Hyundai Santa Fe

Price Paid:  $30000.00 from Attrell Hyundai - Br

Year / Model Reviewed:
2007 Santa Fe GL 3.3L AWD

Summary:
My 2007 Santa Fe GL with the 242 horsepower 3.3 Liter V6 engine and All Wheel Drive is a quality vehicle all round.

The ride is super smooth, which is a result of the 4 wheel independent suspension. The cabin is super quite with next to none road noise!

The engine and transmission are a good match. Awesome acceleration with super smooth shifting from the 5 gear auto tranny. A cool transmission feature on all 3.3L models is the 'SHIFTRONIC' manual shifting (Sport Shifting). With shiftronic engaged, the driver has full control over gear selection! Just like a manual transmission, minus the clutch. Great for adverse weather conditions!

I found first gear to be 'very' short. However, as I played with the shifter a bit (in sport shift mode), I noticed that the driver is able to select 2nd gear while at a stand-still. No need to start off in 1st!

Another cool feature of the sport shifting is that even though you can 'manually' row up and down through the gears, if you need to make a quick stop, the tranny will take over and shift down for you! Cool huh?

The All Wheel Drive models are an 'On-Demand' set up. If the computer senses wheel spin, engine power is split 50/50 to the front and back. Once the slippage subsides, it's back to front wheel driving. The driver has the option of 'locking' the rear differential to give 'full-time' 4x4 drive.

Brakes are excellent, however, if you need to make a quick stop, it takes quite a bit of peddle press to slow the vehicle.

Dash controls are placed well and easy to operate. At night, all controls are lit with a awesome blue light. It looks like the cockpit of a jet fighter plane!

The Santa Fe (sans sunroof) welcomes taller drivers 6'+. In models without a sunroof, there is plenty of head room for tall people. Leg room is ample also. If you opt for a sunroof, be prepared to loose significant head room! My advice... if you're tall, sit in a model that has a sunroof and one that doesn't... You make the call.

The seats are firm and comfortable. The head restraints (front seats) move both up/down and forward/backward. The F/B adjustment allows the occupant to adjust his/her head rest to such a position that will provide 'full' head restraint... Kudos to Hyundai for this very cool feature!

The second row seats (not sure about third row) recline... Wow, this vehicle is awesome! This is the first car that I have known to have reclining 'rear' seats.

For those of you who are considering the 7 passenger Santa Fe, do not expect to carry 7 adults! Reason being, the third row seats are only big enough to carry small children. Average size adults will not be comfortable in the third row.

The stowage area in the back has plenty of room with two hide-away storage bins. A smaller one for jack, tools etc... and a larger one for misc. stuff. Blanket, first aide kit, kids toys, whatever...

There are 3 power outlets for cellphones etc. One for each row of seating.

Very anxious to try out the AWD... Bring on Winter!!!

Hyundai has a winner with the redesigned Santa Fe. Honda watch your back... here comes Hyundai!

Best vehicle I have ever owned!

Thank you Hyundai!

Strengths:
Well designed and thought out, fit and finish, super smooth ride, quite cabin, engine and transmission, controls, safety features.

Quality, quality, quality!

Weaknesses:
Reversing visibility is slightly hampered by the two wide rear pillars. Be careful while backing up people!

Dome light too far back.

No 'auto-on' for 'map lights' upon vehicle exiting.

Shifter should have some sort of physical locking device while in 'Sport Shift' mode.

Similar Products Used:
None...

Price Paid:  $20300.00 from Henderson Hyundai, N

Year / Model Reviewed:
2007 Hyundai Santa Fe GLS

Summary:
Quality vehicle, built well, drives like a car and has all the safety features you could ever want. Great vehicle for the price! Yet to take it on a long trip, but we're sure it'll be great. CARGO SPACE galore!

