Hyundai Santa Fe 2007+

pelican19 · March 2008

No.
It is however a very simple installation. Many dealers will do it or send you to someone they use. There are several sights on the internet that will sell you the OEM fog lights.

http://www.koreanautoimports.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=31_27_51&products_- id=596

chrislegg1 · April 2008

I talked to to the head mechanic at Alexandria Hyundai about the clunking. He said he thought it was the power steering - the pressure reall builds up when you are turning the wheel really hard, so much so that it releases a bit after a while. (He actually gave a better explanation than this - I am just trying to recall exactly what he said.) His advice was after turning the wheel all the way, back off a little bit.

Chris

luck11 · April 2008

Thanks Chris.

Haven't ask my parents if they've taken it to the dealer yet, but, frankly (perhaps I am jumping the gun here) that is a lame response by head mechanic. How about designing a power steering system that does not do this, or do something about it?

I certainly hope this is not reflective of the attitude(read: head in sand like ostrich) of Hyundai as a whole because it certainly doesn't make me feel all warm and fuzzy about buying a Hyundai. Perhaps I have been reading to much negative about Hyundai lately. (BTW, I am currently considering a Veracruz, Tribeca or CX-9 come Fall)

Anyway, Chris, thanks for thinking of asking.

Cheers.

rmcbain · April 2008

I have an 07 Santa Fe and can turn the P/Steering from lock to lock and do not get any noise. One should always try to prevent turning the steering lock to lock as all cars will either pulse in the steering wheel o make some type of noise.
PS: My friend has an 08 Verzcruz and loves it but it is quie a bit larger than he Santa Fe. His wife has the Tribeca and it is very nice and quite a bit more power than the Veracruz due to the Boxer style engine. Good luck on your new purchase.

nvbanker · April 2008

I certainly hope this is not reflective of the attitude(read: head in sand like ostrich) of Hyundai as a whole
Of course it is.....not everywhere, but often, I run into this. It varies dealer to dealer.

luck11 · April 2008

Agreed, but doing so should not result in clunk or thump when doing so. Never had that on my vehicles.

Pros and cons to both the VC and Tribeca. Tribeca 3rd row is absolutely useless, whereas it is very useful in the VC. At 6'4", telescoping steering is important, and not available on 08 Tribeca...hopefully '09. I must admit, I am a bit biased towards Tribeca given I am Soob owner, currently with my 2nd Outback. Anyway, more I read about Hyundai as a whole, sound like they still have to get their act together in order to truly bring themselves up to the ranks of other competitors.

Cheers.

mpuzach · April 2008

"Anyway, more I read about Hyundai as a whole, sound like they still have to get their act together in order to truly bring themselves up to the ranks of other competitors."

I'm not sure what you've been reading but the overwhelming majority of 2007 / 2008 Santa Fe owners on this board are very happy with their vehicles. Count me as one of them. I've had my 2007 Limited AWD for 11 months and 9400 miles and couldn't be happier with it. The only problem I've had has been a parking brake cable in need of adjustment; my dealer took care of it in 30 minutes.

Are there things I'd change if I could? Sure, but they're pretty minor. I'd prefer xenon headlights but the SF's halogens provide plenty of light. I'd like an MP3 player input; instead I just listen to the STANDARD EQUIPMENT XM radio. Since mine is a 2007 I couldn't get navigation; I use a dash-mounted Garmin in my SF and it works great. (Of course, this "shortcoming" has been corrected on the 2008 Limited.) The only other things on my wish list are too small to even care much about - things like illumination for the outside mirror controls, moonroof button, or maplight buttons; heated rear seats, and power passenger seat.

On the flipside, this SF is an absolute pleasure to drive. It's comfortable, well-equipped, and nicely assembled. I'd recommend it to anyone.

santababy07 · April 2008

Hey guys,

I've been browsing this message forum for a few days, and I was noticing that a lot of people are having window regulator problems. Is this a common issue with the 07' Santa Fe's? Does anyone have a 07/08 Santa Fe with like 50k on it? If so, what kind of issues have you had?

