Now This is Wonderful!

Author's Rating:

Pros: 6 year Bumper to bumper warranty & road service, 10 year transy. SECURITY IS #1

Cons: The gold SUV in the ads is actually an ugly yellowish color called Sandstone.

Handling And Control:

The Bottom Line: 
Run don't walk to buy one, it is a dream car!!!

Author's Review
Having done a Hyundai test drive 10/01 on a new SUV called the Sante Fe. I loved it! It comes in 4 or 6 cylinder, FWD, AWD, or 4WD. We had a '99 Elantra so we still have 2 years on the bumper to bumper warranty so no need to shop for a car. But every spare minute, I'd try to drive one again, this time with my DH, and he was crazy about it.

We decided on a 4 cylinder, FWD since Cleveland has no mountains. 19 city, 26 hwy was good with 87 octane a money saver. I wanted the Pewter color, but they have everything but Pewter. 3 dealerships & the pewters were 6 cylinder & $24K. So we waited.

Then Bob Ciocca, Manager of Ganley Westside Imports calls me, 2 months later to tell me he just received delivery of a pewter 4 cylinder FWD loaded with extras - standard. So he hid it til we got there the next morning. Sure enough, there was that "100K diamond" of a SUV. It had the auto trans which also can be downshifted or upshifted (just like standard, if you want). Driver's seats adjusts in height, forward & back, the lumbar backrest fully reclines to match the back seats (as does the passenger seat) to make a king sized bed. Mirrors inside the visors, electric everything (windows, locks, mirrors), security system included which if by accident you try to use the key to unlock the car, the siren sounds & you (or the thief) cannot start the car. This makes for great insurance savings. Steel alloy wheel covers on Bridgestone tires.

Other great items are a handle type opener for the cargo area, as well as a pushbutton to just open the back window to put stuff in. It also has the pull out, adjustable, privacy screen that covers from view what you have back there. The rear area windows are darkened also. A cargo net that secures it's 4 corners makes for spill proof bags or bottles. The rear passengers have map slots in the seats, twin drink holders, as well as large door wells for added storage, as do the front doors too. The full size with steel alloy covers tire is under the rear area of the SUV. You access it by turning a quarter in the slot. Front area has coin holder, 2 drink holders, stereo 6 speakers sound system with AM/FM/CD. No glare mirror darkens with high beam lights on cars following at night. Extra power slots are in the back on the lower wall, as well as below the cigarette lighter for charging cell phone, or whatever. Center column w/ armrest for extra storage & large glove box. Sunglass storage pop down area atop rear view mirror. 17 gallon tank gets me about 450 miles on the freeway, which I am told after I get 1500 miles on the car at varied speeds will get even better. Cruise Control keeps me ticket free! In glass antenna, intermittent wipers, remote fuel door (front & back) all standard.

Go ahead & do 40 over railroad tracks with a hot coffee in your hand, no spill or even movement the ride is that good!No blind spots, like other SUV with rear tire in window. It is lots of glass, large mirrors, a car with safety as #1.

It is the poor man's Lexus, as Motor Trend wrote.......


6/4/02: Had the car 9 days & I am amazed at more STANDARD items that I didn't mention, as I just found them. Storage is a major plus, Open the back & both sides have storage crevices & I found a first aid kit in one. Then pick up the carpet under the cargo net & more storage bins. My DH put tolls in the left one, the big center one has work clothes for me in it, and the right one is empty for now.

I also learned that the mirrors are HEATED! I am freezing with the AC on, and you also can open outside vent switches to warm it up. With the sun in my eyes I put down the visor & there I find a vanity mirror, as well as the passenger visor also. Twin map lights as well as interior light in the back. Rear wiper washer takes fluid from the front bottle, no rear bottle to fill. Up on the roof is a roof rack that you can add side rails to for $180. Tilt steering column, tachometer with 2 trip meters & odometer, a low fuel indicator light (on a freeway this is a great feature), child seat locks behind back seat as well as child locking rear doors, reclining rear seats to keep friends comfy on a long ride. We bought the carpeted floor mats which clean great, especially after I sprayed the entire interior with 2 cans of Scotchgard.

I could live in this SUV! But I do own a home for that.


