Overview & Reviews

One of Hyundai's longest-running nameplates, the Santa Fe is a car-based crossover SUV aimed at buyers seeking the elevated ride height and useful cargo area of a traditional utility vehicle in an easy-to-drive package. Modern versions of the Hyundai Santa Fe are midsize with three rows of seating, quality cabin furnishings and user-friendly tech features. Whether you're shopping for a new or used Santa Fe, value is a big part of its appeal. The standard equipment list is generous, as is Hyundai's warranty coverage.

Earlier versions of the Hyundai Santa Fe range from compact to midsize in dimensions and have seating for five passengers. The 2007 and later models are a big step up in styling, performance and interior space, and they're worth considering if you're shopping for a used midsize crossover. Hyundai has since subdivided the Santa Fe line into two models: the two-row Santa Fe Sport and the three-row Santa Fe. The latter is more luxurious than its predecessors, offering premium styling and plenty of power.

User Reviews:

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  Major repairs on used purchase - 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By rhonda28 - April 23 - 5:32 am

  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.

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  Disappointed - 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By Disappointed - April 7 - 6:20 am

  I have had this car for 18 months, having bought it used with 20,500 miles on it.It now has 49,000 miles and I just picked it up from the dealership from having the transmission replaced. The check engine light, is always on, and it didnt fail me today, 8 miles from the dealership (where they also fixed a vacuum problem to correct the CEL), it was on again. I had high hopes for this car, but after being in the dealership at least 8 times in 18 months (CEL and tranny issues), I no longer have any hopes for it. Although I love the style and size, it gets fairly decent gas mileage and it rides nice, those things just do not make up for the mechanical problems and being w/o my car.

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  Worst Vehicle Ive ever had! - 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By Samsara - March 21 - 10:00 am

  The moment I drove this vehicle off the lot, Ive been having problems. Molding on the hood is coming off again; no pickup whatsoever; braking is poor; gray panel across bottom of vehicle chips very easily; back door of vehicle is way tooooo heavy. Previously had a Honda CRV -- the best! Mileage is terrible. Not sure what good I can find. Every week, if its not one thing, its another.

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  warranty does not matter - 2002 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By margot - January 30 - 1:00 pm

  I purchased a Hyundai because of the warranty. However, everything major that could go wrong with the car did (transmission, power steering, axle) and continued after the bumper to bumper warranty expired. Most of the Hyundai dealers closed, so you have to drive 15 miles to service a vehicle under warranty. Not a good sign. Also, the dealer I serviced it at, L.A. City Hyundai, would not cooperate with the manufacturer when warranty issues arose. I would never buy a Hyundai, regardless of the price or how long the warranty is. The aggravation of breaking down and having to pay for a rental car and waiting days for a part is not worth any warranty. I need a car that is reliable.

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  LOVE GROWN COLD - 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By Linda L. Evans - January 17 - 6:41 pm

  Oh the tears I have shed. I have owned two of these vehicles. One was 3.4 v6 and the one I have now is 2.7 v6. I truly loved this car enough to purchase my second one. I didnt drive my first one but for 30,000 miles. It had 67,000 miles on it when I traded it in. I have been very happy with the vehicle and would have purchased a third one had I not lost my career employment. I drove over 1,000 miles per week so went through 100,000 mile warranty in two years or so. It has been a mechanically sound vehicle until the latter years. I have experienced power steering going out, while driving in the rain, and no one can find why it does that. Now I cant use the hand operated door open and lock because it triggers something to do with the parking lights or signal lights not sure which, coming on and wont go off. I can hear a ticking sound like the signal lights. When this happens and I do not realize it the car is dead the next morning and I have to jump it. Plus the automatic lock feature is not a good idea. The seats are not that good. They were hard when I bought the car new and they are hard now 11 years later. Now the paint is peeling off on the hood and the clear coat is coming off in other places causing the paint to peel. On the hood the paint was peeled by a hard rain, not hail, but rain. It peeled on the hood on each side and in the same place on each side. Strange to say the least. The clear coat had not come off on the hood but paint still peeled. I have persuaded a few friends to purchase this car because of its performance which I can say is the best on the highway. But now that they have seen how my paint has done they are reconsidering. This was to be my last car because now I am old and unemployed and cant purchase another car. I was so proud of the one I have now because I took care of it. It still looked in appearance nice enough, but now is an atrocity from the paint peeling. I could cry a lot over this. Now the vehicle I once loved has turned cold like the car. T

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  Ill trade for a good used car - 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By JL Williams - December 31 - 11:33 am

  Well, its almost an ok car, but... I heavily researched the car before even going to look at one. On paper it looked great. I bought it in late October, 2004. EPA mpg ratings are 17-20 mpg city driving and that is what it has gotten: anywhere between 20 and 16.6 mpg from one tank-up to the next - thats 15-20% difference between tanks. Literally, I have gone from 20 to 16.6 - 17 mpg in one tank full - twice. Despite being an SUV, half the drivers in my family cannot drive it. One family member is very overweight and, tho she fits in a Toyota Camry just fine, the Hyundai seat will not go back far enough, nor will the steering wheel adjust enough th

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  Never again - 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By kt - December 22 - 3:36 pm

  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 wouldnt 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.

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  TOTAL LEMON!!! - 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By doraimon - September 28 - 3:07 am

  I bought my 2010 Santa Fe V6, full option, last year. Ive been having problems from the start. I noticed a violent jerk and sounded like my transmission fell off. I took it in to the dealer but they couldnt find anything wrong. My wife drives the Santa Fe, and the engine shut down on her twice. When we took it to the dealer, he gave us a rental for a week while they test drove it. Again, they didnt find anything wrong with it. Last month, when I was driving, I was making a left turn and when I stepped on the gas, the car was not moving, only the engine revved up. I hope people read this and never buy this crap. I am Korean-American and I will NEVER buy Korean crap again. Thank you.

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  hate it - 2005 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By conway - September 11 - 8:33 am

  horrid accelarator...NO GAS MILEAGE!!!! does not get 17 city...must read the very fine print on the window sticker to see that it will actually get 11 to 13miles per gallon, and that was only pointed out to us by the service dept when we took it in for adjustments. passenger air bag is all but impossible to activate. must be sitting in exactly correct position to even get it turned on and, so far, we have only been able to activate it 3 times. if in a crash, it would be useless....when driving at low speeds and trying to maintain a constant speed, the ride is jerky and very distracting.

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  Dangerous Steering - 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By snehila - August 4 - 1:46 pm

  I bought this vehicle a week ago and have to advise you to not purchase until Hyundai has a solution to the steering problem. The car doesnt track straight at all, darting left and then right requiring constant and exhausting corrections to the wheel. The wheel doesnt center itself. To explain what I mean, while going around a curve if you remove your hands from the wheel, the car continues to go around the curve. It never makes any movement to center the wheel and track straight. At highway speeds I have never felt less in control. Even with two hands on the wheel driving for more than 15 minutes is a frightening and tiring experience.