I opted to go with the 3.3L V6 engine (Limited Model). I've heard that the 3.3L is a better engine than the 2.7, and I wanted the extra horsepower. Anyway's, I was wondering what kind of issues, if any at all, people on this forum are experiencing with this motor?

Lastly, I decided at my last oil change (6k) to opt for the full synthentic oil. The car has a remote starter, so it tends to idle for an extended period of times. It's also run pretty hard on the highway, and it does see a lot of stop and go traffic. Anyway's, I decided that I am going to change the oil ever 5-6 k. What are your thoughts on that?

Thanks much!

Jeff

mpuzach · April 2008

2007 Limited AWD here - engine is fantastic with zero issues in 11 months / 9500 miles. I'm actually quite amazed with its smoothness and quietness. I've not had any problems with the window regulators, either.

mobo13 · April 2008

Good Morning

Pround new owner of a 08 Santa Fe Limited no nav, no touring, no RSE. I wanted to give my opiniuon on a few challenges for prospective new owners.

The Nav System: At 1700 dollars (or so) you get a beautiful screen but lose the 6 disc changer. A good alternative is a PPC or Pocket PC cellphone. The advantage to this is you can have turn by turn directions, real time maps , and the ability to look up info in real time. This means as an example I can put in best gas prices and it will show me the cheapest gas, the distance to the station, and then directions to there. One could also look up hotels, choose one, get the price directions all with one device. These devices also use voice command to make things that much easier. PPC price 100 and up and ten dollars a month for service and best of all as the technology improves and changes you will not be stuck with a device that you cannot upgrade. Will Hyundai support that device in 5 or so years. If anyone is interested I will send you a picture of my setup.

Bluetooth: The Hyundai device is not a Hyundai device it is actually a device called Blueconnect made by Johnson controls. http://www.jciblueconnect.com/about.taf It is used by many comapanies and is not a bad device but does not use the existing Stereo speakers or mute functions to work as a true factory systen would. You also lose the sunglass holder. One can buy a motorola T305 for 80 bucks at Costco and accomplish the same thing as opposed to the 350.00 PIO option. Lots of aftermarket choices out there.

MP3 Port: Very disapointing here, there is a dealer option for a FM modulator that is hard wired but I have not spoke to anyone about this. It looks like something you got from Radio Shack 10 years ago. By the way your PPC can be your MP3 player, mine has a 8GB capacity for music.

If you chose the Nav I hope you love it and that it works for you. All the best for all us NEW Santy owners.

Mobo13

rmcbain · April 2008

One other point is if you have a portable navigation system you can move it from one vehicle to another or even your rental car if it is not equiped with navigation. They are by far more cost effective as well. Enjoy your Santa Fe.

stever · April 2008

Congrats on the new SF Mobo13!

You can post photos in the free albums on your CarSpace page - I'm sure other owners and tire kickers would love to see your setup.

sduff68 · April 2008

It has been one year and less than 7,000 miles and I am still happy with my 2007 Santa Fe SE.

It still amazes me how quiet the engine and transmission is on this vehicle. I prefer driving it to my wife's 2006 Toyota Sienna XLE for long trips, but since my wife prefers the extra room and the DVD for the kids we usually drive it.

Recently I installed a DVD from Circuit City, total cost for installation and extended warranty was 1400.00. The screen is HUGE, 12.1 inches, much larger than a factory DVD. I cannot even use the rear view mirror when it is down, however it is so big I can angle it forward so I can see out the mirror and the kids have no problem viewing it.

As a result I have been able to drive my SE on some of our day trips. Recently on a trip to Charlottesville, VA from Springfield, VA (200 miles round trip) I averaged 24.1 mpg highway.

