I checked out both the Santa Fe and the Ford Escape/Mazda Tribute and found it really strange that the specs show that the Escape/Tribute has 33 cu ft of cargo space and the Santa Fe only 30 cu ft (seats up in both). When I looked at both, it seemed that the Hyundai had more space. So, I went back to my local Hyundai and Ford dealers and took some measurements. The Escape beats the Santa Fe in only one measurement, cargo floor to ceiling height. The measurements are as follows (all measurements are seats up): cargo depth: SF: 36.5" E: 35.0" cargo width at wheel housings: SF: 40.5" E: 40.5" cargo width above " " : SF: 54.0" E: 52.5" cargo floor to top of rear seat (not counting headrests): SF: 20.5" E: 20.5" cargo floor to ceiling: SF: 37.0" E: 38.5"
I don't know how the auto companies measure the space back there, but using these REAL measurements, the Santa Fe beats the Escape any way you work it out.
So, in terms of space, the Santa Fe appears to be the biggest unibody "mini" ute out there, and IMO is quieter, smoother, nicer looking inside and out, and put together much better.
I've got to say that as one of the original members of the Yahoo Ford Escape club, I was sold on the Ford Escape/Mazda Tribute. But now, after having driven a Santa Fe and having owned a 1995 Ford Windstar (the Windstars first year, and a terrible van), I am sold on the Santa Fe. If the crash tests are good for the Santa Fe, I'll be getting one.
Thanks skouly for going through that trouble of measuring. That's very useful information. When the manufactures give cargo volume it is just that, volume in cubic feet not square feet. This means L x W x H for volume as opposed to L x W for square feet. This is why the Tribute has more cubic cargo space on paper but who really loads up the cargo area to the top? Anyway I also am a X Tribbie that switched to the Santa Fe before getting my Tribute. You are not the only one that has swayed to the Hyundai side. We are all glad you are here.
Here Hyundai designs and builds what people want and prices it a little below competition then dealers get a truckload of them and add $2000 markup so they sit there unsold.Only a fool would pay markup when there is so many cars/suvs for sale.Basic marketing says it is easier to sell 100 apples at $1 each than 10 apples at $10 each. I refuse to go near a dealer that adds markup.
kia is not owned by hyundai!!! hyundai may soon but not yet. the korean government still haven't found its new yet. Ford backed out a few weeks back and now hyundai is trying to take over but who knows...
Like many others who have posted here, I too was considering the Mazda Tribute. That is, until I heard about the 5(or is it 6) recalls, and possible transmission failures.Currently owning a Mazda MPV, I'm all too familiar with tranny problems.Ford's track record with trannys is no better, but hopefully they will get it right with the Trib.I hadn't heard about the Santa Fe until I read in the Tribute post about someone buying one instead of the Tribby.That peaked my interests, and just had to go and see one for myself. This vehicle, judging by looks, interior finish and what you get for your dollar surpasses the Mazda in everyway.I don't plan on buying until the spring, so I have yet to test drive either of them. My main concern regarding the Fe is that here in Canada, Hyundai don't really have a great reputation(probably due to the Excel and Pony), and that we only get a 5 year, 100,000 Km warranty on the powertrain. As I mentioned earlier, I don't plan on buying 'til the spring, so I'll keep checking these posts to see how everyone is enjoying their Santa Fes,and if any problems have popped up. Thanx
I totally agree w/ you!!! I just visited Autobarn in Countryside IL, and they had couple Santa Fe's. MSRP: ~$23500, window price: $26K+!!! It included the ever popular $900 pin stripes/undercoating(or was it overcoating?) and a mysterious $1995 Pkg XXX. WTF??? Hyundai finally makes some nice vehicles, and their dealers start acting like Honda's, Acura's, etc...
BTW, they also had one XG300. Really nice looking/feeling car, but again - they added the same packages which brought the price up to $27K+!
The December issue of Motor Trend has test reports of 12 SUV’s including the Santa Fe. There is no indication as to what engine was used in the Santa Fe to achieve a 0-60 time of 11.1 sec with a quarter mile of 18.0@77.5. With reported times such as these I can only assume and hope that they test-drove the 4-cylinder version.
I just started to glance over the article in the Motor Trend mag I just received. It is the show-down done between all the major SUV's for SUV of the year which I believe the new Honda MDV won. But I beleive that the Santa Fe tested had the 6 cyl. because they were testing the calability of the 4 wheel or AWD. In the latest Truck Trend mag they tested the Santa Fe and were very pleased with the performance but they noted that when you order the AWD with the 6 and auto tranny it adds about 300 lbs to the vehicle and the times were slower than the front wheel drive version with the 4 cyl. but again they were quite pleased and surprised that Hyundai has done its home work. Remmeber this is a Hybrid and tend towards to be a truck like vehicle esp. when you add the AWD system. Right now we own a Forester and were not to happy about some of the problems were having with it, lots of pinging and poor gas mileage 17 city and 20 highway. Any way I has posted earlier on #159 about what I liked about the Santa Fe.
I have test driven a V6 Sante Fe w/ 4WD and the 11.1 seconds for 0-60 sounds about right (IMO, it felt even slower than that . . . of course, I had just test driven a V6,4WD Mazda Tribute before the drive in the Sante Fe and the Tribute 0-60 time is 8.8 seconds). The 2.7L V6 is really overtaxed by the hefty weight of the Sante Fe w/ 4WD. The Sante Fe weighs 500 lbs more than a V6, 4WD Tribute and has 19 less HP and 23 less torque. However, the 4 cylinder Sante Fe has more power and torque than the 4 cylinder in the Tribute. (149HP,156ft-lbs for the Sante Fe and 130 HP,135 ft-lbs for the Tribute . . . of course the 4 cyl Sante Fe is 400 lbs heavier than the 4 cyl Tribute)
I was also disappointed that the roof rack on the Sante Fe is only rated for 75 lbs and that the cross bars for the rack are $180 extra.
