2010 Hyundai Santa Fe Reviews

Ewan Kennedy reviews the first, second and third generation Hyundai Santa Fe between 2000 and 2015 as a used buy.

Don Bate bought his 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe SLX diesel manual in 2011 when it had done 25,000 km. It has now done 72,000 km, 30,000 of which have been towing his 1750 kg caravan. He says the Santa Fe is a superb towing vehicle. It gets 7.2 L/100 km around town and 10.5 L/100 km towing on the highway. The clutch had to

Ewan Kennedy road tests and reviews the used 2000-2013 Hyundai Santa Fe.

Fact: Children grow. Fiction: Parents can "make do'' with a small hatchback.SUVs rule Australian roads for a good reason. Parents -- and singles needing space for leisure pursuits -- have picked up and run hard with prairie-size family-hauler wagons.The SUV umbrella covers different types, from front-wheel drive to seven-seat all-wheel-drives, diesel engines to hybrids, built anywhere between Australia and Slovakia. Sizes range from the compact (3.7m) four-seater Suzuki Jimny to the seven-seater (5.1m) Audi Q7. Prices go from the Chery J11's $17,990 drive-away to the Audi Q7 6.0TDI at $257,200.SUVs have a lot of metal and are in demand, so you'll find that new examples aren't cheap. A quality used model may be the best answer. The three models here are all-wheel drive automatics with seven seats. You will save some money by opting for five-seat versions but as buyer demand leans to seven-seat models this will, ultimately, buoy your resale value.You probably don't need AWD, so look at the cheaper to run front or rear-drive versions. The Toyota has a higher mileage and is older. Toyota's reputation is based on reliability and, therefore, better resale.The Hyundai is one of the better diesels for performance and economy. The Territory is good value and the Ghia example is the top-liner -- it's perhaps more suited to heavier loads. As always, these are examples of what's available and variations will occur. After this, we'll talk about how many children you want.(Search for hundreds more choices)HOT TIPSDiesels are our preference in big SUVs. If you don't go bush, don't worry about 4WD. Check that the third-row seats are in working order2010 Ford Territory Ghia AWDEngine: 4.0-litre 6-cyl petrolTransmission: 6-speed autoThirst: 12.2L/100kmCARSGUIDE SAYSAussie designed and built wagon is a sensible -- and popular -- family wagon that'll pull a decent load while having space for the family. Even the third-row seats will accommodate two adults. Fuel consumption isn't up to most rivals but the Territory has comparatively cheaper service, repair and insurance costs. The Ghia has all the fruit -- leather, electronic stability control, six airbags, premium audio and DVD, rear camera and 18-inch alloys -- at a price that is about $20,000 less than new. 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe Highlander AWD Engine: 2.2-litre 4-cyl turbo dieselTransmission: 6-speed autoThirst: 7.5L/100kmCARSGUIDE SAYSThis is almost a new car though it precedes the latest Santa Fe. It's possible to get the new 2012 shape for roughly the same price but the equipment level may be compromised. This 2011 example appears to be barely used and has the lauded 2.2-litre turbo diesel engine that has plenty of urge yet miserly fuel consumption. It's also the top-line model Highlander that in addition to the seven seats -- also able to seat seven adults -- gets dual-zone climate control airconditioning, six airbags and stability control, Bluetooth with iPod connect, sunroof and leather upholstery.2010 Toyota Kluger KX-S AWDEngine:3.5-litre V6 petrolTransmission: 5-speed autoThirst: 11.0L/100kmCARSGUIDE SAYSSilly name but the package works. Kluger's pricing may be more than some rivals but resale is generally higher, as is demand. The KX-S is the mid-spec model and gets a good blend of features including rear airconditioning, 19-inch alloys, reverse camera, leather upholstery and six airbags with electronic stability control. Klugers have a very versatile seat arrangement that includes a removable centre in the second-row seats for a six-occupant cabin that also gives a walk-through function. Fuel economy is average though performance is brisk.

