Used 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe Fwd 4dr SUV (2.4L 4cyl 4A) Consumer Reviews
See Edmunds pricing data
Has Your Car's Value Changed?
Used car values are constantly changing. Edmunds lets you track your vehicle's value over time so you can decide when to sell or trade in.
Major repairs on used purchase
I purchased this vehicle used a 1 1/2 yrs ago and had nothing but problems. Major cost to fix each problem. The front and rear catalytic converter had to be replaced as I could not get speed over 25 mph. On trip 2 hrs away from my home a month ago and the car just shut down on me. This past week belt which controls the a/c condenser and power steering just completely broke. Now I need a a/c condenser which is over $1000. NEVER will buy a Hyundai again.
Never again
I will never buy another Hyundai Santa Fe. This car had multiple major problems, including timing belts replaced, transmission replaced, rear and front catalytic converters replaced, etc. The tires were replaced multiple times, as were the brakes. The driver window fell down into the door and needed fixing. This was definitely a high-maintenance car. My car wouldn't accelerate above 30 mph on a highway so I had to drive on the shoulder of the road while utilizing my flashers. I took it to the dealership, who apparently misdiagnosed the problem multiple times and had my car for 5-weeks without a loaner vehicle. The customer service dept. and service dept. were less-than-acceptable.
- Base 4dr SUVMSRP: $5,40044 mi away
- GLS 4dr SUVMSRP: $5,500184 mi away
- GLS 4dr SUVMSRP: $6,995835 mi away
I get asked about my Santa Fe a lot...
I always tell people that we love it and that the warranty can't be beat. You would pay $5000-7000 more for any other car in its class with all its features. The styling is sporty, yet carries 5 people comfortably. The cargo area is roomy and the fold-down rear seats expand that more. It also has get- up-and-go that you wouldn't expect. We are very satisfied with our purchase and what we received for the price we paid. We would also recommend our dealership to anyone - they treated us far better than any other we tried dealing with.
The Hidden Secret
You dont hear much talk about the Santa Fe compared to hondas, nissans, or toyotas. Its value & Quality is like a hidden secret. I feel that it surpasses them all in value and its solid construction is all anyone needs. Only two things I dont like about my hyundai is gas milage and the fact that the bumpers have no protection from scratches. Obviously the people who designed this car dont drive or have to park in NY city. People continually bump into it scratching the painted bumpers. They need to think about some bumper guards or grills at least as an option with the car.
Problems
Even though my son was very good about all of its maintenance checks and oil changes, etc. Hyundai was not good about the warranty coverage and making sure that a certain problem should be taken care of immediately. Now at 53,000, the engine was shot, and it took the extended warranty company Zurich 6 weeks to have it replaced. Now I have a gas line problem which was also noted back in 2005, that was not taken care of and again I have been without my vehicle for two weeks.