Used 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Consumer Reviews

My 2015 vs. My 2016 Limited Ultimate Santa Fe

My 2015 saved us during a massive accident. An 85 year old man had his second accident of the day by pulling across out multilane divided highway at just the wrong time. We hit him at something less than the 60 mph limit and both my wife and I walked away from out totaled Santa Fe. The airbags worked so well that I didn't even have bruise marks from my glasses. The only downside is that Hyundai, and everybody else, I suppose, puts the horn button on top of the steering wheel airbag. I wonder how many other people suffer my injury: my hand-on-the-horn got blown back into my chest. It took almost two months for the pain to fully subside, and another month for my hand to regain most of its strength. Tow rating was important to me. If you buy the PIO (port installed option) trailer hitch package, the Santa Fe Limited (and SE) have a 5000 lb tow rating. According to the owner's manual, even with an aftermarket hitch it is only rated for 2000 lbs. After the accident, even though the force of our connected travel trailer impact bent the "stinger" 90 degrees into the bumper, but the Hyundai hitch structure seemed undamaged. The impact was so severe that even the trailer was totaled. After the accident we had time to reflect on a replacement car. We felt so well protected by the car and had enjoyed all the features of the Ultimate package that we got the identical car in the 2016. Right away, both of us independently thought the 2016 was substantially quieter; I think they've added insulation and maybe fine tuned the suspension. I've seen a lot of negative comment about the third row seating. With the SE bench seat it might be a problem, but with the Limited's captains chairs it isn't much of a deal to get into the third row. Just for grins, my wife and I let our daughter and her 6' 5" husband drive and we rode in the third row for a six hour day trip. Grandsons in the middle. We're both 70 y/o and it was perfectly comfortable. Having the panoramic sun roof almost reach the third row makes it much nicer. My biggest complaint is that Hyundai hasn't incorporated Apple's Carplay into the display system. The existing nav system is nice, but not as good as Google Maps or Apple Maps, plus I have to pay an annual $50 fee to Sirius just to get traffic information incorporated into the nav system. Carplay was supposed to begin showing up in another Hyundai model in 2015 so I figured the 2016 would definitely have it: Wrong! The BlueLink "turn by turn guidance", which is $100/ year is not compatible with the navigation system. Go figure.

Santa Fe awesome again

i owned a 2011 Santa Fe limited awd and traded for this same model 2015. It's incredible. Everything is laid out really well. I enjoyed the captains chairs for the second row and the third row. I really think the panoramic sunroof is a great feature. However, the most important aspect is the drivability. I would say that the ride is a little stiffer than the previous Santa Fe, but it is miles of an improvement in terms of overall ride quality and luxury feel of the vehicle. I would highly recommend the Santa Fe.

The Most Underrated Crossover in the Segment

I believe this car is the best value, most overlooked, and totally underrated in the three row segment. It is smooth, quiet, has a nice V6 engine, the interior ergonomics are well thought out, and it is pretty solid to drive. The cargo space is extremely usable. I have owned Honda's, Acura's, and Volvo's. This is by far my favorite car I have ever owned. There are really only a few things that I do not love about the car. The headlights are not very good, even with the HID's from the factory. I upgraded to a better bulb which helped but sideward visibility could be better. I think they may have fixed this for 2017. I wish the transmission shifted a little quicker and crisper. It's a little to laxed for my taste but it's not so frustrating that I hate the car. I wish the engine was tuned for a little more low end torque rather than high end horsepower. This would help with everyday fuel economy which is about average. Lastly I think visibility around the side mirrors and A pillars is sub par. Having driven Acura's and Honda's forever they really have that down. Otherwise the car is an exceptional value for the money and the recent 2017 refresh makes it even stronger. This car will be overlooked by many because it's a Hyundai. I took a lot of grief from people for going from an Acura to a Hyundai. Then they ride in it and are blown away. It is truly 95% of the car for about 75% of the cost if you shop around. It really has changed my whole impression of Hyundai.

