2001HyundaiSanta FeHyundai Santa Fe2001 Hyundai Santa Fe GLS FWDMini-Sport UtilityWagonFWDFor 2001, Hyundai comes to market with their very own sport utility. The Santa Fe is based on a modified Sonata midsize car platform and is available with either front-wheel drive or full-time four-wheel drive with either a four-cylinder or V6 engine.Relatively inexpensive price, super warranty, roomy interior.Unproven reliability, unimpressive standard feature content, underwhelming powertrains.Hyundai dives headfirst into the teeming SUV pool with the introduction of the Santa Fe, a sport-ute based on the midsize Sonata platform. According to Hyundai, the Santa Fe will combine car-like drivability, steering, ride, handling and braking with a truck-like seating height and profile. An optional full-time four-wheel-drive system can be thrown in to sweeten the deal. What more could the average American consumer want, right? Hyundai's ute will be offered in either front-wheel-drive or four-wheel-drive configuration, in one of three trim levels. Santa Fe GL with front-wheel drive is the only version with a four-cylinder engine; all others come with a V6. That means you're not likely to find anything but V6 models on the dealer's lot, with GL, GLS or LX trim. That standard 2.4-liter inline four makes 150 horsepower, and is mated to a five-speed manual transmission. A four-speed automatic with manual shift mode is optional on GL, but is better matched to the 180-horsepower, 2.7-liter V6. With roughly 3,500 pounds to tug around, neither engine could be called sprightly. Hyundai's ute comes with MacPherson struts up front and a double-wishbone suspension at the rear to ensure a car-like ride. Rack-and-pinion power steering provides sharp response. Sized roughly equal to a Lexus RX 300, the Santa Fe qualifies as a midsize SUV according to our guidelines, but is likely to be cross-shopped against smaller models like the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. Beyond beefy sport-ute cues like big wheels and aggressive front styling, the Santa Fe is designed to resemble the Tiburon Coupe and the Sonata Sedan. You decide if this was a wise move. The rounded body-side contours, according to Hyundai, recall a desert landscape, thus setting the Hyundai apart from other, more angular SUVs. We can tell you that with a scant 7.4 inches of maximum ground clearance, you'd better be sticking to well-traveled fire roads if you venture off the pavement and into Cactusville. Inside, the Santa Fe offers safety features like second-generation, depowered front airbags and seatbelt pretensioners. Other standard features include alloy wheels, air conditioning, power windows, dark-tinted glass, a CD player and a 60/40 split-folding rear seat. The driver's seat has adjustable height and lumbar support for long-trek comfort, and the Santa Fe boasts 29 cubes of cargo capacity with the rear seat in use. All V6 models have four-wheel disc brakes. Mid-level GLS models add oversized fog lights, power door locks, cruise control, a first-aid kit and remote keyless entry to the standard equipment list. Leather seating comes with the LX. Options are bundled into packages, forcing buyers to spend more than they want for items like ABS and a limited-slip differential. Naturally, the Santa Fe is backed by Hyundai's excellent 10-year/100,000 limited powertrain and five-year/60,000-mile limited bumper-to-bumper warranties. Along with a five-year roadside assistance program, the comprehensive coverage should reassure consumers, still put off by Hyundai's former reputation for shoddy quality, that the Santa Fe will hold up over time. Santa Fe is a big step for Hyundai, and should prove popular with budget-minded SUV buyers more interested in a roomy cargo hold and sure footing during a snowstorm than running their own version of the Baja 1000. Dodge DurangoFord Explorer Sport TracIsuzu RodeoMercury Mountaineer560,00010100,0005Unlimited5100,000NANANA62.7 litersV6181 hp @ 6000 rpm177 ft-lbs. @ 4000 rpm78 cu.ft.NANA177.3 in.71.7 in.66 in.3549 lbs.103.1 in.37.1 ft.7.4 in.39.6 in.39.2 in.NANANANA41.6 in.36.8 in.5StandardStandardNot AvailableNot AvailableNot AvailableOptionalNot AvailableRating = Not TestedRating = Not TestedNot TestedNot TestedNot TestedNot Tested17.2 gal.19 mpg / 26 mpg327 mi. / 447 mi.Insurance costs can vary greatly for this vehicle, depending on such factors as driver age, driver gender, teenage drivers in the household, driving records, theft loss data for your particular geographic region, miles driven per year, and other widely variable factors. Additionally, some companies charge a premium for certain makes and models, while others do not.