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Yes, the Outlander is supposed to be out in November, so I am waiting to test drive it. Some others have reported poor mpg on the Santa Fe, but I really enjoyed the ride though. I do mostly city or stop/go driving.
I was going to post myself this week about the same problem. I'm in Canada and I got about 14 miles to the gallon since I bought the car (2000 miles). It's also a 3.3 FWD. I am not happy about it. I am not an aggressive driver and don't carry any weight except for my 2 children to school. I have contacted Hyundai Canada and this is what they said:
"The fuel ratings advertised come from Natural Resources Canada. The fuel consumption of your own vehicle may vary from its published ratings, depending on factors such as your driving style and behaviour, vehicle acceleration and driving speed, temperature, weather, traffic, etc. Furthermore, a vehicle will usually consume more fuel during the first 10,000km because the vehicle is 'breaking-in'. If you do not see any improvement after 10,000km, you might want to bring this issue to your dealership at your next oil change, and they can put your vehicle on the computer and it will determine if there is a vehicle fault."
10000KM equals about 6000 miles....I owned 5 hondas before this vehicle and I got the advertised MPG from the first fill up. I think something smells fishy.
The vehicle runs great but I'm spending atleast 20% more on fuel than I'm supposed to. This amount could have gone towards the payment of a more expensive car IMO. I have also contacted Natural Resources Canada, if anybody is interested I'll post what they responded to my complaint.
I agree with you. I shouldn't put in almost a whole tank of gas to only get about 160 miles or so out of it and then have to fill it up again. I too am spending way more than I feel I should on gas. It does run great and is a great car, but I just don't know what to do to get that MPG.
Others have posted on here that they have been getting around 20 MPG in the city and 24 on the highway, and they have about 3000 miles or so on theirs. I have 400 on mine now and hopefully by the time it hits 1000 things should even out. If not, then when I get the oil changed by the dealer, I'm going to ask them about this.
Well, I just filled up the tank yet again and took it out on the highyway first this time. I didn't go far, but for the 10 miles that I did go, I averaged close to 21 MPG which is not bad at all.
However, I came back to the city and was stopping at almost every other light and of course the MPG went down. Seems like the car is good when it gets aired out on the highway, but suffers when it's stopping at every other traffic light.
I just hope that after the engine gets broken in, I'll be seeing 20 MPG for everything.
I've posted on the prices paid a couple of times. I pretty much decided on the Hyundai Santa Fe Limited with the Touring pkg (after test driving Honda CRV, used Suburu Tribeca, Mazda CX7) but I had my heart set on either black or dark cherry and the dealerships here don't have these colors in stock. Plus they haven't budged much on the price so I figured I'd wait until December.
But now with this new Veracruz I'm completely confused! My personal take on this w/o seeing it is that it looks beautiful. Of course, this could change depending on the price. I love the teak colored leather interior. The styling is very rich---I just hope the price is right. I saw somewhere that it might be at dealerships as early as December--anyone know any differently. Anyone else waivering? I thought I was going to love the CRV but I didn't and now when I see them on the road I'm glad I didn't go that route!
My friend just bought a Santa Fe and she loves it!
Hey gang, my wife dislikes SUVs greatly. I have been looking at and researching the 07 Santa Fe + reading this forum for a couple months. I made her a "quid pro quo" deal and she agreed to go with me to the local dealer to see the Santa Fe. Good salesman took us out back to see the a white GLS that I was interested in seeing. She got in it and inspected the inside and then drove it around the back lot. When she came back she said, "We want leather not this cloth". I said that would be in the Limited and that is about $2K more. She said she didn't care and she did not like the white so the salesman found her a Limited and she drove that one also. When she got back she got out and said, "Yes, this is what we want, not the cloth seats." Somewhere along the line, the solo became a duet and "we" now have one on order in the color "we" like. Great automobile.
