2008 Hyundai Santa Fe Consumer Reviews Page 8

The sum is more than its parts...

Written by: mbanas1 on 08/05/2008

Vehicle

2008 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited 4dr SUV (3.3L 6cyl 5A)

Review

Wow, has Hyundai come a long way since the early 90's cheapo cars! Fit and finish of the Santa Fe are top notch, very solid and stable feeling on the road, great 3.3L engine (powerful and I'm getting 24.5 mpg avg., mostly hwy), best balance between interior space and exterior dimensions (between a CR-V and Pilot) for a family, and huge value for the price (beneath the CR-V). Almost a perfect "family roadtrip" vehicle that is also nice in the parking lots and side streets. However, if you do a daily commute in heavy traffic you might not appreciate the best parts of this car (it's quiet ride, 5-speed automatic, comfortably supportive seats), and you will definitely get worse mpg!

Favorite Features

Value for the price, especially the Limited. Great looks, smooth engine (3.3L), wide back doors opening to generous rear seats, huge cargo area (5-seat model), well balanced ride and handling.

Suggested Improvements

Needs iPod jack (in '09 I hear), more steering feel at low speeds, and a hybrid or diesel option.

2 out 2 people found this review helpful

Report It

great suv

Written by: ro on 08/03/2008

Vehicle

2008 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited 4dr SUV AWD (3.3L 6cyl 5A)

Review

I bought this suv because it road so smooth and quiet which makes the 605 Watt stereo sound even better. With 10 speakers and suround sound if you put in a cd and turn it up too loud you might lose your lunch. It has a lot of other Nice features too.

Favorite Features

stereo and quiet ride

Suggested Improvements

2 out 16 people found this review helpful

Report It

More than I expected for what I paid

Written by: panoguy on 07/30/2008

Vehicle

2008 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited 4dr SUV (3.3L 6cyl 5A)

Review

First looked at CRV, RAV4, '09 Forester, Outlander, and Outback (in that order). Finally got over my fear of Hyundai from the old Excel days and tried the Santa Fe. Bingo! The Santa Fe strikes a great balance between size, mpg, comfort and performance (for an SUV). Plus, it has many luxury "extras" standard (except an iPod jack, which I added). Drove nearly 1000 miles in the first week and love it! Interior fit and finish is Lexus-excellent, and outside it looks like most other "luxury mini- SUVs" after the redesign in '07. The Limited trim has a great stereo, leather heated seats, sunroof - all for the price of a mid-level CR-V or RAV4. Reliability is said to be good, but we'll see...

Favorite Features

Safety ratings (5-stars), full 3-row airbags, stability control, Infinity stereo, highway ride, fuel econ. (I get 25 mpg avg.), nice blue lighting, and overall it's roomy inside, but not huge outside.

Suggested Improvements

Usual iPod jack so I don't have to pay $150 to install it right away, and the tires were over pressured from the factory (40 psi) and the dealer forgot to lower them - kinda harsh. They fixed that the following day and the ride is now perfectly smooth.

16 out 16 people found this review helpful

Report It

First time SUV owner

Written by: new oner on 07/28/2008

Vehicle

2008 Hyundai Santa Fe SE 4dr SUV AWD (3.3L 6cyl 5A)

Review

This SUV is not perfect, but it's 4 to 10 thousand less than the Rav4, Highlander and Pilot. Not as powerful as the Rav4, but on par with all of them. I've got the SE 3.3 V6 and I've been averaging about 21 MPG in stop and go commuting. 5 issues that I've noticed so far. 1) Only lowing the rear windows sometimes causes a percussive booming against the back window. 2) No aux input or easy way to connect MP3 player to stock stereo. 3) Manual lumbar and height adjustment are worthless. 4) Seat Height adjustment lever is right where I place my behind when I get in. This might break over time. 5) Front window sill where the wipers park will fill with snow. Overall, these are small issues.

Favorite Features

Interior layout and assembly. New styling. Standard safety equipment.

Suggested Improvements

MP3 or Aux input on base stereo. Power rear vent windows to get rid of the occasional booming. Longer center arm rest.

9 out 11 people found this review helpful

Report It

perfect suv crossover

Written by: ecruz on 07/23/2008

Vehicle

2008 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited 4dr SUV AWD (3.3L 6cyl 5A)

Review

I've had the chance to drive both the new 2008 Honda CR-V and the 2008 Hyundai Santa-fe and personally I would for Santa-fe the ride isn't bad and handles NYC pot holes like a charm it's more roomier then the CR-V with more cargo space then CR-V. The Santa Fe also has a powerful v-6 engine compared to the CR-V and gas isn't too bad in the city as long as you don't the manual drive feature in the city. It's perfect for the high way. Over all if you want more room and features then the Santa Fe is you.