My spouse has been trying to sell me on the Santa Fe vs. the Montero full-size, and the price is definitely a factor. But how did the front seat feel to you in the SF? I thought it seemed high and could never find a comfortable adjustment between the bottom tilt up/down and the backrest. Also, have you found any crash test data yet? That's the main holdup for me, as well.
The front seats were ok. They seemed a little firm. My biggest concern was fitting in the vehicle. I am 6'-7" tall and head room and leg room are always a concern. I fit ok in the Sante Fe although side to side leg room was a bit cramped because of the widgets on the drivers door and the center console pod that protrude into the leg space. I have to let my legs splay open under the steering wheel to fit in almost all cars so I notice these things. I have not found any crash test data on the Sante Fe. To my knowledge, no tests have been scheduled for the Sante Fe. When I look at the vehicle options out there for me the Sante Fe is an appealing option. I have been looking at the Mazda Tribute, the Sante Fe, the Subaru Forester, and recently looked at the VW Passat Wagon w/4-Motion.
The Subaru Forester would be perfect for me if there was more rear seat room. The leg room in the rear of the Forester is only 33 inches . . . not enough. So it is off my list (unless the revise the platform and give it more rear seat room in the near future).
The VW Passat Wagon is really nice. It is near luxury in interior and the ride is great. The 4-Motion system on the Passat brings the fuel mileage down from the FWD version but it is the same as the 4WD Sante Fe or 4WD Tribute. The drawback is that it gets really expensive quickly when you add on features. You pay nearly $28k for a base 4-Motion and it can get over $30k quickly. If money wasn't a factor this would be my choice.
The Sante Fe and the Tribute are very similar. Exterior dimensions, interior dimensions, cargo capacity, fuel economy, split rear hatch, split reclining rear seats, power windows & door locks, keyless remote and price are all very close in the two vehicles. The biggest differences are in engine performance and handling and features between the two.
PROS: Tribute; better engine responsiveness, better handling and road feel, comes with available tow package, side impact air bags, 100 lb roof rack, very nice sound package, ability to lock the 4WD system for getting out of tough situations, and available moonroof (for people that like those things).
The Sante Fe has a floor mounted shifter, heated seats, nicer finishes on the interior, better control of the AC, dual map lights and auto-dimming rear view mirror, heated outside rearview mirror, and 4-wheel disc brakes.
CONS: Tribute; Column mounted shifter, limited control of the AC, cheaper looking interior, Ford components, and 1st year of production.
Sante Fe; numb steering and handling compared to Tribute, V6 engine is overtaxed by bulk of 4WD, Hyundai?, 1st year of production, 75 lb roof rack capacity, and no factory available tow package.
Fortunately, I have some time to make a final decision so I can follow problems of the vehicles and make an educated choice when the time comes.
The V6 2wd version is smooth and quiet but not sporting.I have driven CRV,Escape,and Forester and I liked the CRV probably because I am a Honda fan having owned many.I had the chance to drive the Forester a lot since my son had one.I felt the handling was great but the automatic tranny was lame.In the rain I want AWD,but skilled Subaru mechanics aren't at small shops where prices are better for service.If Honda offers a moonroof next spring I'll go that route.
I need some feedback. We live in central Ohio (moved here from Northern California) and I'm usually driving from one part of the State to the other at least three days a week. I test drove the Santa Fe the other night as well as the Mitsubishi Montero Sport (didn't like the ride) and was very pleasantly surprised by the whole package. My question is; Is it worthwhile getting both the on-demand AWD (my understanding is that it only comes into play when conditions warrant) and the ABS with traction control. I can't find any information on the traction control system and am not sure whether it would be just as worthwhile to go only with that and skip the AWD. I would very very seldom be going offroad and am just looking for extra safety and control in rain, snow and ice. Being a desert rat for most of my life I'm not sure how these systems would be of help or hindrance. I've read the comments here and have seen from positive and negative concering the AWD but hardly anything concerning the traction control and ABS option.
One thing to consider is the FWD gets 26 MPG highway and the AWD gets 23 MPG highway. I own an AWD Santa Fe and it does add some weight. The reason I got the AWD over the FWD is when I took the AWD out for a test drive it was raining. I got ready to pull out in the street, turned my wheel, and floored it! The AWD just took off like a jack rabbit and did't spin the tires like a FWD would at the corner while turning. This quick take off while turning made me buy an AWD. The FWD is fine for most people. If you live in Ohio it snows and an AWD will perform better than the FWD in the snow/rain. It's up to you but I'm happy with my AWD.
If you are a desert rat most of your live ABS would be a good thing in snow. Also about the traction control....I know Hyundai offers engine/brake mod for traction control but that is seperate from the ABS/traction control package I think you are talking about. The engine/brake traction control either tones down your engine or applies the brakes to help you gain traction. The ABS/Traction control.....I have it on my car but I don't know how it works. If anyone know for sure how the ABS/Traction control package works please let me know!
Whenever I have a long post I hide it. I get tired of having to scroll through long posts that I may not want to read. If people are interested in what I have to say then they can look into the hidden response. I also think Edmunds has something in their conference user policy that long posts should be hidden.