The DVD performed great! I have added an auxiliary speaker to it so my kids can hear the DVD while we listen to the XM radio instead of having to broadcast the DVD using the FM modulator.

I also added the factory cargo liner. So far the only things I need to do to this vehicle is add mudguards, and aftermarket leather and then I will be done!

mpuzach · April 2008

I echo your sentiments, sduff68. I'm at 11 months and 9500 miles on my 2007 Santa Fe Limited AWD and couldn't be more pleased with my purchase. The only problem I've had has been a parking brake cable in need of adjustment - certainly not a big deal. The power train is VERY quiet and smooth, the seats are comfortable, and everything works as it should. This SUV is an absolute pleasure to drive. These words are written by an admitted "car guy" - dare I say car snob, whose most recent cars have been a 2007 Volvo XC90 AWD, 2003 Audi A6 4.2, 2000 Audi A6 2.8, Volvo 940 Turbo, and my current 2005 Corvette. My point is that it takes a pretty great car to make me happy and my Santa Fe hasn't let me down one bit. I'd recommend one to anybody.

bazbob · April 2008

Hey all, I've put 25k miles on my Platinum Blue Limited AWD (still love the car and the ride). The OEM Bridgestone Dueler H/T 235/60-18s that came with the Santa Fe from the factory are at 60  70% tread worn already. The wear has been pretty even on all tires (rotated them twice) since Ive bought it and Im looking for new tires to replace them.

I loved the quiet ride of the Bridgestones when I first got the car and was impressed with the tires when new, but Im disappointed that they only lasted 25k miles. The ride is a noticeably a little noisier now than when the tires were new on the highway. Im reluctant to get the same Duelers again because I would like the next set to last 35  40k miles.

Anyway, There arent a lot of tires in 235/60  18 size especially Highway All-Season types. One of the best that Ive heard of is the Goodyear ResponseEdge @ $150/tire but these are all on backorder in most dealers.

The Michelin Pilot HX MXM4 is very pricey at $220/tire and gets poor reviews on tirerack.com.

One tire that came to my attention that gets good reviews, good tread wear and is priced very affordable is the Hankook Ventus AS RH07.
http://www.trucktrend.com/features/consumer/163_0612_tire_care/tire_review.html

At $105/tire it seems the way to go. I know other people who own Hankook tires and love them. The aesthetics of the Handkook look pretty good as well as the specs.

Has anyone else been looking at new tires and if so, whats your thoughts?

Bob

tenpin288 · April 2008

Have you looked at Tire Rack or Discount Tires? They both list a few tires you might want to consider.

Tire Rack

Discount Tires

(Oops. I noticed you mentioned Tire Rack after I posted this.) :surprise:

bazbob · April 2008

Yes, infact that's the first place I went to look for tires. Tirerack does not sell Hankook tires however. They do sell another non marquis tire called Kumho Road Venture for $109/tire but it has an ugly side wall design and I cannot find any reviews on it at all.

Honestly, Im looking for the best bang for the buck considering that it could cost anywhere between $500 - $1000 depending on what tire I pick to replace all four. Ill opt to save $500 and buy the lesser known tires if there is no significant performance, ride comfort or noise differences.

I cant be alone on this issue. Im sure other 07 Santa Fe owners original OEM tires are getting a little tread worn.

denvertrakker · April 2008

If I remember correctly, quite a few people on this forum have gotten Nokian WR tires when replacement time came. Maybe a little bit harder to find, but not pricey and seemingly an excellent tire.

maseace · April 2008

The Goodyear Eagle ResponsEdge I got last November have been great - superior to the low-rated Duellers in every way, and much more traction in rain.