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Gas mileage was a very big factor when I was considering what vehicle to buy. I drove most every SUV in the class and bought the 2.7 GLS FWD. From the very first tankful I have been consistently beating the EPA MPG ratings. My best so far is 29.1 mpg on a 150 mile trip. My average per tankful is 24 mpg. 60% rural driving, 25% highway,15% city. I have noticed that these vehicles are very sensative to acceleration. The mileage drops quickly the harder you push on the pedal. The way to nurse the higher mileage out of these vehicles is to accelrate like you have an egg under foot, keep the speed to 67 or less, and keep your tires pumped up to 37 psi or better. You will be surprised how well they do.
I wouldn't hold out for "break in" improvement - I now have 6700 miles on mine and have seen no increase in MPG since I bought it. Unfortunately if you are truley a city driver, get used to the upper teens - these vehicle were built to cruise at moderate speeds - not stop and go traffic. I beleive I could get over 30 mpg if I was willing to drive 60 - 62 mph on the highway. I'm just not willing to do that.
Hope this helps - these are true numbers with real driving. ( and I'm not the guy that everyone on the road passes either)
Unfortunatley, I am a mostly city driver and I guess I will just have to live with the upper teens as my MPG. I do drive on the highway every so often and occasionally do long trips. I did fill up again recently and took it out on the higyway for a short while and got up to about 21 MPG.
I'll keep the egg under foot thing in mind. I actually started doing that today and haven't gotten honked at yet. I traded in my Mazda Protege for the Santa Fe, so obviously there is a big difference there. I guess I'll just have to get used to it. I have noticed that post that get the upper 20's are those that drive mostly on the highway or bck roads. Guess it's just one of the disadvantages of living in NYC.
I hear you about the highway speed. I like to go about 70 on the highway and couldn't do less. I hope to take it on a long trip sometime soon and will see what the mileage is then. Feels real good at those high speeds though, nice and smooth .
I just thought I would like (or "crave") the styling a lot more than I did/not a personal attack on people that do like it. It is definitely a nice vehicle but for me (mom with 2 kids) some of the luxuries of the Santa Fe---air vents in the back (I live in the Southwest), 3nd row option that does not add a lot to the price, etc...works for me better. Ya, the Santa Fe looks a tiny bit like a knock off Lexus, but hey--I like the Lexus. On the road, the CRV does not really stand out, but as my husband said, it really drives a lot more like a BMW---and that's a good thing. As the Honda salesman replied when I said it doesn't have the warranty that the Hyundai does--he said it't a Honda it doesn't need it--and he's probably right! Who knows---I'm waiting until December to make my final decision!
Do you think that a 3.3 FWD gas mileage would be much worse then your 2.7? Even though the 3.3L gets a 5-speed transmission compared to the 4-speed on the 2.7, does it not depend on the final gear ratio? I am not sure how to compare it. I only test drove the 3.3L , but if your 2.7L has adequate power, maybe that is the way to go.
I think the thwo engines are very similar in MPG performance. I test drove both engines on the same day and the same road. I tried to drive as similarly as possible so I could see the difference in MPG between the two. To my suprise the 3.3 was only 1 mpg less than the 2.7. I choose the 2.7 and the FWD to maximize the fuel mileage. Of course I was anticipating $4.00 per gallon gas at the time - not $1.95 like it is now! If I knew it would stay at $1.95 I would have gone with the AWD 3.3 - but we all know it won't stay at $1.95!
Is 16 miles/gallon without any Highway driving? It is getting better from 14 miles/gallon and 350 miles later.Is that your total miles for a full tank?
I'm in Charlottesville VA. Paid $2.02 last night. Some places are as low as $1.95. Prices have been like this for at least 3 weeks. Hope they stay this way! :shades:
I would estimate that I did about 80% city and 20% highway. I am hoping that it will get better. Anyhow, I will post my fuel consumption until I get what Hyundai is claiming... I'll accept 5% difference.
Some of the 2007 Santa Fe articles and reviews suggest that there might be a factory navigation system available for U.S. models in Spring 2007. If anyone has any reliable info on the availability of a nav system for the Santa Fe in the forseeable future please advise.
Edmunds is predicting that a navigation system will be available by Spring 2007, but I have not seen any official documentation of this. Here's the article where they said it would be available.