Went to the local Hyundai dealer here in California and saw the Santa Fe... I liked it in the pictures I saw and LOVED it in person. Didn't have time for a test drive and won't be needing a new vehicle for a few years but I am definitely keeping my eye on this one. Was very concerned about Hyundai's reputation when we purchased a 2000 Tiburon in April (couldn't talk the husband out of it) and I have to say, I am so impressed with their product thus far. Not to get on the subject of Tiburon's, but Hyundai really gives you a lot of automobile for the money IMO. If our current Hyundai is as reliable as touted, then when the time comes, I will be back to buy a Santa Fe. I would appreciate the owner's opinions on their Santa Fe's, especially after 6 months, a year, etc. Does anyone own one with leather heated seats? Our Tib has leather but the seats aren't heated. Thanks for your inputs and happy driving Julie ps....any idea when Hyundai will be updating their website?
Try www.hmausa.com - ??? it must be Hyundai's new website...
I've asked this question before but I'll try again. For Santa Fe owners - HOW IS THE GAS MILEAGE on the Santa Fe? I know their's a break in period - but how has it been starting off? All info much appreciated.
I'm going to be putting my order in on a Santa Fe. I was hoping to see a installed aftermarket moonroof before making my final decision but I haven't had any luck in finding any dealers who have done this. They say it can be done but I'm really leary of doing this. I was seriously considering the Tribute for sooo long - but all in all the Santa Fe has much more style etc. etc.
If you are going to add an aftermarket moonroof to your car, make sure it's from a reputable maker like ASC(American Sunroof Corporation). They should have a warranty(make sure you ask) and should have a one-touch open and close function. There is a separate button that turns red when you press it that makes it do that function so don't be discouraged if it doesn't do it the first time. And I believe once you set to to the one-touch mode it will stay that way unless you turn it off again. And once you initiate the one-touch function by touching the button, it can be stopped midway by touching the button again. Touch it again it will proceed to complete the one-touch function, so on and so forth. You get the idea. The sunroof from ASC seemed well-built and liked almost stock to me. If it is not, make sure you examine it carefully.
Oh and to L8 Apex, do you think we can get this and the XG 300 forum into the system so that we can get access to this site from the respective Santa Fe and XG 300 sites and not the SUV and sedan site?
I live about 20 minutes from Fall River in Rhode Island. The Hyundai dealer near me is asking way over MSRP. Won't even consider it. There's an Empire Hyundai in Fall River. Is this the same one your refering too?
I wasn't really shopping for another SUV, and I'd already had my eye on the Pontiac GTP. But then I drove by the Hyundai dealership just out of curiosity. I was back the very next day and bought the car. I got the one with the full-time 4-wheel drive, ABS, leather and dual-heated seats. The heated seats are just wonderful! They heat up fast, same with the central heater. The AC cools down the cabin really quickly too. I'd had a 2000 Dodge Stratus before, and I traded that beast in for this fun-to-drive SUV. I couldn't believe how well it negotiated corners! I had so much trouble (with lots of curb checks) on my Ford Explorer. And that Stratus really made me work hard at trying to make sharp turns. Those who are hesitant should take the Santa Fe for a test-drive. It's a dream!
Check out the new 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe. It comes in a LOADED front wheel drive , as well as 4WD. It is a more car-like drive with the great visability of an SUV. 2001 is its first US year- but has already been out for 2 yrs overseas. NO Firestone Tires! No funny door handles. ( I too, was a Tribute fan initialy. )
We've going to pick up the GLS/AWD soon, but the dealer told us that it now doesn't come with the cassette player as shown in the brochure. Is that true? I would appreciate any US GLS owner to confirm this.
Am looking to lease a GLS AWD with ABS. Anyone lease one yet? what is the monthly with how much down? Suggestions on a place to lease from? Dealers around here are all MSRP +. Want the car, but give me a break, it is still a Hyundai. Want to lease specifically because of the fear of resale value and dealers will not give good rates because they say residual is poor on Hyundai.
I took a very quick test drive of the Santa Fe today and really like it but the driver's seat seemed high and my vision area toward the top of the widnshield, I am 5'11". Did I have the seat raised too high or is this normal. I had to leave quick and forgot to check it.
I'm still getting around 19-20 MGP in the city. I haven't went on a road trip so I don't know the MPG Highway. I'm planning on driving from Texas to Michigan in early December. When I get the MPG I'll post here so everybody can see the MPG Highway.
KBecker. I think the reason the Santa Fe takes corners so well is if look at the engine it is mounted very low in the hood. This gives you a lower center of gravity than others out there.
adamjrae: Low center of gravity plus the fact that the steering is very responsive and how sould I say...light? I don't have to turn the steering wheel as much as I did on my 2000 Dodge Stratus, esp. when I have to make sharp turns. The steering on the Santa Fe reminds me of the one in the 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse.
Saw the Santa Fe at our local "international" auto show last night and was overwhelmed by the bang for the buck. I am a safety freak, however. Anyone have any info...ancedotal or other on how this really nice looking well equiped SUV handles life's misfortunes (crashes) on the road? This spring, I will be buying a new vehicle and the Santa Fe may be it. I also liked the Sonata with side airbags as standard. I had looked at a Ford Focus...until my husband sat in one. LOL...he wore the car. The Santa Fe was different, and he loved it also. So now we are researching Hyundai vehicles. Will likely buy a loaded Santa Fe. The regional manager was at the show and said they were not looking to upcharge the vehicle in my market. Hope not. Really beats Ford Escape and other more expensive vehicles on details. The warranty is amazing.