Terrific Vehicle, Lots of Standard Features

This is my 3rd Santa Fe, my last was a 2006 GLS. The exterior styling makes this SUV stand out in the segment. I was amazed at the high level of interior quality and the standard features in this model. My ONLY complaints are the small glove compartment and that the height of the front passenger seat is too low and not adjustable. I remedied this by installing a front seat cushion (made for automobiles) for my wife. There are plenty of interior storage places. I like the storage bin under the rear floor that also includes a roll up storage compartment cover. The ride is very comfortable. The engine is quiet, very powerful and works well with the transmission. The middle row and rear seats are easy to lower and the floor is virtually flat. It's a vast improvement over earlier models where I had to remove the 2nd row head rests to lower the seats. I make frequent trips to a home improvement store and it's hauled everything I load into it. I really like the A/C vents for the middle row seats and the heating and A/C controls for the rear. seats. The best car I ever owned. My 2015 Santa Fe was so good I leased a new 2018, my 5th.

Love my 2016 Limited Ultimate AWD!

"We traded in our 2014 Santa Fe Sport for the bigger 2016 Santa Fe. We love the Ultimate package.. it has everything we could ever want...with bang for the buck.We shopped for the Kia Sorento, Honda Pilot,Nissan Pathfinder and going back to Hyundai was a no brainer. We spent about 10k less than similar cars with similar packages. Owning a Hyundai today is definitely not owning a Hyundai 10 years ago..they are doing an awesome job of keeping up with the competition. I mostly drive around my kids with it..they absolutely love the captains chairs.Going grocery shopping is easy with the automatic gate lift. The navigation is easy to use. Having the AWD has been awesome in the snow. As for reliability.. My old 2014 Santa Fe Sport only went to the dealer for oil changes..never had a problem with it.. so I am very confident with this one. We have gotten many compliments on it's looks. Still going strong! I still love everything about it. It has only gone to the dealership for oil changes.

This SUV is a "Keeper" for sure!

This is a good looking, roomy, well appointed SUV with plenty of room for "cargo" and passengers. The two front seats are extremely comfortable...the back seats are nice and roomy but not as plush as the front seats (fold down seats never are no matter what you buy) and the third row is fine for a couple or 3 kids..adults should drive a second car if it comes down to it. I LOVE the car...it's got 290 HP with the 6 cylinder..runs smooth and strong...power to spare if you need it. My grandson is a baseball catcher and we go to Travel Ball tournaments all over the place and have enough space in the back for his humongous catcher's bag, a cooler, folding chairs, a tent, and luggage for 4 on overnight trips. I've got 56,500 miles on it with NO problems...tires Just replaced at 56,000 miles, a week ago...Smooth ride, easy to enter and exit even at age 72.. and I plan to keep this one! ONLY glitch is the automatic rear hatch! Sometimes it will raise up and then when you reach inside you will hear the beep that it is coming back DOWN. It’s dangerous as people have hit their heads on it. I’ve been unable to get them to fix it and have been unable to get them to disable it and make it “manual only”, which would be safer at least. If you look this up on the internet, it is an often reported problem by scads of other owners. You have to just wait a few moments once it’s open to make sure it’s going to stay open before sticking your head inside.

Style, Comfort, And Afordability

Purchased new 2016 Santa Fe SE AWD 8/31/15. Added on the Premium Package which offers numerous features. Ride is very comfortable with 19" tires and very positive steering. This is my first SUV, but searched the market place comparing it to other SUVs with options, price, dependability, and warranty. The Santa Fe had them beat. The 3rd seat is really for the grand kids. The V-6 has plenty of power for expressway entry and for passing. I have heated seats and wanted air cooled seats, but Hyundai has them with an additional package including a Panoramic Roof which I didn't want or need. I wish they bundle the heated/ cooled together. I took a road trip and put on 5,000 miles (averaging 26mph could be better) with no problem. During the trip stopped in El Paso Texas for an oil change. The dealer treated me very well like I was a local resident. They knew I was from another state, but that didn't matter. Hyundai has a good thing going for themselves. Time will tell how well they back their warranties.

Overall Great Car but....

