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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!