After my first fillup with 100% freeway driving at an average speed of 60, I'm getting about 30 mpg. A few miles driving int the city, it went down to around 23.
has anyone had a problem? mine started at 400 miles. outside temp on atc reads 140 degrees or 68 degrees. been in shop now 2 days. Hyundai reps don't have clue. not a major prob except for the fact that when it reads 140 and i adjust driver/pass temp control to 70 or 72 the ac comes on even tho the system is off. help
In talking with the Hyundai salesman about the AWD on a 2007 Santa Fe, he mentions that the system only work up to about 35 mph and after that it is only 2 wheel drive. In reading the information on the Hyundai website, there is not a clear answer on the operation of the AWD. Anyone have insight into the AWD operation on a 2007 Santa Fe
I may be wrong on this, but I believe that the salesman isn't quite right. There is an ability to lock in the AWD (button on the dash - a feature I like a lot) and if activated, this lock will remain on until about 35 mph. After that, it automatically unlocks and only 2WD is enabled.
On the other hand, I'd like to think that the "conventional realtime" AWD on this vehicle should always react to traction loss, regardless of speed.
You are correct. Here is an excerpt about the BorgWarner transfer system from Automobile.com:
"The Borg Warner system that can provide up to ninety-nine percent torque to the front wheels, but when called upon automatically sends up to fifty percent of the engines torque to the rear wheels. As long as youre traveling below 22 mph, just press a dash-mounted button and the transfer case will lock at 50:50 for getting out of really slippery situations, a process that incidentally will disengage via a solenoid when eclipsing the 22 mph threshold and then, when dropping down below that point again, automatically reengage.
Just how does do all the Santa Fes electronics work in unison to achieve traction? The cars onboard computer monitors everything from wheel speed to accelerator pedal movement and steering inputs, so that when at least four percent front wheel slip occurs the rear axle engages. All-wheel drive will also engage if the throttle is actuated quickly, causing wheel-spin. It can also anticipate the need for additional traction and engage the AWD system when the driver accelerates the vehicle.
On another note the Santa Fes all-wheel drive system will adjust for steering wheel angle, so that the rear axle disengages during a sharp turn eliminating driveline binding; what happens when the inside wheels are forced around a smaller radius than the outside wheels.
From a safety perspective, the rear axle will also disengage during strong deceleration to maximize the anti-lock effect of the standard ABS brakes."
See here for the complete review by Trevor Hofmann (Aug 06). This is a well written and detailed article. I recommend it. Similar BorgWarner information can be found here at a different site.
I love the new Santa Fe! I would never have thought I would buy a Hyundai before, but this vehicle is wonderful! I was about to buy one, but then I drove a Nissan Murano. I like the Murano even more, as I am more comfortable in it and the rear seat has more room. But then, I began to read about the numerous problems and issues that the vehicle has, so now I'm on the fence......Of course, equipped the same way, there is a $7000.00 price difference!
My only concern is Hyundai quality and resale. Are they now better in both areas?
"My only concern is Hyundai quality and resale. Are they now better in both areas?"
The quality is vastly improved on the Santa Fe, with the new model. Unfortunately, resale value is not one the its selling points. The Santa Fe is behind its competitors in resale value. I would not expect it to now blow out the competition in resale value with just this redesign. Back to quality, It still has hard plastics all over. It also does not offer what is one of the most popular features in the industry...a navigation system. With comparably equipped models, there is a major price advantage with the Santa Fe, although. So it all come's down to personal preferences: either, a less expensive, well equipped, not-so-good-image, but pretty good value or a well equipped, better resale, but with that a steep price.
I've had my 2007 Santa Fe AWD Limited now for about a month. I really love it. It's not just a new car thing. Compared to other new cars I've bought, I find myself attached to it much more so than any other. I don't know if it's because I've researched it so much or because it's so much fun to drive, or just the fact that it's a brand new design and I haven't seen any others on the road yet. I actually look forward to my drive into work now, and wish it would last longer.
Quality wise, I'm very impressed. It's no Lexus (we have a RX350 also) but it comes close in both ride and quite. Given the choice, I prefer driving the Santa Fe. It just has more personality. If you look at the J.D. Powers rankings of the different brands, Hyundai was ranked the number one non-premium brand ( see here). For a more detailed breakdown, see JD Power Brand Rankings .
