2005 Hyundai Santa Fe

Rating from Lifetime Skier

(5)
Comfort:		4 out of 5
Performance:		4 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		4 out of 5
Interior Design:		4 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"I have been driving to ski resorts in the worst imaginable road conditions for 40 years. Best handing vehicle on snow and ice I have ever had? My 2005 Santa Fe. I've owned a Mercury Capri, VW bug, Porche 924, two Jeep Grand Cherokees, Pacifica, Mercury van, a 99 Corvette, and and Audi Quattro. The RWD Capri was an impressive 8/10, the Quattro scored 9/10, and the Santa Fe is a 10/10 for slick road handling. What a huge pleasant surprise! Worst of the pack? The Jeeps. If you are not in locked 4-low, they are downright dangerous. The rear end wants to pass the front even on flat roads. Since you cannot go over about 35 in 4-low, that makes the Jeep useless. Another FANTASTIC feature of the Santa Fe is that it goes from dead cold (zero degree weather!) to warm in less than five minutes, yet it never overheats in the summer. Obviously superb cooling system engineering. The stereo is excellent; I normally replace the factory unit with Alpine gear, but this car does not need that.) Comfort front and rear is very good. The front seat is a bit high for a tall driver, so you will want the adjustable seats if you are over 5' 10". Rear and side visibility is well above average for an SUV. Highway mileage is very good for an SUV... I get about 20 going from Boise to McCall and back. It is one of the cheapest cars I have ever owned, and it is my all time favorite ski car. Hey Detroit... Catch Up!!!"

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: Outdoor sports (hiking, cycling, etc.)

Rating from Santa Fe Driver

(5)
Comfort:		5 out of 5
Performance:		4 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		5 out of 5
Interior Design:		4 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"I bought my Santa Fe with about 118,000 miles and it now has 130,000;it's had no mechanical issues so far. I drive about an hour and a half round trip for school and work. I enjoy my "new" Santa Fe a great deal. The car is very user-friendly with a great interior layout and lots of room while also being small enough to easily maneuver. I get an average of 22-24 MPG."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: Commuting

Rating from Santa fe mom

(5)
Comfort:		5 out of 5
Performance:		4 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		5 out of 5
Interior Design:		5 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"Great crossover. Love it. Very cool looking and reliable. Every family should have one this nice. More room than my Lexus es300"

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: Transporting family

Rating from CommonMan

(4)
Comfort:		4 out of 5
Performance:		4 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		4 out of 5
Interior Design:		4 out of 5
Value for the Money:		4 out of 5
Reliability:		4 out of 5

"The 2005 Hyundai santa fe 3.6L XL AWD is a very nice car. Interior is very roomy when compared to similar vehicles. I purchased this car w/ 105K on it and for being the 3rd owner I am suprised by how tight the vehicle is and how nicely it still drives. I don't go off road so I can't comment on that, but it did nicely in snow (deepest I encountered was 8 inches). I have 2 complaints - I've had to reacquaint myself with the gas pedal. This thing wants to take off at the slightest press of the pedal (although I understand there is an adjustment for this). The other problem is this car is A GAS HOG. Combined mileage so far (i've had it 3 months) is 15 miles to the gallon, (mind you I go about 70mph on the freeway because if you don't, you'll be run over around here, so I have to take some blame on this). I have yet to take it on a long trip, but highway miles are supposed to be around 23, but I have my doubts. Otherwise, very nice car and if the gas mileage were better' I'd say great car."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: Commuting

Rating from longlife

(5)
Comfort:		4 out of 5
Performance:		4 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		4 out of 5
Interior Design:		4 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"bought new in 2005. Have 100,000 miles and could not be happier. Good milege, comfort but most of all value!! Other than maintenance - no problems at all. AWD drives well in snow and rain. Have thought about a new car , but this has been so good to me, so I am still driving. Next one will be a Santa Fe and I hear great reviews about the newer models."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Commuting

