Used 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe Consumer Reviews
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Great Family Hauler
Anthony Edu, 03/16/2015
updated 03/19/2018
2008 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited 4dr SUV (3.3L 6cyl 5A)
56 of 56 people found this review helpful
Owned the car brand new for about 7 years now and so far it has been good to us. A few recalls were taken care of warranty but one major repair expense outside of warranty was the rack and pinion ($1k/incld labor) since it was leaking heavily from the passenger side. Also, there are traces of oil leaking from the head valve gaskets after 90k. Regular oil maintenance for both engine and transmission have been done religiously according to recommended intervals. I'm expecting to pay another $1k @100k for spark plug and valve cover gasket replacement work. It seems that these cars were designed to crap out after warranty and when you're done paying off the loan...SMH Update as of 3/16/17: (~120k) Despite the issues we've experienced in the past. Our car is still going strong and still our daily driver that fits our family's needs. Keeping up with the regular maintenance makes sure of that. This vehicle goes out on 8 hour road trips through the mountains at least twice a year and haven't had to use AAA yet. (Knocks on wood) :-) Update as of 3/2018: Car is still running smooth. Rear shocks need replacing but that is from normal wear and tear. The gas gauge experienced problems and after replacing the fuel sender units the gauge still does not read properly. Besides those issues the car still runs and I believe we will run this car to the ground despite the important convenience of having to know how much of gas you have left in your tank accurately. SMH
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GREAT COMFORT AND WONDERFUL PRICE
C.Silor, 06/11/2016
updated 06/29/2020
2008 Hyundai Santa Fe GLS 4dr SUV (2.7L 6cyl 4A)
40 of 40 people found this review helpful
Before I bought this SUV I did my homework, looked at all issues and prices and many pages of reviews from other owners, I love the wider stance it has, my '04 Jeep Liberty limited was narrow and very cramped, the A/C is great, shifting is smooth, I bought a 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe GLS 2.7liter FWD 4speed automatic tranny, it rides smooth, MY husband is 6'2 and he said it's like sitting in a recliner, quiet cabin, rocking sound system, great location of vents, for passengers, amazing storage space, (my aunt just bought a 2015 Cadillac SUV and it has small storage area no spare tire or jack yuk and it feels cramped) when she seen my SUV she was amazed at the room and the price I got it used in 6/2016 with 67403 miles on it for $9500 I have searched around and found I got a HELL of a DEAL... Super happy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! December 2017, still enjoy the car. I have about 108000 miles now from 67000 when I bought it. No issues, still runs and drives great... UPDATE DECEMBER 17TH 2016 Still love my 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe, very roomy have used it for myself and in-laws grocery shopping and have tons of room... no mechanical issues, rides straight and smooth.
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2008 Hyundai Santa Fe for sale near you
3 of 145 listings
- Limited 4dr SUVMSRP: $3,99934 mi away
- SE 4dr SUVMSRP: $4,50072 mi away
- GLS 4dr SUVMSRP: $4,99980 mi away
See all 145 listings
Best SUV for your dollar
boxman_okc, 05/29/2011
2008 Hyundai Santa Fe GLS 4dr SUV AWD (2.7L 6cyl 4A)
65 of 66 people found this review helpful
IMO this is the best SUV you can get for the money, especially if buying used. The cargo capacity is outstanding, including generous under-floor storage, the ride is very quiet, the mileage is surprisingly good (no worse than my previous Honda CR-V - a much smaller and noisier vehicle). With the Santa Fe you get the feeling of a refined, almost luxurious vehicle but with a bargain pricetag.
Bad Rack and Pinion
Anthony Lupo, 07/14/2010
2008 Hyundai Santa Fe SE 4dr SUV (3.3L 6cyl 5A)
59 of 61 people found this review helpful
Had to replace rack and pinion three times. Also, inside door liners, had to replace rubber twice. For all those who own this vehicle, make sure you have the rack and pinion checked. If the steering wheel doesn't stay straight once it's aligned, it could be your rack and pinion.