Well, we took the plunge! Took a drive down to Lithia Hyundai in Fresno just to look over the new Santa Fe--quickly discovered they not only had a $2500 "market adjustment" tacked on, and only had a couple on the lot that were being crawled all over, but the salepeople seemed rather disinterested in providing service. That was okay, because we knew where the REAL Hyundai dealership is...Selma Auto Mall, south of Fresno, so we decided to head on down and see what a REAL volume Hyundai dealer might have in stock. They had six on the lot, one being prepped to "go". I found the exact one I wanted--the Santa Fe LX FWD...I just don't need AWD. In "fairness" to the previous dealership, they too had an almost $2K market adjustment tacked on, but they were also VERY willing to come off that when they discovered we weren't interested in trading anything in. As with our past experiences at Selma Auto Mall, the salesman was eager to let us look over the vehicle, offered a test drive...a VERY beautiful, gold LX with grey leather seats. Power was generous, not "race car", but quite ample with smooth, almost imperceptable shifts, and the "shiftronic" feature was great fun. Throttle response is crisp. Visibility excellent, with ample headroom and those seats are just TOO comfortable! It has the six-speaker sound system with front tweeters and sounds pretty good--no need to worry about upgrading the stereo. The ride was fabulous--those 16" tires just roll over road surface irregularities with aplomb. On the highway, it "wants" to cruise at speed, and feels solid...absolutely NO squeaks, rattles or anything. Fit & finish is perfect. We started out "just looking", yet ended up driving it home. The salesman, Bob Peterson, was more than willing to take the time to let us decide what we wanted to do, and once we said "okay", we were on our way home within a few hours. I tend to drive rather conservatively, so I can't say I tried to find the limits of the Santa Fe's cornering, handling, and acceleration, but for "normal" driving it seems to deliver a "seamless" experience...just like driving a car, only with higher seating. The roofline is low compared to normal "body on frame" SUVs, yet the ground clearance is still a generous 7"--this puts more of the mass of the vehicle down between the wheels, and from past experience with a Jeep Cherokee using the same unibody construction, I feel very confident in the Santa Fe's handling characteristics. For anyone in central California, I urge you to check out Selma Auto Mall. Because they SELL cars, they have a tremendous stock on hand, and could probably order what you want and have it quickly...I was fortunate in that the exact color and trim level I wanted was sitting there "waiting" for me to come and get it! If the Santa Fe performs on par with what I've come to expect from Hyundai (based on my Elantra Wagon), it IS indeed "a keeper". I agree with previous writers that the Santa Fe is going to be THE vehicle that catapults Hyundai fully into the ranks of the "high end" manufacturers...I wouldn't be surprised to see the MSRP start to climb as more people discover just what a STEAL this "XUV" is. On another note, they also had two XG300s sitting there; one silver, one gold, both incredibly gorgeous and plush cars. It was hard to "choose" between the Santa Fe and the XG300, but as all you men out there know, "the wife" really LOVED the Santa Fe, and it does offer more "utility", though it does so with ample luxury.
Oh, we also got the add-on warranty that extends FULL coverage to the entire vehicle for 10 years or 100,000 miles...it only kicked the payment up about $8/month. Based on my Elantra, I don't EXPECT to need it, but from a cost/value standpoint, eight bucks a month is pretty cheap for an additional 40,000 miles of complete, bumper-to-bumper coverage.
After driving my Elantra for 6 months, my boyfriend is extremely interested in purchasing a Santa Fe in the upcoming months. I've been reading a lot how people are paying MSRP or more. He's looking at a GL FWD with the utility package, the MSRP is 18,009. Any thoughs on this? (We live in MA)
shabazz, Are you sure you don't work for Selma Auto Mall. With a write up like that you should work for car and driver!!!
acook1 I paid MSRP for mine. Don't let a dealer make you pay more than MSRP unless they do something to the truck like adding accessories or something like that. If one dealer marks the price up for no reason then go somewhere else.
I was yesterday on Seattle "international" auto show and Santa Fe impressed me. Question: How work this AT (steptonic or shifttonic)? You must shift like manual, or it can work like normal AT? My wife doesn't drive manual, and she has some concerns about this tranny
Hi Diasa, this is Natescape who posted about the Empire Hyundai. They lost my goodwill after I test-drove a 4wd GLS and sat down to negotiate. They said they would sell it to me at 2% over invoice (I didn't have any paperwork with me), then quoted me a price of $21,200. The invoice is $19,903 (with destination charge). It was late and I didn't feel like dickering, so I just left. While I enjoyed the Santa Fe, it was my second choice and I would have only bought it if I got a real good deal.
Ended up buying a Subaru Forester from Metro Subaru in Somerset (I live in Westport). I'm very happy with my decision. I have a long commute (130 miles/day), and the MPG advantage should outweigh the increased cost. That, and the peace of mind the Forester brings me in terms of reliability and safety. Oh, and the monster moonroof is a hoot. I highly recommend driving a Forester before you make your decision.
I also just got a slight sense of sleaze at Empire that I 100% did not feel at the Subaru dealer.
You're 6'9" and you fit under the roof in the Santa Fe? I'm only 6'3" and I had to tilt the seat back pretty far just to get my skull scraping the roof. I thought the entire driver's cockpit was very tight. The Tribute has tons more room for the driver..
No, not 6'-9" . . . I said 6'-7" and I weigh around 225 lbs. I am fairly evenly built between torso and legs. Some people are taller in the torso, and some people are longer in the leg. For me, I was able to fit in the Sante Fe . . . granted, I only had about an 1/8" when I sat upright in the driving position I prefer, but I still fit.