Strengths:
SAFETY! Six airbags STANDARD! Exceeds all US safety requirements and got highest all-over safety rating by any SUV, ever (even in a roll-over)! Hyundai offers a 2.7L V6 and a 3.3L V6 and the 2.7 gets pretty good gas mileage. Great vehicle for a family of 4 or less. Masive cargo/storage area in 5 passanger, but it also comes in a 7 passanger option. Not much leg room in the 7 passanger and you loose all the cargo space when the 3rd row seats are in use (can fold them down when not in use, for cargo space). Center console is very well designed and easy to use.

Weaknesses:
Not too much to complain about. The base model GLS offers everything you need, the options are nice but not really necessary in this level of vehicle. The 5 passanger is kind of tight for a family of 5 (3 car seats in the second row), but still works OK for us.

Similar Products Used:
Have driven a 2005 Hyundai Tucson 2.7L V6... the 2007 Santa Fe is a much larger and more comfortable vehicle when you need room for 3 car seats. For the extra $2000, go with the Sanat Fe!

Price Paid:  $0.00 from Howard Hyundai, Elmh

Year / Model Reviewed:
2007 Santa Fe Limted AWD

Summary:
Surprising fit and finish; all the options you will ever need; excellent ride both in the city and on the highway; very nicely appointed interior (Limited with leather). Much better looking for the 2007 model year, sans all the bumps and curves from previous model years.

Strengths:
Buying the 2007 Santa Fe was 2 firsts for us: our first S.U.V., and our first import. Although we are told that this car is manufactured in Alabama, there seems to be a fit and finish to this car that we have never seen in our Chevys or Fords. Our new Santa fe is also our migration away from the world of mini-vans, as the children are moving to college. The Santa Fe seats 4 very comfortably, 5 would be okay for short distances. Rear seats recline, which is nice for teens, who never seem to get enough sleep. The sound system is great, and A/C vents mounted on the rear door posts make for a very comfortable ride, even for an adult. When we test drove this car, I made it a point to switch with the salesman and have him drive while I sat in the back. I was not disappointed. Power with the 3.3 liter V6 was sufficient, even with the air conditioning on. Highway driving was a pleasure, with plenty of power for the on-ramps, and surprisingly low noise levels.

Weaknesses:
We looked at the third row seating, didn't get it, it looks like a waste of space.

Similar Products Used:
First S.U.V., minivans and passenger cars only.

Price Paid:  $23000.00 from Littleton, CO

Year / Model Reviewed:
2007 Santa Fe

Summary:
We live high in the Colorado Rockies (11,000' above sea level) and so far like the way the car handles on paved and dirt roads and it's performance at this altitude. However, we've already had to have the catalytic converter replaced and the clutch master cylinder replaced. All of these problems caused us multiple trips to the Dealer (a 5-hour round trip for each visit) before the correct diagnoses were obtained and the problems fixed. We used to have a Subaru (200,000 miles with minimal problems) and switched to Hyundai because of their high reputation now in the industry. So far we're not impressed. Time will tell.

Weaknesses:
Major problems have occurred that should not with a new car

Similar Products Used:
Subaru Forrester

Price Paid:  $23000.00 from Ourisman, Laurel, MD

Year / Model Reviewed:
2007 Santa Fe

Summary:
I will never buy another Hyundai. I thought they had the best warranty, but I have found out they do not stand behind their warranty. I no sooner drove my car off the lot than I got huge spots all over the dash and the dealer would not fix. I even tried calling the 800 Hyundai and was given a case number and told I would receive a call back in a couple of days. I never received the called and when I called back they just said sorry I can't help you. My husband unfortunately also bought one and has had numerous things wrong, air bag off in passenger seat (the light says this in both of our cars even when someone is sitting in the seat).,knobs falling off or breaking, air pressure lights in both cars come on and then sometimes just go off. My daughter also bought a brand new Hyundai and the paint peeled off and they would not fix it. They said she had not washed the car, which was not true.

Strengths:
price

Weaknesses:
Does not honor warranty.

Similar Products Used:
We have owned two Tiburons. My daughter has owned three different Hyundai, but after buying two 2007 Santa Fe we will never buy another Hyundai.