See the Tire Rack link above. They are the highest rated tire in this size.

rmcbain · May 2008

Hi: I just washed my Santa Fe and upon taking it for a short drive tonight the TPMS sensor came on for the right rear tire. I checked the pressure and it is the same as the other three tires. Does anyone know how to reset the indicator light in the dash.
Thanks

maseace · May 2008

The TPMS system resets every time you start the car. What is the pressure in your tires? Make sure you check them while cold - they can increase by 4 psi if you drive a few miles. Fill them to 36 and you'll get better mileage - 30 psi is the minimum.

lucky15 · May 2008

It is true you will get better gas mileage at 36 psi instead of 30 psi but you forgot to mention that the nice ride you have at 30 psi will just about be gone at 36 psi, personally I keep mine at 32.

crusaderr · May 2008

I have the same problem and am going to the dealer for an new alternator after 16,000 miles and will ask him about it and my tires are very used up.
Not happy with this vehicle at all

ramapokid · May 2008

My daughter has a 2007 Santa Fe limited . It has the third seat option. When the vehicle is out in the rain, later the seat belt for the second row seat passenger is wet. Somehow moisture from the rain gets into the seat belt channel from the roof or side of the vehicle, or gets into the vehicle from the underside. I think it comes in from the roof area or passenger side of the vehicle because the car may be standing through the night when rain has occured, and has not been operated in the rain or wet streets..
Has anyone experienced this problem on any Santa Fe model?
My daughter is in the process of seeking help and resoultion from the local dealer.

jcwsbltd · May 2008

You haven't mentioned if there is a sunroof - if there is, there have been numerous posts about leaking sunroofs - it is a recognised and common problem with all S.Fe's that have them because of poor design and workmanship. Even after the dealers have "fixed" the problem it still occurs and they give up trying to make it leak proof. It seems to be a very hit and miss affair. If no sunroof, sounds like a badly fitted rubber door seal that can be replaced.

carbunt · May 2008

{quote}"...it is a recognised and common problem with all S.Fe's that have them because of poor design and workmanship."{end quote}

In March '07 my wife purchased an '07 Santa Fe Limited, which includes a sunroof and it hasn't leaked. It's been through dozens of car washes, and thunderstorms.

Perhaps what you describe is specific to a problem with some earlier '07 Santa Fes. However, generalizations regarding a specific design issue without concrete, verifiable proof, is merely speculation.

jcwsbltd · May 2008

carbunt - you stated "....without concrete,verifiable proof, is merely speculation".

If you punch in "leaking sunroof" into the search box on this Forum , you will come up with 3 pages and 46 posts about sunroof/moonroof leaks, including lemon law cases.
I believe there are also filed complaints on the NHTSA Office of Defects to be investigated.

IMHO, I feel comfortable highlighting this as a common problem on this new S.Fe platform, along with the temp. sensor, interior lights, TPSM, pass.seat weight sensors and window regulators , all of which come up on a regular basis. I was merely attempting to answer another posters question about others who have had the same problem.

There are also innumerable postive aspects about the S.Fe , too, which do make this vehicle a great competitor in its class.
Reliability issues, though, are still are a factor in buyability and re-sale factors down the line and should be discussed and addressed.

My ardent wish is that you never have to address any reliability issues in your own vehicle.

rmcbain · May 2008

Hello: I have a 07 Santa Fe with less than 3000 miles and very little use of the passenger side as I normally drive alone. Yesterday while cleaning the interior I removed the factory floormats and directly in front of the seat bottom the carpet seems to be loosing its fibre. It is only about one inch long and half an inch wide but shows because the floor mats do not cover this area. It is only on the passenger side. Has any one had this problem.
Thanks

mpuzach · May 2008

Agreed. While there are plenty of owners who have not experienced the leaky moonroof problem, there are enough who have that it can be considered a design issue. It would be very interesting to learn why some santa Fes leak and others don't. Is it a manufacturing error? Adjustment? Materials defect? Whatever the cause, was it corrected on later builds? We may never know.

jcwsbltd · May 2008

Not to get all Dorky about it, the leak can only be caused by an overflow from the drip tray on the roof frame, or from water under pressure overcoming the rubber seal seating pressure.

