Fine vehicle with great, functional tech.
I tested a number of other vehicles but the Santa Fe was the only one that made me say "Yes - THIS is the one." I have found it very comfortable to drive, with great handling. It has a staggering amount of space inside for passengers and/or cargo. The fuel efficiency has been very favorable for a vehicle of this size and trim - typically about 25 MPG mixed between city and highway driving. I've found the engine power to be sufficient for my needs but have experienced some odd sensations from the transmission at times, which many other owners have reported as well.
The exterior styling was very appealing to me for reasons I can't quite identify. Maybe it was the rugged, utilitarian shape and style borrowed from the Mercedes G or Land Rover Defender? I know I preferred the "truck-like" design to the many homogeneous curvy/bubbly shaped SUVs and Crossovers that dominate the market. To that point, I would not have considered the previous generation Santa Fe based on its appearance. One other exterior note - Hoping it was a fluke and not a by-product of design, I did have to replace my windshield due to a stone ding, then crack, after just three weeks of owning it.
The interior is very well apportioned and provides comfort without isolation from the feeling of driving. Little nooks for storage can be found all over the car. Seats are endlessly adjustable and both heating and cooling functions are very nice to have.
One of the most helpful pieces of tech I've found is the heads up display. I really like seeing the helpful information it provides at eye level instead of looking down. At times the amount of information displayed on all the screens can be a little overwhelming, but there are user settings I'm just getting into which will allow some changes there. I have just started using the voice commands which are especially helpful with the climate controls since the manual controls are absent any physical buttons. The touch screen buttons are very attractive but provide no tactile identification or feedback, which means looking directly down at them when making a change. Not ideal. There are manual knobs for temp and fan speed but other controls are all flat on the console and can be tricky to navigate.
The drive assist functions are better than I'd expected. Standard lane assist is helpful but not overbearing. Smart Cruise is fabulous! The ability to set a speed in fast, slow or even stop-and-go traffic completely changes the driving experience for me, relieving maybe half the stress of driving. When on the interstate and Highway Drive Assist combines the lane correction and Smart Cruise into an almost-auto driving experience, it really makes long trips more enjoyable.
I'm only 4000 miles into my ownership at this point so the most important aspect of the vehicle, long term reliability, remains to be seen. I retired my previous vehicle after 12 years and 205k miles, so my expectations on longevity are high, to say the least.
Verified Owner