The ultimate judge of resale value will be the public's perceived quality of a vehicle. I think the Santa Fe should hold up nicely. I have never owned a Hyundai before, and had never even seriously considered one until I researched the quality commitments Hyundai has made. They are chomping at the bit to change their image and it looks like it's working. Their warranty costs are now coming in at almost half of what they budgeted (based on their old models). Their new, highly automated Alabama plant is ranked as 10th best in the country.
Yes, I'm taking a risk by buying a Santa Fe over my next choice vehicle, a Toyota Highlander. But I think it's a very small risk and I'm having too much fun driving it to worry about it
Does the underbody storage of the spare tire pose a problem? I guess it is the same as on the older Santa Fe's? Just saw somebody tonight crawling under his car trying to free up a jammed nut that is holding up his spare (GM car) He end up waiting for the CAA (AAA) to arrive.
"either, a less expensive, well equipped, not-so-good-image, but pretty good value or a well equipped, better resale, but with that a steep price."
Or, you can try less expensive, very well equipped, so-so resale, excellent value without a steep price in a form of 07 Mitsubishi Outlander. It is already outselling RAV4 and CRV in Japan, has better handling, performance and fuel economy then Santa Fe with the same long warranty.
Or, you can try less expensive, very well equipped, so-so resale, excellent value without a steep price in a form of 07 Mitsubishi Outlander. It is already outselling RAV4 and CRV in Japan, has better handling, performance and fuel economy then Santa Fe with the same long warranty.
The exterior looks OK, but the interior doesn't hold a candle to the new Santa Fe. And what's up with that silly looking 3rd row jumpseat :confuse:
"Or, you can try less expensive, very well equipped, so-so resale, excellent value without a steep price in a form of 07 Mitsubishi Outlander. It is already outselling RAV4 and CRV in Japan, has better handling....'
I just can't agree with you there. I have driven both of these vehicles extensively . The Outlander's materials are much cheaper than the Santa Fe's. The Outlander is faster....only because it’s lighter. The Santa Fe gives you a feeling of being higher off the road, more like a truck, than the Outlander does. PLUS, the SF rides MUCH better. It's a heavier vehicle. The Outlander was 1st on my list, but it has been bumped too a close second now. Also, here in Houston, Mitsubishi has seemed to drop the ball; the models that are in demand won’t arrive in bulk until mid December. Plus, Hyundai's incentives are better for higher trim levels.
The Outlander is nice, and it includes a navigation system, but the Hyundai is a better built vehicle...for example, in the Outlander flip the rear seats forward and look and feel the plastic attached to the seat. Feel the plastic on the dash and compare it with the Santa Fe.
Sorry for the long post, I was just FLOORED by the Santa Fe.
A navigation system is supposed to be out in Spring 2007 for the Santa Fe. I'm sure the Veracruz will have one for the US when it debuts at the Detroit Auto Show. I'm sure that the Azera, Santa Fe, and Veracruz will be the first vehicles to get the nav system
In DEC MT SUV of the Year issue Mitsubishi got higher ratings in performance and safety with rest of them being equal to Santa Fe. Handling numbers were much better. In OCT MT issue Ron Kiino wrote: "Interior quality is premium and design contemporary... 3.0 liter with MIVEC is a refined and robust unit... New Outlander has an air that's all SUV enhanced with such luxury as standard LED tail lamps, available Xenon headlamps and 18" wheels...Outlander can easily hang with the best in it's class...delivers excellent balance through high-speed maneuvers." The interior in both cars received four stars (RAV4 got three). Personally I think they are pretty close in material quality with Santa Fe being slightly more attractive, (except for fake wood) and in the Outlander- more sporty looking. Seat comfort is a different story, IMO better in a Mitsubishi, not that flat and short as in Santa Fe. Some owners reported this on this forum before. But all of this in very subjective and you have to try both, to find one which suits you better. And price being the same? Outlander AWD XLS 25.010 (with some owners reporting price paid 23.700 for this trim ) Santa Fe Limited AWD 27.945
I have the 2007 Santa Fe Limited AWD. Killer SUV. Love it to death. So far only one issue, twice this month I went to lock the doors and heard this loud buzzing sound from the driver side doors. It lasted only a couple of seconds and stopped. Strange. Can not duplicate it. Will mention it to the dealer at my first scheduled checkup. Anyone else had this isse?
