The Santa Fe is an inexpensive, compact sport-utility with a tall seating position and generous cargo capacity. Its curvaceous body looks friendly yet ready for the outdoors. Already an attractive choice in the compact sport-utility field, the Hyundai Santa Fe is made even more appealing for 2004 by a new and more powerful 3.5-liter V6 engine.
The Santa Fe drives well on and off paved roads with decent handling and good brakes. The V6 engines, both the new 3.5-liter and the 2.7-liter, deliver good acceleration, particularly in front-wheel-drive models. The four-wheel-drive system available with the 2.7-liter engine works well for light off-road duty. A new electronically controlled all-wheel-drive system available with the 3.5-liter engine promises better fuel economy.
Side-impact air bags are standard, and GLS and LX versions come with a 218-watt Monsoon stereo. Best of all, the Santa Fe is backed by Hyundai's long and comprehensive warranty, making it one of the most attractive small SUV's on the market. They say you get what you pay for, but with the Hyundai Santa Fe it seems like you get a little more.