I agree that the Tribute is roomier all around for the driver. The fact that the Tribute doesn't have a floor mounted shifter opens up the leg room quite a bit and there is more head room (unless you get a stupid sun/moon roof). Personal impressions of head room and leg room for any one person will depend on the build of that person and what driving position they prefer. I personally don't like to lay back when I drive but I know people that prefer to lay back. I find that when I lay the seat back it is too much of a reach to the steering wheel and long drives become tedious. I also noted that the steering wheel in the Tribute seems to be mounted farther away from the driver than in most vehicles. This would compound the reach when laying the seat back. Fortunately, there is enough head room that I don't need to lay the seat back. I would still like to see the Tribute with a tilt/telescoping steering wheel like in the VW Passat.
When you are as tall as I am, you learn to adjust all the seat adjustments to maximum head and leg room before you check out anything else on a vehicle. If I don't have enough head room or leg room in a car then I cross it off my list and move on. No use looking at all the other nifty features if you can't fit in the car. ( I sat in an Acura MDX and crossed it off my list for that very reason . . . of course, it has one of those stupid sun/moon roofs so head room is down 1.5" to 2" from where it would be in a vehicle without one.)
I guess it does look a bit like I'm a "shill" for Selma Auto Mall, but honestly, I've bought two cars there within the last 4 mo. and each time I drove up they were QUICK to show me what "I" wanted to see, eager to offer the test drive--since driving a Hyundai really IS believing, and quite "patient" in letting me stand around and "goo-gah" all I felt like. When it came time to "seal the deal", both times they got right down to the bottom line--on my Elantra Wagon, they already had it priced below invoice, UNLIKE the dealership in Fresno that had a $1500 market adjustment on the Elantra. With the Santa Fe, I do have to admit I was a bit "disappointed" that "my boys" at Selma Auto Mall had a $1995 market adjustment tacked on, but when I voiced my absolute lack of any desire to buy one until the Santa Fe reach sufficient "circulation" and the "new" wears off, the salesman quickly assured me they'd come down to MSRP...I can't really fault them for selling at MSRP because they seem to be selling them as fast as they roll of the truck...the one I test drove--exactly the model I wanted, color and all, had maybe 10 miles on it, which indicated it hadn't been on the lot long at all. They are very "service oriented" across the board, and I don't mind at all giving them a "plug", because ultimately I hope it might guide others there, where they will find a truly decent dealership.
The shiftronic works just like any other automatic, except it has a lateral "gate" located at the "D" position. When in "drive" you can move the shifter to the right where there is a "slot" with a "+" at the top (front), and a "-" at the bottom (back). the shifter automatically "centers" between the two and whatever gear you are in at the time you move the lever to "manual", the corresponding number illuminates in the instrument cluster. To downshift you simply pull back on the shifter and release--the downshift happens almost imperceptably. to upshift, just push forward and release; again it upshifts seamlessly...you can liken it to the way a motorcycle transmission works, except there is no clutch. The only purpose I can see for this manual shift mode would be if you found yourself following a slower vehicle on a two-lane road with limited passing opportunities. Going "manual" would allow you to keep the rpm up on the engine and pass without the usual "flooring" the accelerator to downshift the engine. It might also come in handy when towing a trailer where keeping the rpm up might be desirable. There is only a "D" position in the normal mode which means it will always shift up to "overdrive" with normal driving--to hold it in say, "third" gear, you'd need to shift to "manual" mode. Believe me, it's more "fun" than difficult.
I know Hyundais' have not traditionally had a large retained value...thanks mostly to being "economy" oriented. Remember too, if you pay significantly less for a vehicle when new, it's retained value will also be less in comparison to other vehicles of the same class which cost more new. I've always been a pretty good judge of how new models will fair in the market, and by all standards, the new Santa Fe is poised to be the "crossover" model that will draw so much positive attention, it will hold value on par with other vehicles of similar style--remember though, it still costs MUCH less than they. As far as "resale" value goes, that's a "qualitative" measurement, not an absolute. for example; if gas prices keep climbing, or take another spike like they did last summer, expect to see LOTS of oversized, EXPENSIVE, SUVs suddenly losing a great deal of their supposed resale value...just as happened with full-sized cars in the mid-seventies. Right now, so-called "economy" cars don't enjoy a tremendous re-sale value because people like big vehicles, and with gas having been relatively "cheap" for some time, people have been able to "indulge" this preference, BUT, the picture can do a near instantaneous "about-face" if gas prices keep going up--especially if they double. I still remember quite vividly how the "cheap" cars became the most desired cars, while the "lux-cruisers" became almost impossible to GIVE away, during the mid-to-late seventies. Even if such a situation should occur, it would only make the Santa Fe stand out more because it can achieve some pretty impressive hwy mileage, thanks to being designed with an eye to keeping the weight reasonable, engine displacement "reasonable", which really makes all the traditional, body-on-frame "truck-like" SUV obsolete. I know lots of people TALK like they might go "off-road", but statistically, few do, and driving an oversized, over-balanced "truckish" SUV gets old pretty fast in normal, everyday driving. I'd like to point out however, that JEEP PROVED many years ago that unibody "trucks" (Cherokee, Grand Cherokee), are indeed superior to body-on-frame designs, even when used for heavy-duty off-road use. The Santa Fe is not aimed at THAT market by any means. I think the desirability of the Santa Fe is such that re-sale concerns will fade quickly.