The Outlander AWD XLS does not come standard with leather seating. The only way to really compare them, since their packaging is so different is to price them with all the option. In all fairness, the Outlander still comes out ahead in price by about $1k (Leather is not included in the XLS pricingof the Outlander. Adding leather adds $3k to the price because of packaging.) The Santa Fe is bigger (2" longer, 3.5" wider, 2" taller) with more safety features, more storage space, more leg room (when compared to the XLS), greater standard towing, and longer range (but 2 mpg less on the highway). Also, don't forget about Hyundai's warranty and being 3rd in initial quality for 2006 (Mitsubishi was 23rd). Hyundai was also ranked more dependable than Mitsubishi by JD Power. I almost forgot that Hyundai actually has a usable 3rd row available. I sat in it and it was fairly comforable for short trips, and I'm 6'3" so someone shorter should find it even more spacious.
Actually, fully loaded Outlander, still being cheaper, tops Santa Fe with -Paddle shifters -Navigation system -Xenon headlights -Keyless entry/ start system -600 W sound system With the same safety features, same rear leg room-36.8in(there is more leg room-39.6in and cargo room-39cu.ft in Outlander with two rows of seats trim than in Santa Fe)same towing (both 3500lbs), same warranty you must be confused with all those numbers. JD Power study is just saying how people like the car, it’s not actual repair or service record. Example: Low Mercedes rank because of lack of cup holders or Hummer using too much gas...
Comments
Hyundai Veracruz
"The fuel ratings advertised come from Natural Resources Canada. The fuel consumption of your own vehicle may vary from its published ratings, depending on factors such as your driving style and behaviour, vehicle acceleration and driving speed, temperature, weather, traffic, etc. Furthermore, a vehicle will usually consume more fuel during the first 10,000km because the vehicle is 'breaking-in'.
If you do not see any improvement after 10,000km, you might want to bring this issue to your dealership at your next oil change, and they can put your vehicle on the computer and it will determine if there is a vehicle fault."
10000KM equals about 6000 miles....I owned 5 hondas before this vehicle and I got the advertised MPG from the first fill up. I think something smells fishy.
The vehicle runs great but I'm spending atleast 20% more on fuel than I'm supposed to. This amount could have gone towards the payment of a more expensive car IMO. I have also contacted Natural Resources Canada, if anybody is interested I'll post what they responded to my complaint.
Others have posted on here that they have been getting around 20 MPG in the city and 24 on the highway, and they have about 3000 miles or so on theirs. I have 400 on mine now and hopefully by the time it hits 1000 things should even out. If not, then when I get the oil changed by the dealer, I'm going to ask them about this.
Please do keep me update if you hear anything.
Hyundai decided to release GLS with 5 seat with 1700$ less
then GLS with 7 seats.
I contacted Hyundai Canada, and apparently, the cars are
at port of Vancouver. My guess is, they would hit the
local dealership in few weeks at the most.
In the states, it could be sooner I suppose, however
I don't know for sure.
In B.C Canada, it looks like GLS with 5 seats will be
available at dealership pretty shortly.
However, I came back to the city and was stopping at almost every other light and of course the MPG went down. Seems like the car is good when it gets aired out on the highway, but suffers when it's stopping at every other traffic light.
I just hope that after the engine gets broken in, I'll be seeing 20 MPG for everything.
But now with this new Veracruz I'm completely confused! My personal take on this w/o seeing it is that it looks beautiful. Of course, this could change depending on the price. I love the teak colored leather interior. The styling is very rich---I just hope the price is right. I saw somewhere that it might be at dealerships as early as December--anyone know any differently. Anyone else waivering? I thought I was going to love the CRV but I didn't and now when I see them on the road I'm glad I didn't go that route!
My friend just bought a Santa Fe and she loves it!