Rating from MyWay

(4)
Comfort:		4 out of 5
Performance:		4 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		4 out of 5
Interior Design:		4 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"Bought a used Santa Fe with 41.000 miles. Excellent value for the $$$. Nice to drive and I feel very safe in it. The larger V6 engine has plenty of power. Visability is really good and the best part for us is that it holds 4 sets of golf clubs! Would not hestitate to by another one. We have had daytime running lights installed for safety."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: Just getting around

Rating from suv mom

(5)
Comfort:		5 out of 5
Performance:		5 out of 5
Handling:		5 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		5 out of 5
Interior Design:		5 out of 5
Features:		5 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"Lots of room, confortable and great design. Traded in a small sports car with 5 speed and got a SUV with automatic."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: Just getting around

Rating from Toram

(1)
Comfort:		2 out of 5
Performance:		2 out of 5
Handling:		2 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		1 out of 5
Interior Design:		2 out of 5
Features:		2 out of 5
Value for the Money:		1 out of 5
Reliability:		1 out of 5

"I purchased the vehicle brand new in 2005 It was Hyundai GLS all wheel drive 2.7 litre. It was underpowered with slow acceleration at stop signs and lights. In 2009 the brakes started having problems at around 35000 miles . The full servicing at 36000 miles cost me 750 dollars . The dealer said the brakes were ok. Again took the car to the dealer and showed it at 43000 miles. They could not figure it out. By this time a complaint was lodged with Hyundai USA and I had to show it to private mnechanics . Hyundai USA sent me to Hyundai dealership again and this time they looked again. After paying 750 dollars again they could fix the brakes. Hence it is high maintanence car with lots of problems. Hyundai USA's has poor consumer services and would say you have to shell out money to get it repaired though the car was under warranty."

I would recommend this car to a friend: No

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Commuting

Rating from Converted to Hyundai

(4)
Comfort:		4 out of 5
Performance:		4 out of 5
Handling:		3 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		4 out of 5
Interior Design:		3 out of 5
Features:		4 out of 5
Value for the Money:		4 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"I said I wouldn't trade my previous suv for an ugly Hyundai. "Just take it for the weekend & see what you think" I was told. First thing Monday morning I made sure it was mine. Pros: More Power. Quieter engine. Decent gas mileage(25mpg mostly highway). Smoother ride. Handles well in poor weather. Ultimate dependability. Mine now has 85,000 miles with NO repairs needed. (I am pretty good about keeping the oil changed regularly) Cons: Not particularly agile. Seats need to adjust further for taller drivers. Headrests have to be removed to fold down the seats. Paint on the bumper chips easily. My next car will be a new Sante Fe."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: Just getting around

Rating from Sante Fe owner

(4)
Comfort:		4 out of 5
Performance:		4 out of 5
Handling:		4 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		5 out of 5
Interior Design:		3 out of 5
Features:		5 out of 5
Value for the Money:		4 out of 5
Reliability:		4 out of 5

"Bought my wife's Sante Fe new in May of 2005 She loves it in the bright red color. We have had many compliments on the cars looks, especially when it was newer. The car has been very dependable. Front seat adjustment is not as good as it should be. Rear seats will not fold forward without removing the headrests, there is no storage for them when you do remove them. LCD readouts on the dash are a turn off, back lighting is poor and if the sun is at your back you can not read some displays. The 3.5 engine is more than enough and the AWD is really great in the snow. The only issue we had for warranty was a very noisy compressor when the a/c system is running. The dealer replaced the drive belts for $160 but this did not fix the problem. The noise has gotten worse over time and needs to be looked at again. The car is still under it's original warranty but this has been the only issue thus far. Milage is ok at 17 and 21, about what you would expect for an AWD car of this size. The car currently has 39K miles. At 29K miles a tire went flat. The valet kid changed it for me but I was never sure which tire went flat. When I took the flat in for repair the dealer asked which wheel to put the tire on but we could not tell. The original tires show no wear! I really like this car."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Just getting around