Under normal conditions, if the water overcomes the seal pressure, and there is a designed overflow pathway and drain tube venting to the bottom of the body, then either the drain hole is blocked or the overflow tube is blocked in some other way, as in a kink in the plastic tubing.

The only other option is if the roof frame has been installed at a slight angle,or bent during manufacture or installation, not allowing a good seal or clear pathway for the water to drain fast enough.

The mere fact that water is collecting in the drain tray in any quantity (which it shouldn't) and that it happens in some roofs and not others, IMHO makes the seal design suspect - but it still could be a bad frame design or install, too.

I used to design exterior Architectural shaped Center Pivot windows and getting the seal design and installation to function with extruded or mechanically bent sections is an art in itself. It may work under a water pressure test in the lab, and then not work at all in real conditions. All joint and sealing surface tolerances have to be within limits, too. An unfortunate truth is that no design, manufacture or installation is perfect all the time.

livimauri · May 2008

Hi All,
Since we are now paying 4$+ per galon of gas, I decided to check my mileage with regular and I noticed that I am getting 16 to the galon.(City)
Is any one running on Super? it seem to me that when I was running on super I was getting 20 to the galon in the City.
The new 2008 rating has the SF at 17City- 23 HWY with regular from the previous year 19/25.

Thanks.
2007 SF GLS/AWD/XM/A

bellefant · May 2008

I have checked my mileage carefully and have noticed that I get about 16 mpg in the city with regular and about 19 with mid-grade gas. I did not notice a difference between mid-grade and super (Premium). This has been consisitent throughout the year that I have had my Sante Fe. I have also heard that using fuel injector cleaner about every three tanks will help get the best mpg, but have not tried it myself.

Thanks
2007 SF GLS/ FWD

rmcbain · May 2008

IHi: After reading your post regarding gas mileage I can tell yo that my 07 Santa Fe get 20.4 in town and as high as 28.7 on the highway. I checked it against the on board computer and also manually. You may want to have your dealership check on your mileage as it ispretty low.

js06gv · May 2008

rmcbain - yes, although I was starting to think I was the only one who has. I posted the following on the maintenance thread on 5/12 and had no replies. I have since been to the dealer for an oil change, showed the service writer the carpet and they promptly ordered a new one for me. Just waiting now. Strange that this is happening at the exact same spot and only on the passenger side on both vehicles. I have the tan interior, including carpet.

Has anyone else noticed problems with the quality of the carpet in their Santa Fe? For the second time, I've noticed carpet fibers that are coming loose in small patches on the passenger side front floorboard. The result is visible spots of carpet backing where the fibers are missing. I patched up the first spot by pulling some fibers from under the seat and gluing them in (didn't look perfect but good enough) but I'm concerned as the second spot is larger. I think the fix will end up replacing the entire carpet, which means the interior will be gutted in the process and I'm uncomfortable that this will be done properly.

livimauri · May 2008

Thanks for your note. I just got a full tank of mid-grade and I am going to keep and eye on it. Something that I failed to mentioned, was that my SF only has 3200 miles. I am not sure if this makes a difference?

Thanks again.

livimauri · May 2008

Are you running regular?
I am running a full tank of mid-grade right now and I am going to do a comparison to see what I get.
I think if continue to have low mileage I'll have the dealership take a look.

Thanks,

2007 SF GLS/AWD/XM/A

jimsist · May 2008

i to own a 2007 santa f with a sunroof. i bought it in feb of 07 and have had not the first leak. well maybe one when i left the roof tilted. but i have had a problem with the weather striping on both sides of the santa fe wiring out. the problem is that it ie where no one can rub it .the service dept said that they had never seen anything like it before. also the lights on the earlier model was bad fixed no problem,also on the passer side seat something broke at the bottom seat next to where the back meets the seat replaced the bottom seat. now the radio it has a mind of its own but cant seem to get the dealer to find the right radio they tell me its was the wrong radio or it was put in the wrong box or anything to not replace the radio its been 3mths now. could the santa fes with the sun roof problem be from candia or mad in korea when the first ones was made they were from korera. :confuse:

jcwsbltd · May 2008

There is a link called "Real World MPG" which discusses this at length.

