Looking at purchasing one, If you have one could you please tell me what year and what you like or dislike about it?
Is there a certain model that’s better than the other?
Or any other vehicle you’d recommend over that? SUV AWD/4WD types! Thanks
dlin9,
Apr 3, 5:31am
Generally pretty solid cars. What year are you thinking of?
One thing that is very important is to keep the tyre treads matching all around. The AWD systems on these don't tolerate mismatched tyres & it's an expensive repair
intrade,
Apr 3, 6:20am
depends what you want and really need. what one really needs should be on top of list. most dont need awd nor a suv. The good news on korean car makes you can order parts your self direct from korea. I posted a question in the chat and got a reply We Ship to New Zealand every day. So from that point its better then most other makes. However modern cars are extreem unreliable compaired against a 1990 townace or corolla awd carib
franc123,
Apr 3, 7:00am
Not much point in asking that, you wont get a focused response. What your budget is, what you are planning to do with it (how many seats you need, what proportion of driving city/highway towing?) are all big factors in what to buy and what engine you need. Also why do you REQUIRE an AWD vehicle? SUV's are expensive motoring in upfront and ongoing running costs compared to cars.
saki,
Apr 3, 7:40am
Year, petrol, diesel, 4wd, 2wd. Happy with my IX35 turbo diesel.
meow_mix,
Apr 3, 8:40am
Hyundai have come a long way recently, people seem happy with the Santa Fe. They have cool taillights, a recent Hyundai/Kia styling thing, so they put high quality jewel-like lights in the rear bumper and then more lights higher up, looks quite cool. The Koreans are very serious about their cars now, I think they want to compete with Toyota and the likes, the later Santa Fe is quite a large vehicle, reminds me of a Highlander from a distance.
waiswheatiez,
Apr 3, 9:23am
Want a higher vehicle, we live in the country and would like something that can tow. Want something that can be used to go away with more space compared to a wee Mazda 3!
5 seats or 7 seats either way. Is a petrol Santa Fe better than a diesel?
meow_mix,
Apr 3, 10:04am
I would go for the petrol model, diesel has had it's day and is becoming unfashionable, also I would imagine the Korean diesel technology would be fairly average.
blogzy,
Apr 3, 10:33am
From my research the diesel engines are well rated. I nearly purchased one but one of my criteria was i wanted a quiet vehicle. I found the couple of late model santa fe's i drove had a bit of resonance in the rear of the cabin. Probably would not bother most people but i chose a lexus sedan with very smooth ride and very quiet. Mind you if you need an suv , ( i didn't) i still rate them.
saki,
Apr 3, 11:03am
Oh yeah, driven a Hyundai diesel?, IX35 is my first diesel, incredible tourque, I only have the 6 speed, but I am always open to the experts opinions.
dlin9,
Apr 3, 11:32am
I'd strongly recommend the diesel over the petrol. The diesel pulls well and in my experience is a pretty reliable unit. It's a heavy vehicle for a 2.4 4 cyl petrol and you can tell the difference straight away
magenta,
Apr 3, 12:27pm
Bought a new diesel Kia Sportage AWD late last year. I needed something quite quickly. I took a few things for a test drive including a CX5 , Mitsi ASX., Ford (small SUV- cant remember the name - maybe Escape). I also took a BMW x1 and an older Audi A7 (I think) for a drive. The Kia was the best on our narrow country road by a long way. It feels solid, very quiet and handles pretty well. I have had BMW 3 series cars for years, but my husband cant get into them very easily now. The Kia does not have the same handling qualities as the BMW, but its pretty good. value for money. I was not that keen on diesel but it would have taken at least a month for the petrol version and the diesel one was there to buy. Its actually very quick and I have to remember to keep it under control!
msigg,
Apr 3, 12:29pm
Yea, good machine, diesel over petrol any day. They are reliable, most cars on the road now days are very reliable compared with something 30 - 40 years ago,
skull,
Apr 3, 1:05pm
For a Santa Fe sized SUV I'd be going diesel all day every day. Santa Fe's have a good reputation for reliability. Make sure you get a proper Pre Purchase Inspection by someone familiar with whatever brand/model you choose.
monaro17,
Apr 3, 1:28pm
Have you been living under a rock for the last ten years? The Korean car manufacturers have often been leading the Japanese in terms of safety, reliability, drivetrain refinement and technology etc And in terms of engine options for the Santa Fe again your statement is incorrect. While ok/good, the petrol engines pale in comparison to the R series diesel which continues to be highly commended and high regarded by journalists and owners alike
stevo2,
Apr 3, 2:49pm
My mate bought one a few years ago done 150,000km and still has it. They have had no issues so far and I imagine the milage would be around 200,000km by now.
meow_mix,
Apr 3, 3:04pm
Well if you really want to spend heaps on a brand new Korean dodgy diesel then go for it. The only good diesels are in Euros, Jap diesels are rubbish too.
kcf,
Apr 6, 12:41pm
I'm running a Kia Sorento diesel manual. Same as the Hyundai Santa Fe, just in a different dress. Nice enough to drive daily, good on fuel, and 2500kg tow rated. Tows better than you'd expect from a 2.2 engine too.
carclan,
Aug 24, 12:12pm
Hi, I have just bought a 2016 diesel one and am quite happy with it.
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