2003 Hyundai Santa Fe Review

Name: 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe Review
Brand: Hyundai
Price: 1584 USD
Rating: 4.7 (319 reviews)

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Edmunds' Expert Review

by the Edmunds Experts

Pros

Reasonable price, super warranty, roomy interior, long list of standard features, solid construction.

Cons

Underpowered without the 3.5-liter engine, unusual styling won't please everyone.

What’s new

For 2003, side airbags become standard equipment for every Santa Fe. New this year is Homelink and a Monsoon sound system with a six-CD changer -- these are standard items on the LX, and the audio upgrades are optional for the GLS. There is a newly available 3.5-liter V6 which will be offered in addition to the 2.4-liter inline four and the 2.7-liter V6. The 3.5-liter engine replaces the 2.7-liter unit and is now standard on the LX as is a new five-speed automatic transmission.

Edmunds says

Odd design elements aside, the Santa Fe offers a consumer-friendly blend of space, comfort, features, performance and value.

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe Fwd 4dr SUV (2.4L 4cyl 5M) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.52 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.}

Monthly estimates based on costs in Ohio

$208/mo

$204/mo

Avg. Midsize SUV

Calculate my fuel costs

Consumer reviews

Read what other owners think about the Used 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe.

5 (78%)

4 (16%)

3 (3%)

2 (2%)

1 (1%)

4.7

319 reviews

Write a vehicle review See all 319 reviews

Most helpful consumer reviews

2003 Santa Fe LX 2.7

sbraatz, 07/10/2011

2003 Hyundai Santa Fe GLS Fwd 4dr SUV (2.7L 6cyl 4A)

My wife and I bought it with 60,000 miles. We had a couple of minor issues right of the bat that the dealer didn't want to handle. I did replace the plugs and wires twice within the first two years because of the same problem. It was a little time consuming but not impossible. Definately cheaper then taking it into the dealer. Other then that it has been very reliable. Gas mileage could …

Mileage Gem

Howard F. Morgan, 12/16/2015

2003 Hyundai Santa Fe GLS Fwd 4dr SUV (2.7L 6cyl 4A)

Keep your vehicle maintained. As others have stated, the paint is not the best. I have 280,000 miles on this vehicle which was a program vehicle and had 11,000 when I purchased it. I have spent about $ 3,000 on it during a period of 12 years (repairs)

Great Used Car for Teens & College!

mktg64, 03/02/2013

2003 Hyundai Santa Fe GLS Fwd 4dr SUV (2.7L 6cyl 4A)

Bought a 2003 Santa Fe with 125K GLS 2.7L for my son his senior year of HS, he took it to college...had to replace a rear trailing arm & a coroded battery cable, other than that I did the timing belt, plugs & wires, new tires, and most fluids. GREAT car for the money, love the styling (its now a classic), modern interior, and perfect for teens and college age kids for room and safety. …

Beat this car it can take it

Mark, 09/03/2017

2003 Hyundai Santa Fe GLS Fwd 4dr SUV (2.7L 6cyl 4A)

A great value for the price it's a great everyday commuter box nothing special but gets the job done, motor is solid, transmission is great, minor repair issues with aging, I.e ., power steering, rusted oil pan, alternator, but overall a great car, I use it everyday to commute to NYC and put 20,000 miles a year on it and it takes a beating ! I would get another one no problem, easy to …

See all 319 reviews of the Hyundai Santa Fe

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2003 Santa Fe Highlights

Trim:

Base

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$17,549
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	20 MPG
Cost to Drive	$208/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	30.5 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Warranty	5 years / 60,000 miles

See all features & specs

Safety

Key safety features on the Santa Fe include:

Alarm

NHTSA Overall Rating

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.

Frontal Barrier Crash Rating
OverallNot Rated
DriverNot Rated
PassengerNot Rated
Side Crash Rating
OverallNot Rated
Side Barrier Rating
OverallNot Rated
DriverNot Rated
PassengerNot Rated
Combined Side Barrier & Pole Ratings
Front SeatNot Rated
Back SeatNot Rated
Rollover
Rollover3 / 5
Dynamic Test ResultNo Tip
Risk Of RolloverNot Rated

IIHS Rating

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.

Small Overlap Front Driver-Side Test
Not Tested
Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side Test
Not Tested
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Updated
Not Tested
Side Impact Test – Original
Acceptable
Side Impact Test – Updated
Not Tested
Roof Strength Test
Not Tested
Rear Crash Protection / Head Restraint
Not Tested

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2003 Hyundai Santa Fe Review

Edmunds' Expert Review

Pros

Cons

What’s new

Edmunds says

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe Fwd 4dr SUV (2.4L 4cyl 5M) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.52 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.}

Consumer reviews

Read what other owners think about the Used 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe.

Trending topics in reviews

Most helpful consumer reviews

2003 Santa Fe LX 2.7

Mileage Gem

Great Used Car for Teens & College!

Beat this car it can take it

2003 Santa Fe Highlights

Safety

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2003 Hyundai Santa Fe Review

Edmunds' Expert Review

Pros

Cons

What’s new

Edmunds says

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe Fwd 4dr SUV (2.4L 4cyl 5M) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.52 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.

Most helpful consumer reviews

2003 Santa Fe LX 2.7

Mileage Gem

Great Used Car for Teens & College!

Beat this car it can take it

2003 Santa Fe Highlights

Safety

People who viewed this also viewed

Related Used 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe info

Vehicle reviews of used models

Shop similar models

Shop used vehicles in your area

Popular new car reviews and ratings

Research other models of Hyundai

Research similar vehicles

Other models

Join Edmunds

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe Fwd 4dr SUV (2.4L 4cyl 5M) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.52 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.}