It started with a challenge and ended up with another.  Late last year, Hyundai entered two of its new Santa Fe R wagons in the Global Green Challenge — a tough 3136km economy run from Darwin to Adelaide. It was no picnic, with in-car temperatures exceeding 50 deg C.Remarkably, one of the Santa Fes achieved an average fuel consumption of just 5.10 litres per 100km, while the Carsguide entry didn't disgrace itself either, finishing with 5.39-litres.   That was achieved by driving smoothly, driving slowly and driving without the use of fuel-robbing air conditioning.While most motorists wouldn't go to such lengths to reduce their fuel bill it did prove the Santa Fe R was the most fuel efficient wagon in its class.  Hyundai's official fuel consumption for the turbo diesel is 6.7l/100km for the manual and 7.5l/100km for the automatic, which in real-world stop-start driving means the average owner should be getting between 8 and 9l/100km for a mix of city and rural driving. Anything less they are doing well.At the end of the Global Green event CarsGuide put its own challenge to Hyundai — to do a more realistic test of the Santa Fe's consumption by towing a mid-sized caravan over a typical grey nomad route.The routeWe’ve just completed a 1200km, four-day test from Sydney to Melbourne, hitched to a Jayco poptop — and we made it using less than two tanks of fuel.The route started at Hyundai Australia's Sydney headquarters in the northern suburb of Macquarie park. It then traversed the city with its congested traffic before heading down the South Western highway to Goulburn. It then dropped down to the coast on the often steep Kings Highway to Batemans Bay.The second day followed the undulating Princess Highway to Eden, including a side trip to the delightful sideside town of Bermagui.  The third day ended up in Traralgon in Victoria before the run to the finish line at Hyundai's Melbourne office in Clayton.The drivingThe wagon was kept at speeds of between 80 and 90km/h where possible, while the route was planned to take in typical conditions faced by caravanners, including plenty of twisty roads and abundant hills. The unexpected was when Mother Nature played a cruel twist, forcing us to drive into the teeth of a gale-force south-westerly which swept Victoria.The goal was to return an average fuel consumption of between 9 and 10l/100km — and in New South Wales, in perfect driving conditions, we saw 9.4l/100km. By the half way point the hills had taken their toll and the Santa Fe returned a still remarkable 10.05l/100km.Then disaster. Crossing into Victoria we were hit by 40km/h gales and driving rain which immediately shot fuel consumption to high 11s, no matter how hard we tried. The simple solution would have been to stop, but had a time deadline so we pushed on.The fuel billIt was heartbreaking because the Santa Fe is, from our experience, capable of a sub-10L/100km, given the right conditions.  We battled on and eventually the wind dropped and so did the fuel consumption. We made to Melbourne with the low fuel warning light on and less than 5 litres remaining.The Sydney to Melbourne drive returned an average consumption of 10.36l/100km or 27 mpg.  The best return an impressive 9.4l/100km (in Sydney traffic), the worst, thanks to the headwinds, 12l/100km.  The Santa Fe covered 1186km without a wimper, staying in fifth or sixth gear for most of the journey, such is the tremendous torque from the diesel.We used 122.90 litres; with a total cost of $159.84, with diesel prices ranging from a high $1.38 a litre in Eden to a low $1.21 a litre in Melbourne.  The Santa Fe's fuel economy as a tow vehicle was remarkable considering the gale force head winds and the constant four wheel drive wagon had an automatic transmission, air conditioning was used when needed, as was the cruise control.The vehicle and vanEven more remarkable was that it towed a caravan weighing in at 1.3 tonnes and fitted with a roof-mounted air condition unit which created extra drag without any issues.We have written about the seven-seat Santa Fe before, noting how quiet and how user friendly it is to drive. Plus it comes with a five-star safety rating, has a big cabin and adult space in all seven seats.  It took less than a day to pick the Santa Fe's best and not so good features.The best was the strong 145kW common-rail turbodiesel, perfectly matched to the six-speed automatic with sequential manual shifting available if needed. The combination is a cracker.  It develops 436Nm of torque between 1800 and 2500rpm. The auto delivers more torque than the manual (421Nm) so gives it the edge for towing.We drove the Elite-spec version which comes well equipped for the $43,990 pricetag including dual air conditioning, lockable rear differential, traction and stability control, six airbags, parking sensors, cruise control, push button start, wide-angled interior "nanny" mirror, power adjustment for the front seats, smart entry and iPod and USB connectivity.The tipsThere are three big killers to lowering fuel consumption: excessive speed, poor driving habits or poor engine tune.To get the best result:Drive smoothlyDon't accelerate or brake hardKeep the vehicle moving by anticipating changes to the traffic to avoid delays Reduce your speed on the highway Switch off the engine while waiting for long periods at traffic lights Use the highest gear possible without labouring the engine. Change up a gear in petrol engine vehicles at about 2500rpm, in diesels at about 2000rpm. If vehicle speed drops off select a lower gear sooner rather than later Modern automatics can use less fuel than a manual Reduce the vehicle or trailer's weight by getting rid of unwanted items like roof racks Get your vehicle serviced Avoid peak hour traffic Ensure your tyres are at the manufacturer's maximum recommended level On the highway use the air conditioning rather than drive with the windows down to reduce drag At lower city speeds switch off the air conditioning and open a window. 

