Overview & Reviews

The 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe receives minor changes. The Limited trim pads its standard equipment roster with the high-power Infinity Logic 7 CD changer audio system and a sunroof, while SE models now include standard premium seat cloth.

• Well-designed cabin, impressive standard safety features and crash test scores, competitive price, lengthy warranty, optional third-row seat.

• Excessively firm ride on SE and Limited models, lackluster automatic transmission, disappointing driving dynamics.

User Reviews:

Showing 41 through 50 of 157.00

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  hyundia sante fe,new york - 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By harley - December 14 - 6:20 am

  I bought the car/truck in nov 09 since the Ive drove 20k miles. I really like the overall drive and layout of the Santa Fe. The seats are a little stiff and if you drive with the rear Windows partially down they howl and vibrate a lot. The 08 dont have the ipod connection that I miss. Ive had a clunk in the front end going over bumps. I took it to dealer and was told it was a bushing problem. The didnt seem to have a fix for it. While annoying its not so much that I wouldnt buy another on but hope they fix the problem. Fuel mileage adv 22.5 mpg for me.

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  Very Happy - 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By Blockhead - November 2 - 4:30 am

  I didnt start out looking for an SUV, but I wanted a vehicle with AWD and a hatch back. My last car was a Passat sedan and I was looking for something with that had greater reliability/functionality. After driving subcompact SUVs and crossovers I was dissatisfied with the power and the cargo capacity. With continued research I stumbled on the Santa Fe which many publications consider a safe, comfortable and reliable SUV. Once I drove it I was sold. It rides great especially on the highway and the seats are extremely comfortable. I have had it for one week and put 1K miles on it with no problems. Mileage is 21 in mixed driving. I have received complements on looks of the car.

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  Mostly Great - 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By Bosley1 - July 29 - 9:40 am

  The acceleration is smooth and if done properly, feels as if you are gliding in an airplane. No complaints with the noise level. It handles very well in ice and snow with proper driving skills. The downsides are that the gas mileage is not as good as I had hoped, the front seats seam to have a lot of give as you are entering and exiting the car (and I am not a heavy person). I have two chips in the windshield within a year vs. no chips in the windshield of my old Dodge Caravan after taking many heavy hits, and driving the same routes as I do in the Hyundai.

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  So far, so good. - 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By Ed Rea - July 4 - 1:56 am

  Purchased this SUV after driving an Infinity G-35x and missing the roominess from my previous SUV. Also, Hyundai was recommended by other friends who have one. Only issue so far is pulling to left. After two alignments, seems to be okay. Although steering is pretty sensitive. Like all the features, styling, performance (little sluggish in shifting between 1st & 2nd gear) so far, after 2000 miles. CD player is only 1 CD capacity?? If reliability holds up, seems like a very good vehicle for the price.

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  Great value and very comfortable ride - 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By Mfshook62 - March 5 - 8:40 am

  Great car for the price, about same size as the Lexus RX, but $20k less, and certainly not as luxurious. Plenty of room for a 6 driver. Nice amenities and leather interior. Comfortable ride with plenty of passing power. Averaged about 23 mpg driving from San Fran to LA and back, mostly at 75 to 85 mph. Was a little surprised to notice in the door panel that the car was manufactured in Aug, 07.

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  Great car so far - 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By Brent - December 21 - 7:30 pm

  Only have 1500 miles on it and owned for two months, but still quiet, smooth engine and no transmission issues or shift delays as others have mentioned. I have not driven it hard yet to break in engine as I am waiting about 3000 miles to put it to a real test. Rated 5 on reliability only b/c I dont know yet. Great car so far with little if any complaints about the vehicle itself. The cloth does seem to stain easier than some of my previous cars. A few cheaper plastic parts, but all cars have flaws. Gas mileage for me has been 18-20 on mostly highways, but seems to be getting better as I drive. And does much better if you keep it around 55 or 60 on freeways. Warranty was a major factor.

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  Concerns about warranty - 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By ML - October 6 - 8:56 pm

  We have put 24K on this car. Bought for wife, she hates it, and chooses to drive our 04 accord 100K+miles. The interior scratches easily and there are alot of rattles. The suspension is noisy and a little soft. Other than that it is powerful, comfortable, attractive, and at a great price. The interior is really the place of my frustration in terms of rattles (fixed one, but there are many), feedback noise issue (told me its normal) and seat pocket tears (havent heard back from dealer yet, its been weeks) I am concerned that, regardless of the problem, the dealer will passively resist my concerns. And so, with less than 2 years and 24K I am considering trading.

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  like my santa fe - 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By kim - September 16 - 6:56 pm

  I looked at several crossover suvs as well as conventional suvs and found the Santa Fe to be reasonably priced and the right size for my family of 3.

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  First Impressions - 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By Richard - May 2 - 11:06 pm

  We purchased a new 2008 Santa Fe LTD AWD. The average MPG after 250 miles is 19.5 with a mix of city and freeway driving. I expect better MPG after the break in. The remote fuel door open switch did not work the first time we went to put gas in the tank. The dealer should have checked this before they delivered the car. We had to use the emergency fuel door pull cord behind the rear seat panel to open the fuel door. We noticed the seats are really uncomfortable after the first 100 miles. I hope they "soften up" over time. Except for the fuel door, everything else works on the vehicle. The CD, Radio and rear DVD sound great. The Santa Fe drives and handles well.

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  perfect suv crossover - 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By ecruz - January 14 - 6:00 pm

  Ive had the chance to drive both the new 2008 Honda CR-V and the 2008 Hyundai Santa-fe and personally I would for Santa-fe the ride isnt bad and handles NYC pot holes like a charm its more roomier then the CR-V with more cargo space then CR-V. The Santa Fe also has a powerful v-6 engine compared to the CR-V and gas isnt too bad in the city as long as you dont the manual drive feature in the city. Its perfect for the high way. Over all if you want more room and features then the Santa Fe is you.