6/6/02: Just had an embarrassing happening with my dear Sante Fe. I was at a store picking up a purchase. It was pouring out, so I stayed indoors & pushed the unlock button, which had the lights blinking "I'm Open!" Then I waited & waited for the clerk to do his job. Finally, about 7 minutes later, he apologizes states that customers were attacking him as he was trying to take care of me. So out he goes to the SUV with my product & SURPRISE! The Sante Fe relocked itself. He races back inside (luckily the product was covered in plastic) to tell me I failed to unlock the car. So again I push the button, the lights do their thing & he opens the read to slide in the big box & closes it & then comes inside. I race out to go home. When I got home I read the owner's manual about the unlocked that relocked & sure enough, another safety feature is that the brain in this car relocates the door in 5 minutes if you don't open a door!

Hyundai has done it now! Also my auto Insurance with American Family is only $61 higher than my insurance with the 3 year old Elantra that I traded in. WHAT A DEAL!

Update 9/4/02: Talk about security besides the anti theft switch that locks & unlocks the car or makes it scream if you unlock the car with keys.

Today I got a real scare & learned a major security lesson.
I got inside my car with arms filled with mail, purse, umbrella soaking wet and threw it all on the floor next to me. I then sorted my purse on the floor in the back, the mail in the passenger seat, the umbrella on the floor to use again. I put the key in the ignition, tuned to dead air. Car wouldn't start. I made suer I was in park. Tried again & nothing. Took the key out, locked & unlocked the car & tried again & nothing. So I phoned Hyundai's road side assistance number from my cell phone. The gal explains that my knee or arm had turned the wheel ever so little, but that put a security lock on starting the car.

If a car theft got in & attempted to "hot wire" the car, the wheel would lock & it wouldn't start. So I had to pull to the left with all my might & turn the key - IT STARTED!
So I put the wheel up a bit so this doesn't happen again. Great to know my car is that anti theft!!!

10/25/02 - Just received a postcard from Hyundai on my 2002 Sante Fe purchased 5/02. They are giving me a choice of 6 years bumper to bumper, or 10 years road side assistance do to a false advertising of horsepower of the Sante Fe (off by 10) so they are offering either to owners. I took the 6 year bumper to bumper! GREAT COMPANY ONCE AGAIN!

11/15/05 - We are hearing about carjacking & women being followed to their cars & then car is stolen with or without he woman. Today it happened to me. A man ran up behind me & whispered in my ear that he was taking my Sante Fe. So I slid the key only off my keyring & threw it well into the next aisle which the jerk ran to to get & then over to my Sante Fe. The jerk puts the key into the locked door & the siren goes off & door doesn't open, I have run to the police station at the mall & 6 of them are headed out with me. They hear my SUV screaming away & the jerk is still trying to unlock the passenger side, as they got him. Unfortunately my key is now part of the investigation with his prints on it. So I go to the station with the police as they write him up & take story from me. 3 other folks saw it happen, applauded my SUV for safety first & they also are headed out to buy a 2005 on sale. Even the Police stated their wives will be getting one...... SECURITY IS #1 with Hyundai........

4/20/2006: I was just rear ended on a busy downtown street by a buzzed teen in mommy's car. He told police he was uninsured, his radiator was fried, but my Sante Fe stood proud that I was safe inside as the seat belts locked me into position that no whiplash with the headrest with my head laying on it. I felt like I was in a recliner, no the seat of a car. The back bumper is split but lights still work, back door works perfectly, left front fender got nicked when he sped off leaking fluid, so he didn't get far from police, which I was one so I phoned Dispatch with the accident report & went in to sign it. The Commander who assisted me commented what a great vehicle I bought which he thought was a Lexus. I always got a kick out of that.

Amazing that I have no intention of trading her in for a 2007 since they have now installed a 3rd seat for seating for 8 in the 2007 Sante Fe. Why wreck a great vehicle with great storage & carrying capacity. I do not drive folks, so seating isn't what I want. They have the Entourage mini van for that. And the salesman tells me to take it out & do what with it? Why pay for what I don't want. The dealer takes it out & no charges me for it.

3/1/2007: A tearful good bye today as I pulled out of Ganley West Side Imports on Brookpark & Ridge roads in Parma OH with my 2007 Premium Package Tucson SE. But the mechanic at the dealership who serviced her every 3000 miles knows what a dream she is & bought her at the dealership! So she has a great daddy to take care of her & I have my new guy who hugs me when Isit inside. (Read my review of the Tucson)