I went from a 2011 Buick Enclave to the Santa Fe. It's the perfect size for us. I like the looks, comfort, overall performance and economy. Road noise somewhat greater and road comfort not up to the Enclave. However the real annoyance is the front passenger seat is not height adjustable , this is a real problem for my wife. In fact had she ridden in the car before leasing it, we would not have leased it. I've ridden in the seat also and agree with her, it's annoying and neither of us are short people. She sits on a cushion when we travel....can't understand the design not including height adjustment. The other shortfall is the nav. system....we loved the OnStar system in the Buick. This one is OK, but not nearly as user friendly as the OnStar.

Airbags saved us!!!

We were t-boned at a 4- way stop and all of the airbags deployed ( curtains and seat air bags on both sides). My 5 and 2.5 years old boys were shaken but not hurt. I can’t say enough about the ability of this car to take on a direct impact and still keep the passengers secure and unharmed. Thank you Hyundai!!!!

My 2nd Santa Fe

I owned a 2014 Santa Fe Limited for 3 days. I was t-boned at an intersection, resulting in all but the front air bags deploying and the rear axel snapping in two. The EMS at the scene kept repeating to me that the air bags and design of the Santa Fe saved my life. I replaced that Santa Fe with a 2015 Santa Fe Limited Ultimate. I had been driving Chevy Tahoes since 1999. This Santa Fe is a breath of fresh air! It drives like a dream, holds the road well, and the safety features are awesome. I greatly prefer the navigation system to OnStar. I will be replacing all my company vehicles with Santa Fe's as needed.

A great value proposition in this segment

It is one of the better 3 row crossovers in the segment.Smooth ride,great handling,refined engine and transmission.Reliable electronics and cool features such as panaromic sunroof,Heated and cooled seats,heated rear 2nd row seats,smart liftgate and good comfort overall.If there are some weak points it has to do the front seats not height adjustable(my spouse doesn't like it),Brakes not so effective especially under full load and suspension that bottoms out under full load of passengers.

Love in a Hyundai Santa Fe

The only problem was the 2nd row seat does not fold down flat for cargo. We drive several 14 - 21 day road trips each year. You cannot place a cooler or picnic basket behind the front seat without it sliding back out of reach. Dealer experience was great. Warranty excellent and no real issues after ten days. Resale value could have been better.

Awesome SUV !

I Love my Hyundai Santa Fe ! I had my older Toyota sequoia for years, and It was time to look into another vehicle that suited my needs and wants. We shopped around for months looking for a little smaller suv, but not to small. I still needed driver room, passenger room, and some cargo room in the back. We narrowed our decision between the Toyota highlynder, Honda Pilot , and the Santa Fe. After doing our readearch on all three and looking at all of them we chose the Sante Fe limited. We are so glad we did ! It’s so comfortable to drive! The interior is sooo nice, the controls are easy to use, the touch screen is big and easy to see, it’s fun to drive, it’s easy to load and unload groceries and our dogs. It’s very roomy without being to big. The warranty is Awesome. I get a lot of compliments from friends and family. Its a very dependable suv. Love it!

Best Santa Fe Yet!

This is the third Santa Fe I have purchased and by far the best! The comfort, ride and amenities are great. The new Santa Fe Ultimate is larger than previous vehicles and four adults can ride comfortably. The third row seating is great if you have little ones. Your front seat and backseat passengers can control their own heat/cooling, which is great - I like it warmer and others like it cooler, so everyone is happy. Haven't had the chance to drive in the snow yet, but, if it is anything like the previous Santa Fe's, I won't have a bit of trouble. Weather in Denver can get nasty in the winter, but the Santa Fe's have always taken on the cold and snow like a champ. My only complaint would be the tires. I usually replace them, as they don't seem to have the tread for winter weather; other than that, I would highly recommend this vehicle to anyone who needs a larger SUV.