Thanks for any input!
What in particular didn't you like about the CRV, just out of curiosity?
To those ends, we will be shutting down the general make/model discussions and work exclusively with specific issues. This requires us to populate the make/model subsections with relevant, interesting and timely topics. Rather than having the hosts simply create boilerplate topics for each make/model, we feel that you, the owner, the make/model enthusiast and the prospective buyer can best judge what those topics should be.
You can help by adding a discussion (it's easy!) or suggesting one here.
To add a discussion, click on the last link in the "You are here" line at the top of this page. That will take you to the topic page for this make/model. Review the list of topics and click on the "Add discussion" link when you've decided what topic you'd like to add. Follow the directions and you're done! Feel free to add more than one. Just avoid duplicating existing topics and try not to make it TOO specific!
Your help and continued participation in the Forums is greatly appreciated! Thanks.
I wouldn't hold out for "break in" improvement - I now have 6700 miles on mine and have seen no increase in MPG since I bought it. Unfortunately if you are truley a city driver, get used to the upper teens - these vehicle were built to cruise at moderate speeds - not stop and go traffic. I beleive I could get over 30 mpg if I was willing to drive 60 - 62 mph on the highway. I'm just not willing to do that.
Hope this helps - these are true numbers with real driving. ( and I'm not the guy that everyone on the road passes either)
Unfortunatley, I am a mostly city driver and I guess I will just have to live with the upper teens as my MPG. I do drive on the highway every so often and occasionally do long trips. I did fill up again recently and took it out on the higyway for a short while and got up to about 21 MPG.
I'll keep the egg under foot thing in mind. I actually started doing that today and haven't gotten honked at yet. I traded in my Mazda Protege for the Santa Fe, so obviously there is a big difference there. I guess I'll just have to get used to it. I have noticed that post that get the upper 20's are those that drive mostly on the highway or bck roads. Guess it's just one of the disadvantages of living in NYC.
I hear you about the highway speed. I like to go about 70 on the highway and couldn't do less. I hope to take it on a long trip sometime soon and will see what the mileage is then. Feels real good at those high speeds though, nice and smooth
Thanks for the help.
I only test drove the 3.3L , but if your 2.7L has adequate power, maybe that is the way to go.
16.1 miles/gallon - my odometer is at 2350 miles
Where the heck are you getting $1.95 a gallon?!?! So Cal is now $2.50
It is getting better from 14 miles/gallon and 350 miles later.Is that your total miles for a full tank?
Joe in Texarkana
Maybe because NAV is not offered in the US???????????
Full Test: 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe
help
Hyundai Santa Fe
tidester, host
On the other hand, I'd like to think that the "conventional realtime" AWD on this vehicle should always react to traction loss, regardless of speed.
"The Borg Warner system that can provide up to ninety-nine percent torque to the front wheels, but when called upon automatically sends up to fifty percent of the engines torque to the rear wheels. As long as youre traveling below 22 mph, just press a dash-mounted button and the transfer case will lock at 50:50 for getting out of really slippery situations, a process that incidentally will disengage via a solenoid when eclipsing the 22 mph threshold and then, when dropping down below that point again, automatically reengage.
Just how does do all the Santa Fes electronics work in unison to achieve traction? The cars onboard computer monitors everything from wheel speed to accelerator pedal movement and steering inputs, so that when at least four percent front wheel slip occurs the rear axle engages. All-wheel drive will also engage if the throttle is actuated quickly, causing wheel-spin. It can also anticipate the need for additional traction and engage the AWD system when the driver accelerates the vehicle.
On another note the Santa Fes all-wheel drive system will adjust for steering wheel angle, so that the rear axle disengages during a sharp turn eliminating driveline binding; what happens when the inside wheels are forced around a smaller radius than the outside wheels.
From a safety perspective, the rear axle will also disengage during strong deceleration to maximize the anti-lock effect of the standard ABS brakes."
See here for the complete review by Trevor Hofmann (Aug 06). This is a well written and detailed article. I recommend it. Similar BorgWarner information can be found here at a different site.
My only concern is Hyundai quality and resale. Are they now better in both areas?