I have a question...My mom wants a Sante Fe but she wants a FWD LX. The dealer last night told me that the LX only comes AWD. Is that true. We live in the NY Tri-state area. I was thinking maybe our area only gets AWD...
Comments
cargo depth: SF: 36.5" E: 35.0"
cargo width at wheel housings: SF: 40.5" E: 40.5"
cargo width above " " : SF: 54.0" E: 52.5"
cargo floor to top of rear seat (not counting headrests): SF: 20.5" E: 20.5"
cargo floor to ceiling: SF: 37.0" E: 38.5"
I don't know how the auto companies measure the space back there, but using these REAL measurements, the Santa Fe beats the Escape any way you work it out.
So, in terms of space, the Santa Fe appears to be the biggest unibody "mini" ute out there, and IMO is quieter, smoother, nicer looking inside and out, and put together much better.
I've got to say that as one of the original members of the Yahoo Ford Escape club, I was sold on the Ford Escape/Mazda Tribute. But now, after having driven a Santa Fe and having owned a 1995 Ford Windstar (the Windstars first year, and a terrible van), I am sold on the Santa Fe. If the crash tests are good for the Santa Fe, I'll be getting one.
Just my .02 cents worth.
and prices it a little below competition then
dealers get a truckload of them and add $2000
markup so they sit there unsold.Only a fool
would pay markup when there is so many cars/suvs
for sale.Basic marketing says it is easier to sell
100 apples at $1 each than 10 apples at $10 each.
I refuse to go near a dealer that adds markup.
This vehicle, judging by looks, interior finish and what you get for your dollar surpasses the Mazda in everyway.I don't plan on buying until the spring, so I have yet to test drive either of them.
My main concern regarding the Fe is that here in Canada, Hyundai don't really have a great reputation(probably due to the Excel and Pony), and that we only get a 5 year, 100,000 Km warranty on the powertrain. As I mentioned earlier, I don't plan on buying 'til the spring, so I'll keep checking these posts to see how everyone is enjoying their Santa Fes,and if any problems have popped up. Thanx
I just visited Autobarn in Countryside IL, and they had couple Santa Fe's. MSRP: ~$23500, window price: $26K+!!! It included the ever popular $900 pin stripes/undercoating(or was it overcoating?) and a mysterious $1995 Pkg XXX.
WTF??? Hyundai finally makes some nice vehicles, and their dealers start acting like Honda's, Acura's, etc...
BTW, they also had one XG300. Really nice looking/feeling car, but again - they added the same packages which brought the price up to $27K+!
I have test driven a V6 Sante Fe w/ 4WD and the 11.1 seconds for 0-60 sounds about right (IMO, it felt even slower than that . . . of course, I had just test driven a V6,4WD Mazda Tribute before the drive in the Sante Fe and the Tribute 0-60 time is 8.8 seconds). The 2.7L V6 is really overtaxed by the hefty weight of the Sante Fe w/ 4WD. The Sante Fe weighs 500 lbs more than a V6, 4WD Tribute and has 19 less HP and 23 less torque. However, the 4 cylinder Sante Fe has more power and torque than the 4 cylinder in the Tribute. (149HP,156ft-lbs for the Sante Fe and 130 HP,135 ft-lbs for the Tribute . . . of course the 4 cyl Sante Fe is 400 lbs heavier than the 4 cyl Tribute)
I was also disappointed that the roof rack on the Sante Fe is only rated for 75 lbs and that the cross bars for the rack are $180 extra.
Also, have you found any crash test data yet? That's the main holdup for me, as well.
The Subaru Forester would be perfect for me if there was more rear seat room. The leg room in the rear of the Forester is only 33 inches . . . not enough. So it is off my list (unless the revise the platform and give it more rear seat room in the near future).
The VW Passat Wagon is really nice. It is near luxury in interior and the ride is great. The 4-Motion system on the Passat brings the fuel mileage down from the FWD version but it is the same as the 4WD Sante Fe or 4WD Tribute. The drawback is that it gets really expensive quickly when you add on features. You pay nearly $28k for a base 4-Motion and it can get over $30k quickly. If money wasn't a factor this would be my choice.
The Sante Fe and the Tribute are very similar. Exterior dimensions, interior dimensions, cargo capacity, fuel economy, split rear hatch, split reclining rear seats, power windows & door locks, keyless remote and price are all very close in the two vehicles. The biggest differences are in engine performance and handling and features between the two.
PROS:
Tribute; better engine responsiveness, better handling and road feel, comes with available tow package, side impact air bags, 100 lb roof rack, very nice sound package, ability to lock the 4WD system for getting out of tough situations, and available moonroof (for people that like those things).
The Sante Fe has a floor mounted shifter, heated seats, nicer finishes on the interior, better control of the AC, dual map lights and auto-dimming rear view mirror, heated outside rearview mirror, and 4-wheel disc brakes.
CONS:
Tribute; Column mounted shifter, limited control of the AC, cheaper looking interior, Ford components, and 1st year of production.
Sante Fe; numb steering and handling compared to Tribute, V6 engine is overtaxed by bulk of 4WD, Hyundai?, 1st year of production, 75 lb roof rack capacity, and no factory available tow package.
Fortunately, I have some time to make a final decision so I can follow problems of the vehicles and make an educated choice when the time comes.