First, the stated official figures are always higher than real figures and were recently revised downwards for mpg i.e for the 3.3L engine from 18 mpg city - 26 mpg Highway to 17-24) after so many complaints about false claims.

This is only because the way that these figures are arrived at in the Laboratory without gradient or wind drag factored in. It's just on rollers in a controlled environment.It give a better selling point is all.

Second, the trip computers mathematical readout also varies from the realworld mpg, because it extrapolates the mpg from revs./speed ratios, acceleration blah, blah.

On my 3.3L v6, the trip started out showing between 18.3-20.8 average and then settled to around 18, but the actual reading was 16.7 for the first 5000 miles or so, gradually getting better to 17.7 - 19.4 actual average from actual fill up calculations, depending how much city/highway miles I do. I would get tricked by the trip computers' gusesstimate every time.

The mpg will gradually improve a tad as wear in the pistons and other moving parts creates less friction, and also as the variable transmission "learns" your driving style and adjusts itself accordingly, plus the constantly variable valve timing. So, the mpg can cary quite a bit. It's not like the old fuel delivery system at all.Lastly, although it doesn't look it, the S.fe is a heavy vehicle at almost 4000 lbs. and the engine does not make you feel that weight at all.

If you want better mpg. I would suggest trying to run on 32.5 psi in the tires, and only fill the tank halfway up to reduce weight and of course watch the lead foot. Any extra passengers or weight, hilly or stop and go traffic, hard acceleration will obviously cut down mpg, and don't believe the trip computer until you check the actual mpg against it, over several months.

rmcbain · May 2008

Thanks for the valuable info. I did notice that as the mileage on my Santa Fe increased so did the gas mileage. I have the tires at 32 pounds and watch how I drive. I do not do jack rabbit acceleration from the traffic signals or stop signs. One thing that I do is when I see a red light or stop ahead I take my foot off the gas and coast no like some drivers that race up to the stop light and then sit there idling while I cruise up and normally do not have to weight in line.

rmcbain · May 2008

Surproise surprise. I guess the TPMS sensors work. After I filled the tire to 32 pounds I awoke to find a flat tire the next morning. I had picked up a drywall screw from the construction in the area where I live. Kal tire repaired the tire at no charge just like Les Schwab does in the USA. What a great bunch of guys. I bought them doughnuts the folowing day for their great service and were they ever surprised.

dlfisher1 · June 2008

I have owned my 2007 Santa Fe Limited since January 2007 when I bought it straight off of the delivery truck. It seems that the first few months, I only got about 18 mpg around town. Gradually, I began to average around 20 mpg around town. Then the mysterious check engine light started coming on last year. Flashing. Solid. It really didn't seem to be particular about which status it exhibited. It coded P0300...random engine misfire...but the dealer couldn't figure out why.

A few weeks ago, I took it in for an oil change. The check engine light was flashing. The dealter told me that there was a software update on it. They performed the update and said that should fix it. Nope. Didn't.

On the way to the dealer today to get a trim part replaced, that light came on again. I was getting about 18 mpg on the way to the dealer. They found this time that it coded that the O2 sensor was bad. Replaced it. Believe it or not, I got 21.5 mpg on the way home after driving for 40 miles. Could it make that much of a difference? I sure hope so. I have seen other post about replacing the throttle body sensor so I suppose that if that light comes back on, that will be my next move.

As for the grade of gas, my SF seems to like midgrade the best. I didn't see any improvement with super which I tried for several weeks when the engine light first started coming on. Today, I got that gas mileage with running 87 octane. I will continue trying out different variants to see what works best.

