Most people who hear about Hyundai vehicles of the past are quick to say how unreliable they are. However, in the past few years, Hyundai has seemed to change their ways and offered a tough to beat bumper to bumper and powertrain warranty. Even though I am not a import vehicle enthusiast, I wanted to take a 2002 Santa Fe for a test drive to see if I would be impressed with it or not.

The model I test drove was a fully loaded 4WD LX, with every option immaginable. The sticker was a respectable $24,000.

When I stepped in the Santa Fe, the seats were plush and comfortable (their were leather, by the way). The steering column was nice, and the instrumentation was well laid out. However, I wish they would have made the speedometer a little bigger. If you are not used to it, you may want to pay special attention to how fast you are going in a rural area. The seat arrangement was not bad, but I felt that the seat to steering wheel ratio was a little bit off. In other words, I felt like I was sitting too high in the seat, despite setting it as low as possible.

The outside styling is somewhat controversial, some people like it, some hate it, and other just dont know what to make of it. Personally, I like the styling of it. It is different from its competitors without being to retro. The trim is well made, and the curves are not too demanding.

One of my biggest impression about the interior was how much room was available in the Santa Fe. Even the back seats were spacious. Unless the front passengers were tall, there was no clearance problems with backseat legroom. Most average size passengers will love the room. The rear seats can fold down, if more room is needed. Even though this procedure is not difficult, the look of the folded seats could have been smoother in my opinion.

Ok, lets get down to the nitty gritty: The engine and road test. The model I drove had the 2.7L 181hp V6, which is standard on all 4WD models. The motor idles smooth, and it supurb in city limits and rural areas. The only thing this engine lacks is it's high end power. Sometimes merging on the busy city highways may require the pedal to go all the way down, and this motor is doing all it can to get up to the 65mph speed limit. Highway cruising is not bad, and the cruise control works as it should. The handling on this SUV, in my opinion, was better than most in its class. It was solid and did not feel like it was going to tip over. When I looked under the hood after the road test, I was impressed to see how much room was under the hood and how well laid out the engine component were. The battery is easily accessible, the oil cap, and other fluid easy to get to. It is good that there is a long warranty on these vehicles, because the engine is pretty well blocked up, like most other sophisticated engines today.

As most people know, Hyundai today is known for their price and warranty. Very few manufacturers can beat it. The average price for a Santa Fe is around $20,000. The average is a GLS, with V6, and 4WD. You can get a stripped down standard 2WD 4-banger for about $17,000, but they arent as easy to find on a lot. The warranty is outstanding: 5yr/60,000 bumper to bumper, and 10yr/100,000 powertrain. So, if you bought or leased one, you will be covered the whole time you are paying for it. The only downfall here is that these are new models, and the real value has not been seen for older models yet. The reliability is still somewhat unproven, but, if an automaker stamps that kind of warranty on their cars, then they think enough of them to claim they will last awhile.

I am impressed with the Santa Fe. I am definitly putting it on my Top 3 list of SUV's under $30K. I think it competes well with the competition, but could be better in engine power. Hopefully more will come into dealerships, but for now, they are a little in demand, and the dealers are not taking anything off the MSRP. The financing isnt as competitive, either.
Amount Paid (US$): 24,000
Condition: New
Model Year: 2002
Model and Options: LX, 4WD, V6, all options