Let me start off by saying that I read several reviews on this site when looking at the Santa-Fe and let me warn some of you prospective shoppers/buyers that not all of the information from some of the reviewers (badtzgirl, for example) is accurate.

I have had my Santa Fe for almost a month now and I have enjoyed it a great deal. I own the 4WD GLS model which contrary to what Badtzgirl stated does NOT come with ABS standard. ABS costs about $500 extra and includes traction control on the GLS Model. Also, the "roof-rack" is not standard, only the side rails. If you want them to be functional you really need to purchase the cross-rails which will run you anywhere from $180-200.

As for rebates and incentives, there are none and there never have been as far as I have found. I researched this vehicle extensively for several months (since November of 2000). Hyundai has been very surprised by the sales for this vehicle and they are having a very hard time keeping up with demand. Their projected sales (verified through there press release at www.hyundaiusa.com) have already far surpassed their expectations for this year (they expected to sell 30,000 and already have sold 60,000).

I visited over 10 dealerships (I live in a metropolitan area) and each one told me that they either didn't have any GLS models (some didn't have any models at all) or they were selling before (or shortly after) they arrived on the lot. I lucked-out with mine; it was sold twice before I bought it (both times the sale fell through because of unreported bankruptcies on the buyers end). Total time on the lot between the three sales (two previous to me and me) was less then 5 days just to give you a sense of how in demand the vehicle is. In fact, when I went to pick up the vehicle, people were crawling all over it while the dealer was showing me how to operate all the features, etc.

In fact, demand is so high that dealers are marking up the vehicle ABOVE LIST PRICE and people are still buying them like crazy. I bought mine AT LIST and it is still a great value at that ($20,292 for a base 4WD GLS Model)

I have researched the car in other surrounding states as well and the situation was the same there so I am not sure where badtzgirl was coming from.

The vehicle itself (finally the review...) has many attractive features like Dual Second Generation Driver/Passenger Airbags. The second-generation aspect of the airbags is interesting. The driver/passenger seats have sensors that detect whether someone is sitting in the seat and/or how heavy the person weighs and then deploys the airbag according to the weight in the chair (not deploying at all if no one is sitting in the seat).

This is a very neat feature. The 4WD system operates as a FWD 2WD system and when the wheels detect slippage, 40% of the power is diverted to the rear wheels for a 60/40 split Front/Rear.

The interior is spacious and has a good amount of legroom for the front and rear passenger seats. I am 6'4 and although it is not the most legroom I have ever had (for real legroom buy a Ford Excursion and make sure you get a second job to pay for the gas) but it is reasonably comfortable.

The ride and handling is smooth and much less truck like then other midsize SUV's I test drove (including the Nissan X-tera, Ford Escape, Mazda Tribute and Isuzu Rodeo). The main reason for this is the independent rear suspension system and the fact the vehicle was built on a car platform (Hyundai Sonata).

Although the handling is more car like then others, it still behaves like an SUV when cornering at higher speeds so please be mindful of this. The handling is smooth enough that you can forget that you are driving a higher profile vehicle and the risk of rollover is definitely higher in these vehicles in general--and that should be kept in mind.

The national mpg average for the 6 cylinder 2.7liter 180hp is 19/23. That is not great, but for a midsize SUV that is very reasonable.

The cargo space is also very good. The rear seats fold down increasing the functional space by about 33%. I was able to fit two 23 inch mountain bikes (with the OPTIONAL Bike Adapter --$120-$160-- gear, clothes, and supplies fairly easily with room to spare with the back seats folded down. There are also handy compartments under the rear compartment for storing tools, etc.

A very nice feature of the rear hatch is that it opens vertically (upwards) which allows for opening the back even if you are in a tight space. The FULL SIZE spare (very nice) is stored directly below the rear compartment further increasing the rear cargo space and rear vision given that the tire is not blocking your view.

Additional features that come standard with the 4WD GLS include: power steering, windows, door locks, heated power mirrors, keyless remote entry, alarm, 6 speaker cd/radio, 4-speed shiftronic transmission (a feature that is a bit strange to find on an SUV but allows you to shift the vehicle like a manual but with no clutch--handy when going up or down hills for more control but really more of a gimmick then anything else) and more.

When I purchased the vehicle, the CD player did not work and a trip to the dealer solved the problem relatively quickly and painlessly. Other then that minor hick-up I have been very happy with the vehicle and the service thus far.

The warranty really can't be beat. 5 year 60,000 mile limited bumper to bumper warranty (includes 5 years UNLIMITED miles Road Side assistance -through AAA) and 10 year 100,000 power train warranty is best in the business. Hyundai is obviously trying to retool their not dependable image from about a decade ago by offering such a great warranty.

The bottom line on this vehicle is that it is a great buy. Dependability has really not been established yet, but the warranty speaks for itself. For the money, the vehicle is an exceptional value. You may have trouble, however, finding the more popular 4WD GLS models, so be forewarned. You may also find yourself paying list or more for the vehicle given the very high demand. My suggestion would be to not pay more then list unless you really want the vehicle!

Happy Driving

Amount Paid (US$): 20800
Condition: New
Model Year: 1995
Model and Options: Santa Fe GLS 4WD