I really haven't had any other problems with the car other than minor trim things that have been replaced...the last one because the service guy messed up the tape trim on my drivers' door pillar. I still get lots of compliments on the vehicle along with people who are impressed by the way the vehicle rides. I suppose I should just be satisfied and not test drive that Veracruz anymore...sigh.

cnod · June 2008

Concerning gas mileage with the 2007 Sante Fe... I have a 2007 limited. I just had a trailer hitch installed by UHaul and hauled a fully loaded 5x8 trailer from the Southeast to Washington DC (600 miles one way). Most of the driving was on Interstates. I averaged 21 mpg with the trailer in tow and the Sante Fee fully packed, three adults, and even stuff on the roof!

The vehicle handled extremely well with the trailer and was a very comfortable experience. Of course the 18" wheels and comfortable heated leather seats added to the driving and riding experience.

On the return trip without trailer, I averaged 25 mpg with some peaks at 27mpg! And, this was driving in the 70 mph speed which tends to eat up more gas (anything over 60 mph does they say).

rufusnh · June 2008

has anyone had their alarm go off when the car has been locked about 1-5 minutes after locking. Santa Fe 2007

edmac1 · June 2008

Mine did this once or twice when it was pretty new, but not since. That was about 18 months ago.

2008car · June 2008

THAT IS THE QUESTION.

Hey guys and gals, I am having a tough time deciding to buy or not to buy a limited.

I am considering a RAV4 or a CRV.

Any one with a long history with the Santa Fe 2007 or 2008, Please help.

2008car · June 2008

I came across it by accident. I cant understand a word of it. I did a cut and past to find the car.

http://www.chinacartimes.com/2007/12/11/a-new-cuv-from-shuguang/

http://www.sgautomotive.com/en/

http://www.chinacarforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1402

http://209.85.171.104/translate_c?hl=en&langpair=zh%7Cen&u=http://cn.autoblog.co- - m/2007/04/06/china-huanghai-cuv-will-sale/

http://www.chinacarforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2376&page=2

joe97 · June 2008

The Chinese market does have a Santa Fe on sale, and it's called the Santa Fe by Hyundai.

This is terrible. Shame on the Chinese company. I believe legal action has been discussed but not sure what the outcome of the final determination.

2008car · June 2008

http://www.caranddriver.com/content/search?SearchText=santa+fe

rmcbain · June 2008

Hello: I have purchased a 2007 Santa Fe Limited FWD and am very pleased with the vehicle. There has been no issues other than a small carpet problem on the passenger side and a squeaky passenger seat.
You will absolutely love this vehicle. Quiet, fun to drive and pretty good gas mileage.
The RAV4 is too small and the CRv is difficult for entry and exit. Do a test drive of the RAV4 and it is still old school compared to the Santa Fe,

drwoodr · June 2008

If 15 months and 16,000 miles counts as a long history, then I will try to help. My wife and I love our 2007 Santa Fe. We had a 2004 RAV that we gave to our daughter, but I never really liked it and didn't even consider the new RAV, I just don't like how it looks. As for the CRV, we did test drive one. For around town, it's a solid car. But we wanted something for taking long trips. On the highway, the CRV was awful, very harsh ride. The Santa Fe is just so smooth. What also bugged me about the CRV is that Honda nickel and dimes you for everything - roof rack is extra, on and on. The Santa Fe came with everything we wanted (we got the SE because my wife doesn't like leather seats, but we did get one with heated seats and sunroof). CRV was just a bit small for me (I'm 6'3). The Santa Fe is very roomy, even in the back, and feels like a much bigger car, but it has a real tight turning radius and is very easy to handle. One thing about the CRV that I couldn't stand was the tin can for a radio. The stock radio on the Santa Fe with XM sounds great to me. So far the Santa Fe has been very reliable, although I did have one problem with a bad brake switch that the dealer replaced. All 3 are good choices, but it just comes down to what you like the best.

Hyundai Santa Fe 2007+

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