images I promised:
Link1
Link2
Link3
Link4

Mike