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Hyundai's product assault has been incessant over the past few years. In rolling out the new third-generation 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe, the company completes a product overhaul as comprehensive and logistically complex as the recent Mars rover landing.
The launch of Hyundai's new midsize tall wagon-cum-CUV is, appropriately, no less convoluted. After all, this compact SUV will serve double duty in the automaker's lineup, poised to do battle with roughly a dozen competitors. Here's how the Santa Fe plans to do it.
Several Variants
The 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport, seating five, replaces the current Santa Fe. In a few months, a longer-wheelbase version of the Santa Fe with three rows of seating will replace the larger Hyundai Veracruz.
Like the existing Santa Fe, the new Santa Fe Sport will be available with two engines. A 2.4-liter normally aspirated direct-injected four is the base engine, while a turbocharged and direct-injected 2.0-liter four replaces the V6. Either engine can be had with front- or all-wheel drive, while a six-speed automatic is the only transmission offered. The long-wheelbase version of the new vehicle — known simply as the 2013 Santa Fe, sans Sport designation — will be available only with a 3.3-liter V6. Clear as mud?
Generating 264 horsepower at 6,000 rpm, the 2.0T cranks out 10 fewer ponies than this same engine in the Hyundai Sonata. The difference is chalked up to revised intake and exhaust routing and a unique engine calibration. More importantly, the Santa Fe delivers 269 pound-feet of torque between 1,750 and 3,000 rpm, so the shove is in the right place for a family hauler such as this one. In fact, the turbo engine generates more torque than the outgoing V6.
Though the new Santa Fe Sport carries nearly the same dimensions as the outgoing trucklet, it's stiffer and weighs considerably less — some 266 pounds were shaved by sweating the details of the chassis' design and expanded use of high-strength steels. Struts underpin the front end and a compact multilink suspension is found at the rear so as not to intrude on cabin space.
No Shortness of Breath
We drove a 2.0T-equipped AWD Sport through woodsy, hilly Park City, Utah, notable for its power-sapping 8,300-foot elevation. The thin air didn't faze the Santa Fe. Turbocharged engines generate their own atmosphere, so there was plenty of reserve thrust and immediate response any time the car was in motion. The 2.0T is a capable engine, doing its business without a lick of fuss or noise, convincingly nailing the coffin shut on the idea that a V6 is a requirement. As for the 2.4-liter engine, well, we didn't get to drive one of those, or a front-drive 2.0T.
On our drive, the Santa Fe was notable for its quietness. Aside from a faint wind rustle at the A-pillars, little noise comes between you and a conversation with passengers while at freeway speeds. The new chassis feels solid on the road, though the wide C- and D-pillars form a blind spot the size of Oklahoma. A caveat — the roads in this area are generally smooth, so we'll withhold final judgments on ride and noise suppression until we've wheeled this new CUV locally.
Curiously, the electric power steering has three calibrations that can be selected via a button on the steering wheel, all of which are fairly numb. While it could be argued that steering feel isn't high on the priority list of shoppers in the Santa Fe's bread-and-butter segment, we'll point out that the steering-feel-havin' Mazda CX-5 exists and feels considerably more precise from behind the wheel.
Part of our drive route included a loose gravel dirt road to show off the Santa Fe's new more capable AWD hardware. It operates transparently, aiding corner entry and exit by adjusting the amount of torque apportioned to the rear wheels. Still, like most modern crossovers, the Santa Fe is pavement-biased and will be found almost exclusively on freeways and in parking lots. It's no rock crawler, and that's OK.
More Efficient
Fuel economy is the payoff of the lighter chassis, improved aerodynamics and engines. Base 2.4-liter models return 22/33 city/highway mpg (21/28 with AWD), while the 2.0T models deliver 21/31 mpg (20/27 mpg with AWD).
The 4-5 mpg drop for AWD models in freeway conditions is odd, as the AWD system can completely disconnect power to the rear wheels in such conditions and adds just 137 pounds over the front-drive model. Nevertheless, the fuel economy of the new Santa Fe improves on that of the outgoing model in every guise and is among the more frugal in its class.
More Than Clever Math
Inside, the cabin is similarly sharply styled, with improved appointments. There's plenty of space in either row of seating, and the front seats offer respectable long-haul comfort, though the sliding, tilting backseat is on the flat side to accommodate its 40/20/40 folding ability.
In typical Hyundai fashion, features abound. Beyond the long list of standard equipment, options include navigation, a heated steering wheel, panoramic sunroof, dual-zone climate control, a rearview camera, even heated rear seats.
Prices with destination start at $25,275 for a base 2.4 and $28,525 for the 2.0T — add $1,750 for AWD — and rise quickly from there. Adding navigation or the panoramic sunroof to a 2.4-liter model requires three packages totaling $6,600 (or two packages totaling $5,350 on 2.0T variants). There are a lot of other features included in the packages, but flexibility is not one of them.
At this price point, the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport lines up directly with segment leaders like the Ford Escape and Honda CR-V. The former also offers a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, while the latter simply does everything well. The newer, cleverer 2013 Santa Fe measures up favorably to both. If it can deliver on its excellent mileage numbers and remain as quiet as it did on the roads of rural Utah, this Santa Fe could be yet another well-executed piece of Hyundai's grand plan to compete head on with its foreign and domestic rivals.