Best car I've owned
Chris G, 01/27/2016
2008 Hyundai Santa Fe GLS 4dr SUV (2.7L 6cyl 5M)
29 of 30 people found this review helpful
I've owned 5 cars in my lifetime (Mitsubishi, another Hyundai, Volvo, Honda). This has been the best vehicle I've owned thus far. I purchased it used with 15K miles on it for $17500 and the dealership kept the 100K mile warranty on it. I just recently hit 110K miles on it in early 2016, and I've only had 2 problems with it since purchase. The CD player recently stopped working (stuck CD) and the coolant system blew out and required a complete replacement at 30K (warranty covered). Despite those 2 issues, I'm still in love with this car. I have been with it in Florida driving around the city and frequent tropical storms without problems, it has taken me to Virginia/DC/Connecticut and handled the snow/ice very well (despite being 2WD), and currently is enduring Texas weather without problems. It comfortably fits 4 people (5 if the person in the middle is small).
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Nothing but problems
Tessa, 07/12/2015
2008 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited 4dr SUV (3.3L 6cyl 5A)
24 of 27 people found this review helpful
We have had our 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe for seven years. In that time it has been a very costly car to maintain. Within the first two years we had two major fuel issues, the leather interior started to peel away in areas, a battery that didn't even make the 2 years before dying suddenly and tires that were done long before the warranty. The amount that we would have gotten on the pro-rate for the battery and tires was so minimal that we went outside of Hyundai to replace and got better warranties with longer life. Within the past year we had a low fuel sensor issue that I have come to learn is not uncommon for Hyundai products and a high ticket repair (over $800). Now its the rack and pinion steering (over $1400). I'm sure that some owners are fortunate and don't have the lemon issues that we have had. We have a Honda that is 14 years old have never had these issues. Having to deal with so many issues I know that I will never purchase another Hyundai automobile. Considering the price that we paid for it, one would think that the quality would be better.
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Best buy!
Christy, 06/28/2018
2008 Hyundai Santa Fe SE 4dr SUV AWD (3.3L 6cyl 5A)
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
We purchased our santa fe used off of an older gentleman whose wife had passed away and it was her car. It had 39000 miles on it when we purchased it and 5 years later it is still going strong with 140000 miles on it. It has been hit by deer and a few horses and the insurance company wouldn't total it so we had repairs done and keep on going. Everything still works great on it, just like it did when we first purchased it except for the gas gauge doesn't always but as far as dependability it definitely has our vote! Would highly recommend! We travel a lot with our kids for sports and never had any problems!
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A great car!
ethan, 02/23/2018
2008 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited 4dr SUV (3.3L 6cyl 5A)
11 of 12 people found this review helpful
I've owned my Hyundai Santa Fe for two years and it is at 204,000 miles with no signs of giving up anytime soon! I got it with about 161,000 miles and was a little concerned because I hadn't had a car with that many miles on it but I took a chance. The ride is good and even after 200,000 miles, it has a ton of power. I haven't had any issues with the car either. The only issue I've had is with the gas tank sensor, so I have to go off of my milage to get an estimate of how much gas I have, but most Santa Fe's of my year have that problem.
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Best Car I've Ever Owned
Brandy, 03/31/2016
2008 Hyundai Santa Fe GLS 4dr SUV (2.7L 6cyl 5M)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
I got this car in August of 2015. I traded in my old 2005 Chevy Aveo for something large enough for my growing family and this car was the first one I saw. So far, we've had no problems. The only thing I noticed was the little skip in the car if you start breaking for a red light. I'm not entirely sure if it's just because of an internal problem or if the breaks need a readjustment but I am in love with this car!!
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Absolutely Love This Vehicle
ncastor, 09/18/2014
2008 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited 4dr SUV AWD (3.3L 6cyl 5A)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
I purchased this vehicle used and by far my favorite. I have owned all types of vehicles and this is by far my favorite in terms of performance and luxury. My girlfriend has a BMW X3 and the Hyundai compares in terms of luxury and performance. In fact if you look at the specs the two vehicles are almost identical. The only difference is the BMW feels "tighter" steering wise. Overall plenty of power and luxury. The seats are comfortable and the ride is extremely smooth and quiet. Getting about 20.7 mpg in primarily suburban driving and over 25 on a long trip to and from the Jersey shore.