Take two Korean twins into the Australian bush and you could have trouble telling them apart. That's what happened when we took loaded up a Kia Sorento and a Hyundai Santa Fe to the gunwales with people and camping gear and headed into the bush to Queensland's majestic Carnarvon Gorge.Our test vehicles were both top-spec diesel models, just the type of vehicle a grey nomad are considering for their lap of the continent.After more than 2000km of highway, country road and limited dirt and offroad driving, we had a hard time telling them apart. They look, feel and even sound similar. Making a buying choice could be even more difficult. Far from being out of their depth in the Aussie bush, these Korean softroaders excel with a quiet, comfortable ride and performance levels that will challenge the average Aussie's view of what it takes to get around west of the Great Divide.The Koreans are forging ahead with Hyundai not far behind Ford, even outselling them in February. Hyundai's sister company, Kia, is a long way back, but surging past Mercedes-Benz and BMW and not far behind Suzuki. Their keys to success are not cheap and cheerful vehicles, but reliable, quality products.What are the differences?The Santa Fe and Sorento are basically built off the same platform with the same underpinnings, shared engineering and engines. On several occasions during the test, I forgot which vehicle I was driving, so similar are the controls and appearance, especially inside.Outside, there is more difference. Voting on the most stylish was divided among friends and family with some preferring the bulkier and more noble look of the Hyundai and others admiring the sleeker Kia with its extra touches of chrome bling.The differences are basically an optical illusion as the silhouettes are almost identical. Kia has made their SUV appear sleeker and slimmer by having higher black plastic mouldings which reduce the amount of painted panels. By comparison the Hyundai looks a little saggy in the rear end. Interiors are also fairly similar and you could easily step from one to the other and operate all the controls and audio functions without having to look.EquipmentBoth have a load of creature features fitted: six airbags, rear parking sensors, cruise control, climate air and leather steering wheel. One of the best features of the two vehicles is the reversing camera screen in the rearview mirror, which is the first place you look when reversing.And how about those electric front seats. They move forward, back, up and down, tilt and have adjustable lumbar support - more positions than the Kama Sutra.The interior differences are few and far between, but could be crucial in making a buying decision. For example if you have rowdy kids, you might want to go for the Hyundai which has a clever convex mirror under the standard rearview mirror which allows parents to check on who started the latest fight.If you have a lot of MP3 players, mobile phones, portable fridges etc, you also might like to buy the Hyundai as it has four 12V outlets compared with two in the Kia.The Hyundai also has an airconditioning vent in the centre console which acts as a chill box. The console has a two-stage lid which helps keep some items separate. However, the Kia has a bigger bin with a small removable inner small bin inside.Both have good build quality inside and while the plastics are a bit hard in places, the Hyundai has slightly better feel on the steering wheel. Its leather seats are also just a shade softer, but neither is particularly plush against your backside.The Kia brings a little bling inside with nice touches of chrome and the word "Sorento" in the door kicker which lights up. It's a slightly more upmarket feel in the cabin. Instruments are near identical except that the Hyundai lights up in blue and the Kia in red. Both have three rows of seats and separate airconditioning controls for the passengers and even the supplied iPod cable will work in either vehicle. So a buying decision could come down to your favourite colour.DrivingIn driving dynamics there is even less of a divide. They both steer slightly lightly around the centre and have an initial tip in the body on turn-in, but don't wallow or lean too much more under heavy cornering.Brake pedals have a plush feel, but deliver similar strong stopping performance even when packed and on loose surfaces. Tyre noise and grip is similar despite the Hyundai running Khumo 235/60R18 tyres and Kia on Nexen 235/60R18 rubber. The diesel engines are the same and have identical power and torque figures, pulling surprisingly well up some steep Central Highlands inclines.Both have a slight turbo lag off idle, but then the power then comes on hot and strong, sometimes giving a bit of a tug on the steering wheel and sending the outside wheel for a short spin until the stability control cuts in if you are on loose or slippery surface. I had previously found the Hyundai engine noise a little intrusive, but once settled into the rhythm of the highway, it was not a problem and no louder than the Kia.While both have capable off-road drive components with electronic locking diffs, slightly more serious off-roaders who like to tackle steep descents may consider the Kia which has a hill descent selector.Over a week of bush driving, both diesel vehicles returned identical fuel econmomy figures of eight litres per 100km. That was the same figure I obtained from the Santa Fe over a week of purely urban duties. The extra load and off-road duties obviously offsetting the highway cruise.So if you are making a choice between these two capable Korean SUVs it might come down to the flip of a coin or your favourite colour. Either way, you shouldn't be disappointed.Hyundai Santa Fe vs Kia SorentoPRICES: $48,490 (Santa Fe Highlander), $48,990 (Sorento Platinum)ENGINES: 2.2-litre turbo dieselPOWER: 145kWTORQUE: 436NmTRANSMISSION: 6-speed autoFUEL TANK: 70 litresTOWING: 2000kg (braked)KERB WEIGHT: 1988kg (Hyundai), 1959kg (Kia)SAFETY: stability control, six airbags and 5-star crash rating