Edmunds attended a manufacturer-sponsored event, to which selected members of the press were invited, to facilitate this report.
Used 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe listings and inventory:
Shop Edmunds' used car, SUV, and truck listings of over 6 million pre-owned vehicles to find a cheap used and certified pre-owned (CPO) 2013 Hyundai Santa Fes for sale near Ashburn VA. There are currently 442 used and CPO 2013 Santa Fes listed for sale in your area, with list prices as low as 9,869 and mileage as low as 21,008. Simply research the type of used car, SUV, or truck you're interested in and then select a vehicle from our massive database to find cheap pre-owned vehicles for sale near you. Once you have identified a used vehicle you're interested in, check the Carfax and Autocheck vehicle history reports, read dealer reviews, and find out what other owners paid for the used 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe. Then select Edmunds' special offers, perks, deals, and incentives to contact the dealer of your choice and save up to 300 on a used or CPO 2013 Santa Fe available from one of 2,632 dealerships in your area.
What's a good price on a used 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe ?
Save up to $300 on one of 60 used 2013 Hyundai Santa Fes for sale at dealerships within 25 miles of Ashburn, Virginia with prices as low as $10895 as of Apr 23, 2018, based on data from 18 dealers and 93 consumer-driven dealer ratings ranging from 1.7 to 5 out of 5 stars.
Price comparisons for used 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe trim styles:
The used 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport is priced around $14011 with average odometer reading of 76364 miles.
The used 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited is priced around $15000 with average odometer reading of 92495 miles.
The used 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport 2.0T is priced around $16271 with average odometer reading of 50322 miles.
The used 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe GLS is priced around $15500 with average odometer reading of 69594 miles.
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What options are available on the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe?
Available Hyundai Santa Fe 2013 Submodel Types: SUV
Available Hyundai Santa Fe 2013 Trims: SE, Limited Ultimate, SE Ultimate, Ultimate, Sport, Sport 2.0T, Limited, Base, GLS, LX, Limited w/Saddle Interior
Exterior Colors: Java Espresso, Storm Blue, Frost White Pearl, Pacific Blue Pearl, Pewter/Cool Gray Cladding, Phantom Black Metallic, Twilight Black, Dark Cherry Red, Radiant Silver, Bright Silver, Pewter, Silver Blue, Black Forest Green, Cabo Bronze, Harbor Gray Metallic, Juniper Green, Marlin Blue, Nordic White/Light Silver Cladding, Slate Blue, Canyon Red/Light Silver Cladding, Glacier White, Moonlit Blue/Cool Gray Cladding, Natural Khaki, Steel Gray, Willow Gray, Becketts Black, Black Obsidian/Cool Gray Cladding, Espresso Brown, Iron Frost, Medium Silver Blue, Merlot, Moonstone Silver, Canyon Copper, Deepwater Blue, Frosted Mocha, Indigo Blue Pearl, Monaco White, Pearl White, Platinum Sage, Regal Red Pearl, Sonoran Red, Artic Blue, Black Obsidian , Canyon Red, Circuit Silver, Crystalline Blue Pearl, Ebony Black, Hampton Green Pearl, Merlot/Cool Gray Cladding, Mineral Gray, Nautical Blue/Cool Gray Cladding, Night Sky Pearl, Nordic White, Nordic White , Powder White Pearl, Powder White Pearl (Limited Availability), Serrano Red, Sierra Red
Interior Colors: Gray cloth, Beige cloth, Gray, Gray premium cloth, Gray leather, Black leather, Beige leather/cloth, Coca Black cloth, Cocoa Black leather, Gray leather/cloth, Saddle leather, Coca Black leather/cloth, Coca Black premium cloth, Beige, Beige leather, Beige premium cloth
Popular Features: Post-collision safety system, Apple Carplay/Android Auto, Blind Spot Monitoring, Sunroof/Moonroof, Keyless Entry/Start, Navigation, Cooled Seats, Parking sensors, 360-degree camera, 2500lb Towing Capacity, Alarm, Audio and cruise controls on steering wheel, Aux Audio Inputs, Bluetooth, Fold Flat Rear Seats, Rear Bench Seats, Stability Control, Tire Pressure Warning, Trip Computer, USB Inputs, Heated seats, Power Driver Seat, AWD/4WD, 3500lb Towing Capacity, Lane Departure Warning, 5000lb Towing Capacity, Third-row seating, Upgraded Headlights, 2nd Row Bucket Seats, Adaptive Cruise Control, Auto Climate Control, Back-up camera, Leather Seats, Multi-Zone Climate Control, Power Liftgate/Trunk, Pre-collision safety system, Remote Start, Towing Hitch, Upgraded Stereo
Engine/Mechanics: 4, 6 cylinders
Transmission: AUTOMATIC, MANUAL
Fuel Types: regular unleaded
Drivetrains: front wheel drive, all wheel drive
Used 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Overview
The used 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe is offered in the following submodels: SUV. Available styles include GLS 4dr SUV (3.3L 6cyl 6A), Sport 4dr SUV (2.4L 4cyl 6A), and GLS 4dr SUV AWD (3.3L 6cyl 6A). Pre-owned Santa Fe models are available with a 0-liter gas engine, with output up to 0 hp, depending on engine type. The used 2013 Santa Fe comes with front wheel drive or all wheel drive. Available transmissions include: 6-speed shiftable automatic.