It obviously doesnt have the SF info yet, but still interesting chart data, if you're into that stuff.
btw, why are you hiding all of your responses?
sporting.I have driven CRV,Escape,and Forester and
I liked the CRV probably because I am a Honda fan
having owned many.I had the chance to drive the
Forester a lot since my son had one.I felt the
handling was great but the automatic tranny was
lame.In the rain I want AWD,but skilled Subaru
mechanics aren't at small shops where prices are
better for service.If Honda offers a moonroof
next spring I'll go that route.
Thanks,
John
I liked it in the pictures I saw and LOVED it in person. Didn't have time for a test drive and won't be needing a new vehicle for a few years but I am definitely keeping my eye on this one. Was very concerned about Hyundai's reputation when we purchased a 2000 Tiburon in April (couldn't talk the husband out of it) and I have to say, I am so impressed with their product thus far. Not to get on the subject of Tiburon's, but Hyundai really gives you a lot of automobile for the money IMO. If our current Hyundai is as reliable as touted, then when the time comes, I will be back to buy a Santa Fe. I would appreciate the owner's opinions on their Santa Fe's, especially after 6 months, a year, etc. Does anyone own one with leather heated seats? Our Tib has leather but the seats aren't heated. Thanks for your inputs and happy driving
Julie
ps....any idea when Hyundai will be updating their website?
I've asked this question before but I'll try again. For Santa Fe owners - HOW IS THE GAS MILEAGE on the Santa Fe? I know their's a break in period - but how has it been starting off? All info much appreciated.
I'm going to be putting my order in on a Santa Fe. I was hoping to see a installed aftermarket moonroof before making my final decision but I haven't had any luck in finding any dealers who have done this. They say it can be done but I'm really leary of doing this. I was seriously considering the Tribute for sooo long - but all in all the Santa Fe has much more style etc. etc.
...Julie
Oh and to L8 Apex, do you think we can get this and the XG 300 forum into the system so that we can get access to this site from the respective Santa Fe and XG 300 sites and not the SUV and sedan site?
Thanks.
in a LOADED front wheel drive , as well as 4WD.
It is a more car-like drive with the great
visability of an SUV. 2001 is its first US year-
but has already been out for 2 yrs overseas.
NO Firestone Tires! No funny door handles.
( I too, was a Tribute fan initialy. )
We've going to pick up the GLS/AWD soon, but the dealer told us that it now doesn't come with the cassette player as shown in the brochure. Is that true? I would appreciate any US GLS owner to confirm this.
Thanks!
-PC
Anyone lease one yet?
what is the monthly with how much down?
Suggestions on a place to lease from?
Dealers around here are all MSRP +. Want the car, but give me a break, it is still a Hyundai. Want to lease specifically because of the fear of resale value and dealers will not give good rates because they say residual is poor on Hyundai.
Hyundai new web site is at www.hmausa.com Check it out...
KBecker. I think the reason the Santa Fe takes corners so well is if look at the engine it is mounted very low in the hood. This gives you a lower center of gravity than others out there.
This spring, I will be buying a new vehicle and the Santa Fe may be it. I also liked the Sonata with side airbags as standard. I had looked at a Ford Focus...until my husband sat in one. LOL...he wore the car. The Santa Fe was different, and he loved it also. So now we are researching Hyundai vehicles. Will likely buy a loaded Santa Fe. The regional manager was at the show and said they were not looking to upcharge the vehicle in my market. Hope not. Really beats Ford Escape and other more expensive vehicles on details. The warranty is amazing.
They had six on the lot, one being prepped to "go". I found the exact one I wanted--the Santa Fe LX FWD...I just don't need AWD. In "fairness" to the previous dealership, they too had an almost $2K market adjustment tacked on, but they were also VERY willing to come off that when they discovered we weren't interested in trading anything in.
As with our past experiences at Selma Auto Mall, the salesman was eager to let us look over the vehicle, offered a test drive...a VERY beautiful, gold LX with grey leather seats.
Power was generous, not "race car", but quite ample with smooth, almost imperceptable shifts, and the "shiftronic" feature was great fun. Throttle response is crisp. Visibility excellent, with ample headroom and those seats are just TOO comfortable! It has the six-speaker sound system with front tweeters and sounds pretty good--no need to worry about upgrading the stereo. The ride was fabulous--those 16" tires just roll over road surface irregularities with aplomb. On the highway, it "wants" to cruise at speed, and feels solid...absolutely NO squeaks, rattles or anything. Fit & finish is perfect.
We started out "just looking", yet ended up driving it home. The salesman, Bob Peterson, was more than willing to take the time to let us decide what we wanted to do, and once we said "okay", we were on our way home within a few hours.
I tend to drive rather conservatively, so I can't say I tried to find the limits of the Santa Fe's cornering, handling, and acceleration, but for "normal" driving it seems to deliver a "seamless" experience...just like driving a car, only with higher seating. The roofline is low compared to normal "body on frame" SUVs, yet the ground clearance is still a generous 7"--this puts more of the mass of the vehicle down between the wheels, and from past experience with a Jeep Cherokee using the same unibody construction, I feel very confident in the Santa Fe's handling characteristics.
For anyone in central California, I urge you to check out Selma Auto Mall. Because they SELL cars, they have a tremendous stock on hand, and could probably order what you want and have it quickly...I was fortunate in that the exact color and trim level I wanted was sitting there "waiting" for me to come and get it!
If the Santa Fe performs on par with what I've come to expect from Hyundai (based on my Elantra Wagon), it IS indeed "a keeper". I agree with previous writers that the Santa Fe is going to be THE vehicle that catapults Hyundai fully into the ranks of the "high end" manufacturers...I wouldn't be surprised to see the MSRP start to climb as more people discover just what a STEAL this "XUV" is.