Our 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited AWD

My Wife and I have been very happy with our Santa Fe, it is a Great looking car and drives and rides Great. When we first bought it we noticed that the passenger seat sat a little low and made it uncomfortable for me to ride long distances in that seat but after doing a little research online I found a spacer kit that was made to raise the passenger seat up to a very comfortable level. Our Santa Fe has never let us down, and we have received a lot of comments from people telling us that they really like the looks of our car. We have been very happy with the performance of our car and with the gas mileage. The 3.3 V-6 engine has plenty of get up and go and the handling of the car is amazing for a vehicle it's size.

Needs some consumer input

Life with this car after purchase revealed some annoying features. So would you like to leave the sunroof open while you run in the house or store quick? Nope can't do it...you cannot turn the car off and lock it if the sunroof is open. Need to quickly close the trunk because of driving snow or rain? Nope you can't do it...you need to wait for the automatic gate to do it slowly while you wait. Did you put something in the cubby below the radio and then park the car? Good luck getting it out if it's a bulky item because the shifter will be in the way. Do you plan to sit in the front passenger seat occasionally when you're not driving? The seat adjustment controls are nothing like the driver seat, and as a matter of fact, you'll sit a few inches lower on the passenger side. Ever drop something between the driver seat and the center console? You'll never get it out without going in from the back seat underneath the seat because it's so narrow you can't even fit your fingertips in between there. Good luck vacuuming the carpet in these spaces because there are plenty of narrow spaces where things can fall but no ability to vacuum. This car handles well and drives well and has a nice warranty but if you're looking for the basic comforts of a busy lifestyle with kids look somewhere else. Hyundai needs to ask consumers where they can improve for future model redesigns.

Couldn't Be Happier

I shopped them all. Price, within reason, was not an issue. I really like this SUV a lot. It rides well, it's quick for a heavy vehicle, it has every feature out there that I wanted, and it seems bulletproof so far. In mixed driving I got 24.4 MPG in the first thousand miles. Love the way it looks, the huge sunroof, the power lift gate, the sliding driver seat, the onboard computer control, the solid feel when driving ... Just everything about this vehicle is excellent.

Great family SUV

Have owned 8 Hyundais and never had a problem with any of them!

I survived!

I purchased the Sante Fe Sport a year and a half ago after researching safety ratings and affordability of various SUVs. I live in a high traffic area, and safety was a top priority. Last week I was sitting at a red light when I was rear ended by a Toyota Tacoma going at too high a rate of speed for the area. The truck that hit me actually came high enough to knock out the back glass of my hatchback. All side curtain airbags in my entire vehicle deployed instantly. While I am facing further medical treatments, thankfully, none of my injuries were life threatening. I’m so thankful for the safety features of the Sante Fe. Now we wait for insurance to decide if my SUV can be fixed or if it will be totaled out. My husband and I agree that if it is totaled out, we will be heading right back to the dealership for another Hyundai Sante Fe Sport!

Go Hyundai and You Won't Look Back

This is my third Hyundai. Have had the Sonata, Santa Fe Sport and currently the Santa Fe Ultimate AWD. I am currently waiting on some good rebates or sale prices on the 2019 Santa Fe Ultimate AWD which will be my fourth one.. As far as quality, ride, comfort and technology, I would have the say all the Hyundai's we have had were equal quality wise. Hyundai builds great vehicles and I have recommended them to friends and family. Some have switched to Hyundai and thank me for it. Their vehicles range from the Elantra to the Genesis. Hyundai keeps improving the quality and technology of their vehicles and give you a lot for your money. Some high end/luxury vehicles fall short of Hyundai. With Hyundai your are not just paying for a name, you are paying for the best. I will continue buying the Hyundai brand as long as they continue to make high quality, technologically advanced and stylish vehicles.

Happy... but...not the Vera Cruz.

