The Santa Fe compact gaming app is even more valuable for 2005 with its long list of popular comfort, protection, and finish features. The styling was revised for 2005 with a new grille, a subtle frame, new taillights, and a new rear bumper. The Santa Fe feels prepared for the outdoors, and its superior seating position and generous shipping capacity add to its application.
The Santa Fe drives well on and off paved roads with decent handling and smart brakes. The 2. 7-liter and 3. 5-liter V6 engines offer intelligent acceleration, especially in front-wheel-drive models. The available all-wheel-drive formula with the 2. 7-liter engine works well for smooth off-road work. A new available electronically controlled all-wheel-drive formula with the 3. 5-liter engine provides a solid foundation for tougher off-road situations and adverse weather situations. The 3. 5-liter engine is accompanied by a five-speed automatic transmission, an unforeseen point of refinement for this class.
Side airbags are standard. The GLS and LX versions come with a 218-watt Monsoon stereo. Best of all, the Santa Fe is subsidized through Hyundai’s long and comprehensive warranty, making it one of the best-looking small SUVs on the market. They say you get what you pay for. Because, however, with the Hyundai Santa Fe it turns out that you get a little more.
The Hyundai Santa Fe is available in two trim levels: GLS and LX. Both levels are popular with front-wheel drive. All-wheel drive is available on either model ($1,500).
The Santa Fe GLS ($21,499) is powered by a 2. 7-liter V6 engine, mated to a four-speed automatic transmission with Shiftronic manual shift control. The GLS comes with a long list of features, such as air conditioning, tinted and forced windows. and locks, heated outside mirrors with forced adjustment, cruise control, keyless entry with alarm, roof rack side rails, new for 2005, 16-inch alloy wheels, fog lights, intermittent rear windshield wipers with windshield washer, contrasting trims and bumpers, Monsoon 218-watt Stereo AM/FM/CD with six speakers, Leather-wrapped steering wheel, carpeted floor mats, shipping net and retractable shipping awning and first aid kit (with sunscreen, poison ivy balm, bandages, and a thermal blanket).
The GLS is also available with a 3. 5-liter V6 engine ($22,099) with a five-speed automatic transmission with Shiftronic manual control.
The GLS can be upgraded with an in-dash six-CD changer for stereo ($395) and a convenience package ($495) that includes fully automatic climate and an auto-dimming photochromic rearview mirror and Homelink programmable transmitter. Forced tilt/sunroof is also available with sun visor ($750).
The Santa Fe LX ($23,499) comes with leather upholstery and the 3. 5-liter V6 and five-speed Shiftronic automatic transmission, all the features of the GLS plus automatic climate control, heated front seats, a Homelink transmitter, an electrochromic rearview mirror, the Monsoon stereo with a six-CD changer on the dash, Chrome door handles and brushed stainless metal tread plates. Optional: Power glass sunroof ($750).
Safety features on all Santa Fe models come with four-wheel disc brakes, antilock brake formula with traction control, dual front airbags and front seat-mounted side airbags.
All Hyundai’s come with one of the industry’s warranty/service plans: 10 years/100,000 powertrain miles, five years/60,000 bumper-to-bumper, five years/60,000 miles of corrosion and 24-hour corrosion. Five years with unlimited mileage.
The proportions of the Hyundai Santa Fe are well balanced. An elegant front finish for the user is harmoniously combined with the comfortable side walls. The design suggests enough ruggedness for off-road capabilities. Large wheel arches filled with 16-inch alloy wheels and 225/70R16 profile. The tires (standard for 2005) give this feeling of sturdiness. The greenhouse is a pretty good size.
The Santa Fe has been designed to have a softer, more unobtrusive face than the rugged façade of other SUVs. However, the contrasting trim of the frame, bumpers and redesigned grille give the 2005 Santa Fe a pragmatic appearance of ability to tackle clearings and tree limbs. on the trails.
The tailgate works well. The Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 have right-hinged rear doors, which works well in Japan, but in the U. S. In the U. S. , the open door interferes with curbside unloading. By opening the hatch upwards, Hyundai offers universal access. Solution. Opening the tailgate is a breeze thanks to its pistol grip lock and fuel shock absorbers. Closing is just as easy thanks to a retractable handle attached to the inside. When open, the tailgate smoothly crosses six-front standing.
Getting in and out of the Santa Fe is easy thanks to its large, comfortable door handles and low height. You don’t need to pass through to get in or get off to get out. Rear passengers don’t want to turn their feet sideways to go over the door jamb.
Once inside, the interior is delicious to the touch. All the controls are giant and thick. The shift knob is gigantic. The stereo controls are giant and offer simple adjustment. Climate controls are gigantic and easy to use, even if they look like plastic. A glossy finish embellishes the interior door latches and handbrake handle.
The shift knob and shift dial are illuminated with chrome accents on the GLS and LX. Illuminated window force switches and an illuminated glove box increase comfort at night. The driver’s cup holder is conveniently arranged, making it a smart vehicle for a morning cappuccino. The virtual clock is in the center of the dashboard, where it’s easy to see. The gigantic exterior mirrors offer a perfect view to the rear.
The front seats are comfortable, if flat, without much lateral support. The driver’s seat adjusts in 8 ways to suit other shapes and preferences of the structure, the changes are a bit complicated.