On another note, they also had two XG300s sitting there; one silver, one gold, both incredibly gorgeous and plush cars. It was hard to "choose" between the Santa Fe and the XG300, but as all you men out there know, "the wife" really LOVED the Santa Fe, and it does offer more "utility", though it does so with ample luxury.
Based on my Elantra, I don't EXPECT to need it, but from a cost/value standpoint, eight bucks a month is pretty cheap for an additional 40,000 miles of complete, bumper-to-bumper coverage.
(We live in MA)
acook1
I paid MSRP for mine. Don't let a dealer make you pay more than MSRP unless they do something to the truck like adding accessories or something like that. If one dealer marks the price up for no reason then go somewhere else.
show and Santa Fe impressed me. Question: How work this AT (steptonic or shifttonic)? You must shift like manual, or it can work like normal AT? My wife doesn't drive manual, and she has some concerns about this tranny
Ended up buying a Subaru Forester from Metro Subaru in Somerset (I live in Westport). I'm very happy with my decision. I have a long commute (130 miles/day), and the MPG advantage should outweigh the increased cost. That, and the peace of mind the Forester brings me in terms of reliability and safety. Oh, and the monster moonroof is a hoot.
I also just got a slight sense of sleaze at Empire that I 100% did not feel at the Subaru dealer.
I'm only 6'3" and I had to tilt the seat back pretty far just to get my skull scraping the roof. I thought the entire driver's cockpit was very tight. The Tribute has tons more room for the driver..
I agree that the Tribute is roomier all around for the driver. The fact that the Tribute doesn't have a floor mounted shifter opens up the leg room quite a bit and there is more head room (unless you get a stupid sun/moon roof). Personal impressions of head room and leg room for any one person will depend on the build of that person and what driving position they prefer. I personally don't like to lay back when I drive but I know people that prefer to lay back. I find that when I lay the seat back it is too much of a reach to the steering wheel and long drives become tedious. I also noted that the steering wheel in the Tribute seems to be mounted farther away from the driver than in most vehicles. This would compound the reach when laying the seat back. Fortunately, there is enough head room that I don't need to lay the seat back. I would still like to see the Tribute with a tilt/telescoping steering wheel like in the VW Passat.
When you are as tall as I am, you learn to adjust all the seat adjustments to maximum head and leg room before you check out anything else on a vehicle. If I don't have enough head room or leg room in a car then I cross it off my list and move on. No use looking at all the other nifty features if you can't fit in the car. ( I sat in an Acura MDX and crossed it off my list for that very reason . . . of course, it has one of those stupid sun/moon roofs so head room is down 1.5" to 2" from where it would be in a vehicle without one.)
They are very "service oriented" across the board, and I don't mind at all giving them a "plug", because ultimately I hope it might guide others there, where they will find a truly decent dealership.
To downshift you simply pull back on the shifter and release--the downshift happens almost imperceptably. to upshift, just push forward and release; again it upshifts seamlessly...you can liken it to the way a motorcycle transmission works, except there is no clutch.
The only purpose I can see for this manual shift mode would be if you found yourself following a slower vehicle on a two-lane road with limited passing opportunities. Going "manual" would allow you to keep the rpm up on the engine and pass without the usual "flooring" the accelerator to downshift the engine. It might also come in handy when towing a trailer where keeping the rpm up might be desirable.
There is only a "D" position in the normal mode which means it will always shift up to "overdrive" with normal driving--to hold it in say, "third" gear, you'd need to shift to "manual" mode.
Believe me, it's more "fun" than difficult.
I've always been a pretty good judge of how new models will fair in the market, and by all standards, the new Santa Fe is poised to be the "crossover" model that will draw so much positive attention, it will hold value on par with other vehicles of similar style--remember though, it still costs MUCH less than they.
As far as "resale" value goes, that's a "qualitative" measurement, not an absolute. for example; if gas prices keep climbing, or take another spike like they did last summer, expect to see LOTS of oversized, EXPENSIVE, SUVs suddenly losing a great deal of their supposed resale value...just as happened with full-sized cars in the mid-seventies.
Right now, so-called "economy" cars don't enjoy a tremendous re-sale value because people like big vehicles, and with gas having been relatively "cheap" for some time, people have been able to "indulge" this preference, BUT, the picture can do a near instantaneous "about-face" if gas prices keep going up--especially if they double. I still remember quite vividly how the "cheap" cars became the most desired cars, while the "lux-cruisers" became almost impossible to GIVE away, during the mid-to-late seventies.
Even if such a situation should occur, it would only make the Santa Fe stand out more because it can achieve some pretty impressive hwy mileage, thanks to being designed with an eye to keeping the weight reasonable, engine displacement "reasonable", which really makes all the traditional, body-on-frame "truck-like" SUV obsolete.
I know lots of people TALK like they might go "off-road", but statistically, few do, and driving an oversized, over-balanced "truckish" SUV gets old pretty fast in normal, everyday driving.
I'd like to point out however, that JEEP PROVED many years ago that unibody "trucks" (Cherokee, Grand Cherokee), are indeed superior to body-on-frame designs, even when used for heavy-duty off-road use. The Santa Fe is not aimed at THAT market by any means.
I think the desirability of the Santa Fe is such that re-sale concerns will fade quickly.
I have a question...My mom wants a Sante Fe but she wants a FWD LX. The dealer last night told me that the LX only comes AWD. Is that true. We live in the NY Tri-state area. I was thinking maybe our area only gets AWD...
Thanks!