Thanks in advance.
Mark
Resale - dramatic improvement
Congrats on your new car - I want one
The quality is vastly improved on the Santa Fe, with the new model. Unfortunately, resale value is not one the its selling points. The Santa Fe is behind its competitors in resale value. I would not expect it to now blow out the competition in resale value with just this redesign. Back to quality, It still has hard plastics all over. It also does not offer what is one of the most popular features in the industry...a navigation system. With comparably equipped models, there is a major price advantage with the Santa Fe, although. So it all come's down to personal preferences: either, a less expensive, well equipped, not-so-good-image, but pretty good value or a well equipped, better resale, but with that a steep price.
Good Luck
Quality wise, I'm very impressed. It's no Lexus (we have a RX350 also) but it comes close in both ride and quite. Given the choice, I prefer driving the Santa Fe. It just has more personality. If you look at the J.D. Powers rankings of the different brands, Hyundai was ranked the number one non-premium brand ( see here). For a more detailed breakdown, see JD Power Brand Rankings .
The ultimate judge of resale value will be the public's perceived quality of a vehicle. I think the Santa Fe should hold up nicely. I have never owned a Hyundai before, and had never even seriously considered one until I researched the quality commitments Hyundai has made. They are chomping at the bit to change their image and it looks like it's working. Their warranty costs are now coming in at almost half of what they budgeted (based on their old models). Their new, highly automated Alabama plant is ranked as 10th best in the country.
Yes, I'm taking a risk by buying a Santa Fe over my next choice vehicle, a Toyota Highlander. But I think it's a very small risk and I'm having too much fun driving it to worry about it
Just saw somebody tonight crawling under his car trying to free up a jammed nut that is holding up his spare (GM car)
He end up waiting for the CAA (AAA) to arrive.
Or, you can try less expensive, very well equipped, so-so resale, excellent value without a steep price in a form of 07 Mitsubishi Outlander. It is already outselling RAV4 and CRV in Japan, has better handling, performance and fuel economy then Santa Fe with the same long warranty.
The exterior looks OK, but the interior doesn't hold a candle to the new Santa Fe. And what's up with that silly looking 3rd row jumpseat :confuse:
I just can't agree with you there. I have driven both of these vehicles extensively . The Outlander's materials are much cheaper than the Santa Fe's. The Outlander is faster....only because it’s lighter. The Santa Fe gives you a feeling of being higher off the road, more like a truck, than the Outlander does. PLUS, the SF rides MUCH better. It's a heavier vehicle. The Outlander was 1st on my list, but it has been bumped too a close second now. Also, here in Houston, Mitsubishi has seemed to drop the ball; the models that are in demand won’t arrive in bulk until mid December. Plus, Hyundai's incentives are better for higher trim levels.
The Outlander is nice, and it includes a navigation system, but the Hyundai is a better built vehicle...for example, in the Outlander flip the rear seats forward and look and feel the plastic attached to the seat. Feel the plastic on the dash and compare it with the Santa Fe.
Sorry for the long post, I was just FLOORED by the Santa Fe.
The interior in both cars received four stars (RAV4 got three). Personally I think they are pretty close in material quality with Santa Fe being slightly more attractive, (except for fake wood) and in the Outlander- more sporty looking. Seat comfort is a different story, IMO better in a Mitsubishi, not that flat and short as in Santa Fe. Some owners reported this on this forum before. But all of this in very subjective and you have to try both, to find one which suits you better.
And price being the same?
Outlander AWD XLS 25.010 (with some owners reporting price paid 23.700 for this trim )
Santa Fe Limited AWD 27.945
-Paddle shifters
-Navigation system
-Xenon headlights
-Keyless entry/ start system
-600 W sound system
With the same safety features, same rear leg room-36.8in(there is more leg room-39.6in and cargo room-39cu.ft in Outlander with two rows of seats trim than in Santa Fe)same towing (both 3500lbs), same warranty you must be confused with all those numbers. JD Power study is just saying how people like the car, it’s not actual repair or service record. Example: Low Mercedes rank because of lack of cup holders or Hummer using too much gas...