This is our third Hyundai and we're very loyal to the brand. However, our 2016 Santa Fe Limited with the Ultimate package is not as well built or as "cushy" as the Vera Cruz. I wish Hyundai still made that model. The power of the V6, still gives me enough get up and go, that I need and appreciate. The gas mileage is doing a lot better than we expected it to. Only complaints are small things, but annoying none the less. As one reviewer stated previously, it is a pain to have to leave the vehicle running if you want to listen to the entertainment system without the annoying beeping sound. Also, in my Vera Cruz, the rear passengers could control their own heating/AC and the rear seats were also heated, which was nice. This model doesn't offer have that. Also, we recently took a trip out of state and my elderly Mom rode in the second row captain's chair and she was not happy that there was only a cup holder low in the door and her cup wouldn't fit. She also said the ride wasn't as smooth as it was in our Vera Cruz. Overall, I'm happy with our purchase, since I drive this SUV the most, but I do miss and long for my Vera Cruz. Hyundai's are reliable and we'll probably stay true to the brand in the years to come.

FABULOUS!

big but not too big, fabulous acceleration, great price,

Has some flaws.

When I bought my Santa Fe new in 2016 I couldn’t put gas in the tank. Pump shut off every two seconds. The tank and all assorted parts were replaced. Still can’t put gas in it if the weather is very hot or very cold. Now have been battling the dealer, Hyundai’s customer care and corporate to get my screen replaced which does not come on unless the car has been driven for more than 20 minutes. Dealer refuses to replace it even though it only has 44,000 miles on it and I have an extended warranty. Runs good but I’ll never buy another Hyundai.

Good overall but ONE MAJOR ANNOYING ISSUE for me

Update 3/12/13: Once again the accessory power issue continues to be the most annoying and irritating thing about this vehicle for me. I’m still trying to learn that I cannot plug in my phone or listen to the radio or other things you would normally expect to be able to do in your car without running the engine! Update 3/12/17: The battery discharge warning issue is more persistent and annoying than ever! My original review follows. In this review I want to focus just on the one big problem I have with my 2016 Hyundai Limited Ultimate SUV which I wish I had known about before making the purchase. In general I agree with other reviewers that this is a good vehicle overall and a good value. It does most things you'd expect from a modern SUV quite well. However buyers should be aware that you cannot sit in the vehicle and listen to the very excellent sound system in this vehicle without the engine running! If you do you will get a loud beep sound every two minutes or so along with a warning that you are discharging the battery. This beep tone is just as loud as the music so you cannot ignore it. So You cannot enjoy your music in this vehicle in ACC mode knowing you will be hearing this annoying beep every two minutes or so. The dealer has advised me that this is so you don't discharge the battery which of course is important. However why couldn't they have designed this car so that something like just listening to the radio could be done without having to run the engine? On the side of Hyundai, if the battery does go dead there is a Lengthy restart process to get all of the technology reset back to where it was before the battery died. I could see where this could potentially generate additional service calls, but for someone like me ( and plenty of other folks I am sure ) who just likes to sit in their vehicle and listen to their music on that excellent sound system this is a huge issue and unacceptable. There are plenty of vehicles out there with equal or more technology than this one which do not have this problem. This is a design error on the part of Hyundai. If I had known this in advance I would NEVER have purchased this vehicle. I am NOT looking forward to the next five years of this! Hyundai is fully aware of this issue and if it gets enough attention I am hoping they might take some kind of corrective action in future models. I am still holding out hope there may be some future firmware update from Hyundai which may resolve this issue or at least diminish it somewhat on their current offerings. If not being able to use the radio and other accessories in this vehicle without the engine running is not an issue for you then I think you will be quite happy with this vehicle.

Got rid of this vehicle

Got rid of this vehicle because of issues with electrical circuits and check engine lights. Was good until three years and 31500 miles. That's when problems started. Dealer could not find or fix electrical problems. So much for the "best warranty in the business." I cannot recommend this vehicle if you are looking for a long term vehicle.

This car is junk--Do not buy a Hyundai.

We purchased a Sante Fe with 30,000 miles. At 85,500 the head gasket went out then once they were able to get the head gasket in they could not reattach to the block so they had to replace the block too. This to me shows that the parts were defective in the first place. Even the Dealer said they have never seen a head gasket blow at 85,500. Hyundai refused to pay for any of it. Because it was purchased used it was out of warranty which I understand but this is a head gasket and it had to have been defective. I have owned cars 40 years and drive them all over 130,000 miles and never had a head gasket blow. Hyundai will not back their product. I will never buy a Hyundai again.