The Santa Fe offers spacious rear seats, with plenty of headroom and legroom. The rear-seat cup holders are molded into the card wallet attached to the doors. The backrest of the rear seat reclines for the comfort of the rear passengers. But the rear door windows don’t roll down all the way, a flaw shared by other small SUVs.
ISOFIX child seat anchorages are provided on either of the outer rear seats. Three-point headrests and seat belts are provided for outside passengers, while the rear center passenger is limited to a lap belt only. The anchor loops on the outer shoulder belt are constant and not adjustable (although we wonder if anyone actually adjusts the adjustable type). The retainer buckles on the rear seat belt buckles don’t feel very durable (but it’s not a protective feature).
To fold the rear seats, fold the rear of the rear seat forward, remove the headrests from the backrests, and then fold down the seatbacks. This provides as much, if not more, shipping area than any other compact SUV. We found that the latches for turning the rear seats forward were plastic and not metal. The loading floor is not perfectly flat. But nine tie-down loops will be needed to keep your gear from moving. Underground garage bins provide a position to hide valuables or travel gear. A retractable shipping cover and shipping net are standard.
The Hyundai Santa Fe offers handling, especially in the two-wheel-drive version. The front-wheel-drive Santa Fe proved to be more fun and responsive than heavier four-wheel-drive models. It doesn’t feel as heavy as some SUVs. The brakes have a refreshing response, even before the ABS (standard) is engaged.
The 3. 5-liter V6 is paired with a five-speed automatic transmission. It offers a lot of throttle reaction once it’s on. It’s a bit clunky and the throttle reaction is rarely very linear, but the owner can calibrate their foot for the 3. 5-liter engine that produces two hundred horsepower and 219 pound-feet of torque. In fact, only the Ford Escape and Mazda Triyete, which feature an optional 200-horsepower 3. 0-liter V6, offer similar strength in this class. EPA-rated fuel economy drops to 17/23 mpg city/highway. The front-wheel-drive 3. 5-liter Santa Fe, fitted with a tow brake, is designed to tow up to 3,300 pounds, enough to carry a small boat trailer. With its cast-iron block and aluminum multi-valve cylinder heads, it’s the same engine Hyundai installs in its flagship XG350 sedan.
The 2. 7-liter V6 produces 170 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque. These are smart numbers for the V6s that will be offered in other compact SUVs. The 2. 7-liter Santa Fe V6 can accelerate faster than the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. , which will only offer four-cylinder engines. EPA-estimated fuel economy is 19/25 mpg city/highway for a 2. 7-liter Santa Fe with front-wheel drive and 18/23 for a 2. 7-liter with all-wheel drive.
All-wheel-drive Santa Fe models use one of two systems, depending on which 2. 7-liter or 3. 5-liter engine delivers the power.
We discover the mechanical formula of permanent 4-wheel drive available with the 2. 7-liter V6, capable of smooth off-road driving in Southern California. The formula turns out to be a smart job of getting torque where it’s needed, especially with (standard) traction. This formula is compact and clever and was developed through Austrian all-wheel drive specialist Steyr-Daimler-Puch. The formula combines engineering shown in an avant-garde way. An internal planetary differential on the front transaxle distributes torque similarly between the front wheels and 60/40 between the front and rear axles. A viscous coupling between the front and rear axles overrides the differential if the wheels at either end start to turn. It’s a simple, purely mechanical formula that’s been around for decades and works great without the driver’s attention. All 4 wheels are permanently driven, and the coupling restricts the speed difference between the front and rear axles. Therefore, if a front wheel starts turning, the torque is zero. delay redirected backwards, and vice versa.
The 3. 5-liter Santa Fe models are supplied with a new, more complicated electronic formula that Hyundai calls InterActive Torque Management (ITM). This formula does not yet require operator intervention. Most of the time, it drives only the front wheels, but monitors their traction with a pc and distributes torque to the rear wheels only when needed. The main merit of the ITM is the optimised fuel economy thanks to all-wheel drive. A 3. 5-liter Santa Fe with all-wheel drive earns an EPA score of 17/23, equivalent to the lightest front-wheel-drive version. The ITM electronic formula available with the 3. 5-liter V6 evolved through American gearbox veteran Borg-Warner. It is based on a series of rain clutches fixed right in front. of the rear axle. A computer controls the wheel speed, the position of the throttle and the steering angle and, if necessary, the clutch.
The Hyundai Santa Fe is fun to drive, especially the front-wheel-drive V6 models. The available all-wheel-drive formula improves traction in slippery conditions, but puts pressure on the 2. 7-liter V6 engine. The all-wheel-drive formula available with the 3. 5-liter engine works better. If you’re looking for a compact SUV, the exceptionally well-equipped Hyundai Santa Fe, with its attractive styling and competent manners, might be your best bet. Just what you’re looking for.
Tom Lankard, a correspondent for New Car Test Drive, is based in Northern California.
Hyundai Santa Fe GLS 2WD ($21,499); GLS ($22,999); GLS 3. 5L 2WD ($22,099); GLS 3. 5L ($23,599); LX 3. 5L 2WD ($24,499); LX 3. 5L ($25,999).
Ulsan, South Korea.
none.