Grim Views

I'm looking at buying a 2009 Santa Fe (used). I'm headed up to test drive and purchase tomorrow. Here is a link to the one that I plan to purchase. Does anyone have anything good/bad to say about the Santa Fe? Anything I should be aware of?

It's the Santa Fe, which isn't bad. However, never been a fan of SUVs built off of sedan packages, but I'm a traditionalist.

I also haven't dealt with the Koreans in my line of work, really. So can''t comment on the internals all that much. However, reviewers state the car is reliable. Ugly, but reliable.

It's a Hyundai, my experience with their cars has been some models work up to warranty then something falls off but that's their cheaper small cars. Never heard of that happening with the Santa Fe's but I don't know anybody with one.

I'm pretty sure you're going to be fine with it. Korean cars are at the point where Japanese were a few decades ago - poo-poo'd by people who didn't realize how well-built they were. As for ugly, well de gustibus et coloribus non est disputandum. I think I'd go for a Sportage myself, better mileage.

My Mom has had a Santa Fe for a few years now and loves it. Others who are Santa Fe drivers feel the same way. Pretty sure it has won awards and such.

The worst lemon I have ever known was a Hyundai. However, that was over 12 years ago, and it wasn't the Sante Fe. Several of my coworkers have Sonatas and they love those.

FWIW, Hyundai (the conglomerate) underwent a major restructuring around the time of the Asian financial crisis, and turned some things around...and the Sante Fe was the car that helped them do so.

So, not a bad car, actually. Just from a technology standpoint, I don't think Hyundai is really doing anything interesting. You need to look at...well, everyone but GM (they do great stuff, but know how to be schizophrenic when it comes to marketing). I'd love to have a reasonable turbo diesel here in the US, but alas, can't get them easily...everyone want's the goddamn hybrids!

VW are the only ones doing it are they Pincus? Well the germans in general?

Depends.

There's so much collaboration in the automotive industry that it's hard to keep track. VW and Mercedes are driving diesel design IIRC. However Honda and Toyota are still big on R&D. Ford isn't bad as well. GM has interesting stuff, but their branding makes things psychotic.

Course, I could be wrong or lying to you all...