Excellent transportation for the money

It been an excellent vehicle for the price that I pay I have had no problems with this vehicle. The performance is outstanding for the size of his vehicle. It does just as much as a pick up truck that I traded in for it. When is time to purchase a new vehicle I will probably we were back to the Hyundai Because of the excellent service that I received from this Santa Fe. The maintenance on his vehicle has been very good in terms of price to get it repaired Says I've never had it repaired it been a win win for me all it needed with normal service.

Seized Engine!!

I can't believe these no one posts about the Hyundai/Kia engines. I absolutely loved my 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited when I bought it in 2021. I had never had any issues and I'm a widow with 4 kids and it was perfect for us until 5/16/23. I was on a highway going about 60 mph when I knew something was wrong. I looked down and every warning light was on (before this, I had NEVER seen a warning light in this). I started to try and get off the road in rush hour traffic and I had no power steering and could barely steer it at all. I got over and and headed for a parking lot ahead and I realized I had no brakes. I was able to make it to the parking lot and drifted to a stop. It's now been at the dealer for 3 months. I have the 3.3l V6 which hasn't been recalled yet but these engines have the same problems as the others. I paid $17,000 for it and now it's going to cost $10,000 to fix it. It has 108,000 miles.

Known engine problems. Dont Buy!

Known engine problems. Starts as a knock. There is the same problem with v6 and v4. Because of problems used motors are $12K, New 15K. We took ours to get looked at while it was under warranty and were told that we needed an oil change even though we were religious about it. Fast forward another 5K miles the knock is back and we need a new engine. We took it to the dealership that agrees its the same part recalled in the v4 model but since we had the v6 model which is not recalled for whatever reason there was nothing they could do other that sell us a used engine with70,000 miles on it and a 1 year warranty for $12,000 or a new engine for $15,000 which is close to all the vehicle would be worth. Never again. NEVER A HYUNDAI

cheap built suv

does not hold there value at all

Engine replacement required

I was thoroughly satisfied with my 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe until one day it started making a loud thumping sound coming from the engine. We had it towed to the dealership on December 11, 2021 because the sound was awful, and we weren't sure what had occurred. There were no previous performance issues. Neither the Check Engine light nor any engine codes indicated a problem. Our engine had been well maintained and was full of oil. Upon inspection at the dealership, the engine was full of shards of metal. The engine had to be completely replaced. Because we had exceeded the terms of our warranty based on mileage, we incurred a bill of $10,300 in order to have the engine replaced. Compounding the financial burden, Hyundai's initial warranty offer for the replacement engine was a mere 6 months! My vehicle was ready for pick up on February 3! Hyundai did not offer me a rental car or reimbursement for a rental, and my repair took nearly two months to be completed. We drove the car home on Feb 3. The next morning, we discovered a puddle of oil under the Santa Fe, contacted Hyundai, and had it towed back to the dealership for service. Now the oil pressure sensor needs to be replaced. I am completely disappointed in Hyundai's failure to ensure quality manufacturing and vehicle safety. The destruction of and failure of the engine without warning is incredibly alarming. I am so fortunate that the engine failure did not result in a catastrophic engine fire, an accident, or injury to myself and my family. Apparently, the lifespan of this model vehicle is limited to 150K so consumers should be aware.

Happy customer

SIT ON THIS

The driver's seat sucks. Had to be replaced. Suck it, Hyundai.

Liking it so far

Had it for a couple of weeks. So far so good. Only real issue I see is the seat could be higher. The side view mirror blocks my vision. If the seat was higher I believe the mirror wouldn’t block my view. I’m 5’9”. So it’s not like I’m sitting low in the seat

Nice one

Good clean looking SUV no issues

Santa Fe

Love Santa Fe’s great quality SUV and fits our family’s needs

LOVE IT

Seller Source

Buy from a proper dealer who cares for your business, and make sure it was not a smoking Vehicle