Hyundai Santa Fe.Manual.7 Seater

[GeorgeandAde]

Been looking at Honda CRV reviews and noticed theres been a few comments regarding the slightly soft suspension on the 2013 and later models,plus a few comments about poor seat (lumbar) comfort after longer journies.
Thats put me off the Honda a little but have been reading reviews for the Santa Fe as a towcar.
Ive been quite impressed.
My budget is around 13k.which I think would get me one around 13/14 plate and I understand the 7 seater comes with self levelling suspension and rather a big boot.
Im in no great hurry to change cars,but was wondering if any members here tow with the Santa Fe and could give me your opinions please.
Many thanks
Ade

 

[Bluerocket]

Hi
I have a 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe 7 seater and tow an Eldiss Affinity 554 . My own experience so far has been very good. self levelling suspension has been good even when loading the car up with all rear seats flat, the van car are well aligned with plenty of power on tap.
I have found the car to be very stable when towing and enjoy driving it with caravan in tow
I have the manual version and get about 28 to 32 mpg when towing
Hope this helps
Bluerocket

 

[GeorgeandAde]

Thats great bluerocket.
Maybe around 38ish when solo?
Also,does the 2nd row of seats slide forward to give even more space in the boot?
Ade

 

[Hutch]

I have the 2014 SFe, towing a Coachman 560 at 1645 kg. but the 5 seat Se as the space under the boot area is fantastic, which I wanted to carry stuff, ie dogs food tyre pumps water hoses, etc. Done 60k miles now over 5 years Switzerland and down to South of France, but it did struggle at 2000 meters at 35c. With the van on the back.

Otherwise I think its a great car, and worth a good look at, go for the next year up , the next model.

 

[woodsieboy]

We have a 2013 Santa Fe 5 seat manual, you lose the self levelling, but we have fitted extra springs in rear suspension, with no problems so far, the extra space in the boot is useful as Hutch says. We have towed a Coachman Pastiche, Lunar Clubman and Swift Fairway and the car coped well with all of them, the trip computer shows 36 mpg over 40k miles including towing, my only gripe is the electric handbrake,and auto hold, but that says more about me than the car. service costs are less than our previous Shogun and so is the road fund licence, insurance is much the same. Probably our best towcar so far and easier to drive than the Shogun in car parks etc,also coped very well solo in the snow last winter.

 

[Bluerocket]

Hi Ade
yes 2nd row does slide forward

 

[GeorgeandAde]

Thanks for replies.
Glad the seats slide forward but not so happy about electric handbrake :dry:
Me being old fashioned I suppose.

 

[Hutch]

Thanks for replies.
Glad the seats slide forward but not so happy about electric handbrake :dry:
Me being old fashioned I suppose.

The electric parking brake is great it automatically goes off when you select drive or come out of park mode , on the auto matic that is . And the auto hold is great when you stop and press on the brake it goes on and when your ready to go just drive away and it releases.

 

[Bob_5041432]

We are on our 3rd Santa Fe - 19 reg Premium SE AWD Auto - good deal with the CAMC!

Can’t fault it for towing. We have a 1700 kg German Fendt caravan and have been everywhere from Finland to the Sahara over the past 4 years. I have not yet found a hill that it cannot deal with and there is still enough umph for that rare overtaking moment! With 90-95 kg on the towbar, it is remarkably stable. It will tow comfortably at the UK legal speed limit and will sit at 60 mph all day on the motorway without any strain.

The only 2 niggles are the 3rd row of seats that take up useful loading space and the fuel consumption when towing is around 23 mpg but we have a very heavy caravan.

 

[Bluerocket]

yes its caught me out a couple of times rolled forward cos forgot to apply it but thankfully no damage done , but you do get used to it and it seems to be the way most modern cars are going now

 

[tuffty]

I bought a 2016 Sorento for towing last year - the Kia and Hyundai are basically the same cars with common parts etc. I was going to buy a manual, but after doing some research there seemed to be a far higher than normal number of incidents of problems with the manual clutch when towing - burning smells, clutches failing etc. Just have a search on any Kia / Hyundai forums. Went with the auto instead in the end because of this, which is an old-fashioned torque converter box - no problems at all with that.

 

[GeorgeandAde]

Thank you for all your help and advice.
I think (along with my own research) im leaning towards the Santa Fe.
I also had a 57 plate Sorento auto but the fuel consumption was terrible along with the high road tax.(I think it was around £500).
I like the idea of 7 seats along with the self levelling suspension(obviously there is a limit to the amount of weight carried in the car).
Like most others here,I need a towing vehicle for maybe 6-8 trips away a year but also reliable,comfortable and reasonably economical to use for the rest of the year.
Im waiting for part of my pension to come through in the next couple of weeks and will part ex.my Tiguan so I think im looking at around 13-16k.for a Hyundai.
Many thanks again
Ade

 

[Hutch]

Try and go for the 2015 as it the next model. They are still good. Just bought extended warranty for my 2014 at £300 per year so thats a good result through.

 

[woodsieboy]

We bought ours at Torbay Hyundai, we visited several Hyundai dealers and for us they were the best to deal with, not only on price but we got a lower mileage and better condition car than any of the others we visited.It came with tow bar fitted from previous owner too.

 

[otherclive]

Try and go for the 2015 as it the next model. They are still good. Just bought extended warranty for my 2014 at £300 per year so thats a good result through.

That’s a good price for an extended warranty was it through Hyundai. My 64 plate Superb was quoted £650 from one of the commercial warranty suppliers. I didn’t go got it. Since then I’ve had to replace the Haldex pump and last week the ABS integrated module pump and controller. Circa £2000 spent on those two failures in three months. Which I’m told are “ very uncommon in a car of yours age and low mileage”.