Favorite Features

The duel heating a/c the shiftronic tranmission with automatic/ manual choice and spacious cargo space

Suggested Improvements

More control over the manual transmission/ faster shifting during upshifting and downshifting, and better brake handling

8 out 12 people found this review helpful

Report It

BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK

Written by: D on 07/21/2008

Vehicle

2008 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited 4dr SUV (3.3L 6cyl 5A)

Review

Great car so far. Read reviews here and was worried about the trans... no problems. 3rd row is perfect for our kids, but would not put an adult back there. feels bigger than it is. very smooth. love the blue lights everywhere. lots of features you wouldn't expect at this price.

Favorite Features

dvd player. blue lights even on the cupholder. smooth ride. easy 3rd row access. warranty. 5 yr roadside. no pressure sales.

Suggested Improvements

3 out 3 people found this review helpful

Report It

My first car

Written by: Hokie4SantaFe on 07/15/2008

Vehicle

2008 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited 4dr SUV (3.3L 6cyl 5A)

Review

This vehicle is my first car I purchased after doing 6 months worth of review. I'm very very pleased with this vehicle, I have no regrets. I average 24.6 MPG on highways. I have had this car for only 3 months and added over 6,000 miles. I've driven this car to four different states and had no problem. I highly recommend this vehicle.

Favorite Features

Navigation: interrupts music when changing roads, informs which side of the road you'll be taking, very nice. Love the interior lights! Cupholders even have lights!

Suggested Improvements

Seats in the back should have better way of reclining instead of having to get out of the seat, turn around, and recline before returning to seat.

9 out 9 people found this review helpful

Report It

Great car so far

Written by: Brent on 07/12/2008

Vehicle

2008 Hyundai Santa Fe GLS 4dr SUV (2.7L 6cyl 4A)

Review

Only have 1500 miles on it and owned for two months, but still quiet, smooth engine and no transmission issues or shift delays as others have mentioned. I have not driven it hard yet to break in engine as I am waiting about 3000 miles to put it to a real test. Rated 5 on reliability only b/c I don't know yet. Great car so far with little if any complaints about the vehicle itself. The cloth does seem to stain easier than some of my previous cars. A few cheaper plastic parts, but all cars have flaws. Gas mileage for me has been 18-20 on mostly highways, but seems to be getting better as I drive. And does much better if you keep it around 55 or 60 on freeways. Warranty was a major factor.

Favorite Features

Great exterior design - wouldn't change a thing about it. Very cool looking blue interior lights at night. Quiet ride and best handling "car" Ive owned; decent acceleration, though only have 2.7 V6. ESC and alloy wheels standard

Suggested Improvements

Daytime running lights standard on all models; auto locks on drive; 6speed automatic for all models; Ipod connector; bit more horsepower on GLS model; possible keyless start option; blinkers on front mirror when turning; yellow blinkers on rear taillights; more customization and accessory add-ons

8 out 8 people found this review helpful

Report It

2008 Hyundai Santa Fe GLS 2.7L 4A

Written by: PJ on 07/07/2008

Vehicle

2008 Hyundai Santa Fe GLS 4dr SUV (2.7L 6cyl 4A)

Review

All in all a nice vehicle. The GLS is a smooth ride, and offers a fair amount of luxury at a competitive price. It's spacious cabin provides plenty of room and added compartments for the person looking for the mid-size utility vehicle. Add to that, an assortment of models and options available for those looking to customize their vehicle. It's a bit slow and sluggish on acceleration and could definitely stand to gain more horsepower. However, once up to speed it performs just fine. I'd rate the car an 8 out of 10.

Favorite Features

Suggested Improvements

The only downside to the GLS is the gas mileage and the engine - being a little weak on power.

3 out 3 people found this review helpful

Report It

Great value and very comfortable ride

Written by: Mfshook62 on 07/05/2008

Vehicle

2008 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited 4dr SUV (3.3L 6cyl 5A)

Review

Great car for the price, about same size as the Lexus RX, but $20k less, and certainly not as luxurious. Plenty of room for a 6' driver. Nice amenities and leather interior. Comfortable ride with plenty of passing power. Averaged about 23 mpg driving from San Fran to LA and back, mostly at 75 to 85 mph. Was a little surprised to notice in the door panel that the car was manufactured in Aug, 07.

Favorite Features

Lots of cargo space. I installed a Draw Tite trailer hitch and harness for about $150.

Suggested Improvements

The car was delivered to my house, but was not cleaned, so back to the dealer. Then I opened the hood and the engine compartment was covered with sand and dirt, probably in a sand storm somewhere. The tire pressure warning lite was on when delivered, this took three visits to the dealer to fix.

1 out 2 people found this review helpful

Report It