$18,064$19,2997.35%$435N/A2% of the Total InvoiceGL FWD (5M): 2.4L I4 DOHC MPI 16-valve engine; 5-speed OD manual transmission; 600 amp battery; 95 amp alternator; front-wheel drive, 3.84 axle ratio; partial stainless steel exhaust with tailpipe finisher; front independent strut suspension with anti-roll bar, front coil springs, rear independent multi-link suspension with rear coil springs; rack-and-pinion power steering with engine-speed-sensing assist; front disc/rear drum brakes; 17.2 gal. capacity fuel tank; skid plates, side impact bars; liftback rear cargo door; roof rack; front and rear body-colored bumpers; body-colored bodyside cladding; clearcoat monotone paint; aero-composite halogen headlamps; driver's and passenger's manual remote black folding outside mirrors; 16" x 6.5" silver alloy wheels, P225/70SR16 BSW A/S tires; full-size alloy spare wheel; air conditioning, rear heat ducts; AM/FM stereo radio, seek-scan feature, single-disc CD player, 4 speakers, window grid antenna; child-safety rear door locks, remote fueldoor release; 3 power accessory outlets, front lighter element, retained accessory power, smokers' package; instrumentation display includes tachometer, water temperature gauge, overhead console-mounted clock, trip odometer; warning indicators include oil pressure, battery, lights on, key in ignition, low fuel, door ajar, trunk ajar, brake fluid; driver's and passenger's front airbags; deep tinted windows, power front and rear windows with driver's 1-touch down function, fixed 1/4 vent windows; flip-up rear window; variable-speed intermittent front windshield wipers, sun visor strip, rear window defroster; seating capacity of 5, front bucket seats with adjustable headrests, center armrest with storage, driver's seat includes 6-way adjustment, lumbar support, passenger's seat includes 4-way adjustment; 60/40 folding rear bench seat with adjustable headrests, center armrest; height-adjustable front seatbelts with pretensioners; cloth seats, leatherette door trim insert, full clothheadliner, full carpet floor covering; interior lights include dome light, front reading lights, door curb lights; steering wheel with tilt adjustment; vanity mirrors; day/night rearview mirror; full floor console, mini overhead console with storage, locking glove box, front and rear cupholders, instrument panel bin, 2 seatback storage pockets, driver's and passenger's door bins, rear door bins; carpeted cargo floor, cargo tie downs, cargo light; body-colored grille, black side window moldings, black front windshield molding and black door handles.
V6 GL FWD (4A) (in addition to or instead of GL FWD (5M) equipment): 2.7L V6 DOHC MPI 24-valve engine; 4-speed electronic OD auto-manual transmission with lock-up converter; 4.52 axle ratio.
V6 GLS FWD (4A) (in addition to or instead of V6 GL FWD (4A) equipment): Front and rear colored bumpers; colored bodyside cladding; additional exterior lights include front fog/driving lights; driver's and passenger's power remote body-colored heated folding outside mirrors; 6 speakers; cruise control with steering wheel controls; power door locks, remote keyless entry; first aid kit; panic alarm, security system; fixed-interval rear wiper, rear window defroster; premium cloth seats, leather-wrapped gearshift knob; leather-wrapped steering wheel; cargo cover, cargo net; colored grille and body-colored door handles.
V6 LX FWD (4A) (in addition to or instead of V6 GLS FWD (4A) equipment): Front and rear colored bumpers; colored bodyside cladding; driver's and passenger's power remote body-colored heated folding outside mirrors; 6 speakers; leather seats, leather-wrapped gearshift knob; colored grille and chrome door handles.
V6 GL AWD (4A) (in addition to or instead of V6 GL FWD (4A) equipment): Full-time AWD; front and rear body-colored bumpers; body-colored bodyside cladding; driver's and passenger's manual remote black folding outside mirrors; 4 speakers; cloth seats, leatherette door trim insert; body-colored grille and black door handles.
V6 GLS AWD (4A) (in addition to or instead of V6 GLS FWD (4A) equipment): Full-time AWD, 4.52 axle ratio; premium cloth seats; body-colored door handles.
V6 LX AWD (4A) (in addition to or instead of V6 GLS AWD (4A) equipment): Leather seats and chrome door handles.