Overview & Reviews

Since the Santa Fe was redesigned recently, Hyundai's midsize crossover includes only minor changes for the 2009 model year. All Santa Fes now get standard iPod and USB inputs, plus upgraded stereos. Also, SE and Limited versions now get a towing prep package and roof rack cross rails as standard.

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

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

User Reviews:

Showing 1 through 10 of 88.00

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  Excellent Quality! - 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By Sabrina - November 29 - 2:43 pm

  I went to the dealership to buy a 2003 traded in Santa Fe. I walked out with a 2009 Santa Fe. Best choice i ever made. I have had my car almost a week now and love this SUV. The most comfortable ride i have ever been in. Johnson Hyundai made my buying experience so comfortable that i would not hesitate to go back and buy from them again. They truly mean what they say and stick to it. I would rate the Santa Fe and Johnson Hyundai of Cary, NC above 10 any day of the week. Thanks for everything!

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  2009 Santa Fe Limited - 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By D. Ray - June 23 - 12:40 am

  Alot of car for the money. I have only owned this vehicle for one week, but I believe that Hyundi is equal to Toyota and Honda in quality. Hyundai beat out Toyota, Honda, and Ford in price. I had a Honda Salesman tell me that they could not compete with Hyundai prices. I got a 2009 Santa Fe Limited, with $800 dollars worth of accessories for 25,800.

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  Incredibly Expensive to Maintain - 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By tmp0529 - June 1 - 12:03 pm

  This is a car that you should avoid. Every 30,000 miles you are required to get the scheduled maintenance to keep your 100K warranty. That maintenance takes two days and $1500. Top that off with problems with the radio, compass and electric windows and a transmission that wants to surge from a stop and you have a car that is a waste of money. I almost forgot the horrible gas mileage. My 97 GMC Yukon with a V8 got better gas mileage than this lighter SUV with a V6.

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  everything is great except mpg - 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By joemoose - May 21 - 8:10 pm

  engine is very quiet...cabin is also extremely quiet...handles great...windows and doors close nice and tight...plenty of leg room and 2nd row seat backs recline for added comfort...sound system more than adequate...so far my only complaint is city mpg, about 11 mpg,I can only hope this improves with initial break in period...I haven;t been on a road trip yet to see an overall average

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  2009 Santa Fe SE AWD - 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By JBird - March 22 - 3:13 am

  Traded a 2007 Subaru Forester for the Santa Fe to get some added interior and cargo space and so far Im very pleased. Got a terrific end of year deal too. Almost bought a GLS. Very happy I did not. The GLS is underpowered, plus the SE has all the looks of the Limited minus leather for a couple thousand less. I have one major peeve and a couple minor peeves. The major peeve is no daytime running lamps. For a 2009 vehicle, this is a must have safety feature. Minor peeves are Hyundai should give drivers control over the sensitivity of the automatic headlights sensor, and headroom is cramped if you opt for a sunroof.

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  I Trusted the reviews - 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By rRobert W. Grant - January 15 - 5:43 pm

  My 2009 Santa Fe had a major engine failure after 10 days (400K). The repair took 5 days. My request for a replacement vehicle was declined even though I was led to believe that this would be the case. In the meantime, one tail-light has water in it, the driver door vibrates and clicks, the fuel consumption is now 17 litres per 100K and the seats are terrible.

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  2009 Santa Fe Limited AWD - 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By MassHyundaiBuyer - December 13 - 11:33 am

  Did a lot of research on-line through CR and Edmunds. We have three kids and wanted something sporty with a third row seat. We also did not want a mega SUV with poor gas mileage. In doing the research, the choice was obvious. The Santa Fe has excellent ratings and the price is thousands less than comparable vehicles. We now had the car for one week and we love it. The third row has plenty of room and can split, to maintain storage. The engine is quiet and the ride is smooth. The car has a nice high view of the road. We use to have a station wagon, and we thought we might be losing some cargo space. This was not the case. There is plenty of cargo space and the car is not overly long.

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  Great buy - 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By Manny - September 4 - 5:13 pm

  I just purchased a 2009 Limited AWD Santa Fe, and I am so glad I did. It looks and drives like a luxury SUV. It really has all possible safety features available today, and feels secure. I would recommend any of the new Hyundai because of the huge improvements done in these recent years.

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  Love My Santa Baby! - 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By Straxt - September 2 - 9:43 am

  Bought it after trading in a Mazda Miata Convertible. . . which I dearly loved! But grandchildren have arrived and I must do the grandmotherly thing. This vehicle had the highest safety rating and had great reviews on Edmunds. So there was no great debate on which way I would go.

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  New Car conks out - 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By Smiths - June 20 - 10:00 am

  2009 Sante Fe conked out at the exit ramp. It was a bit dangerous since the ramp had a blind curve. I stopped at the light at the end of the ramp, when it turned green and depressed gas pedal, the car just died. During this time I tried starting it off and on, no luck. After 45 min tow truck came, then I tried to start again and started right up. Ive traded it in, I couldnt trust it anymore. I do travel a lot, and alone sometimes, so I dont want to be on the side of the road broke down. The dealership couldnt find anything wrong with it. If it werent for that one breakdown incident, I loved the vehicle. Too paranoid it would break down again. limited back view