2013 Hyundai Santa Fe

2013 Hyundai Santa Fe

Episode 3306
Auto Value and Bumper to BumperTire Rack "The Way Tire Buying Should Be"

The Hyundai Santa Fe has staked quite a claim for itself in the vast expanse of two-row crossover land. On the other hand, Hyundai’s 3-row Veracruz didn’t do so well. So why not try to fix that by capitalizing on the Santa Fe name? So along with the recently introduced 5-passenger Santa Fe Sport comes a new 7-passenger model named simply, Santa Fe. Will all of that shuffling result in a winning hand? Well it’s time to place your bets!  

Without a doubt, Hyundai has certainly gone “all-in” in recent years, with a nearly constant onslaught of fresh products and new segment entries. The newest goes by a familiar name, the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe. It competes against other mid-to-larger three-row crossovers like the Mazda CX-9, Honda Pilot, and Chevrolet Traverse, just to name a few.

Compared to the new two-row Santa Fe Sport, the Santa Fe is 8 ½ inches longer; riding on a stretched 110.2 inch wheelbase. Like most rivals, a V6 powertrain is standard. Here it’s the Azera’s 3.3-liter V6 feeding power to the front or all-wheels through a 6-speed automatic. Horsepower is 290, with torque coming in at 252 lb-ft. 

The combo is good for Government Fuel Economy Ratings of 18–City, 25-Highway, and 21–Combined in 2-wheel-drive models. We averaged a good 22.0 miles-per-gallon of Regular in mixed driving. It also offers a good amount of muscle for daily duties, including good passing power and towing up to 5,000 pounds. 

Being a family SUV, it’s what’s inside matters the most, and here our feelings about the new Santa Fe are more mixed.

Everything looks nice; the layout is fine; with deep hooded gauges, an easy to use center stack, and standard Blue Link telematics. But the environs come off as less expensive as both the old Veracruz and newer rivals like the Nissan Pathfinder. Seats are comfortable, but again the cushions grab us as short and thin. In Limited trim the second row is Captain’s Chairs for a capacity of six. Our 7-seat GLS had a 40/20/40 split bench, with a 60/40 slider as an option.

Ease of access to the 50/50 split third row is good, and it does provide surprising room for adults along with its own climate controls. Maximum cargo capacity is a respectable 80.0 cubic-ft, with 40.9 behind the second row, and 13.5 behind the third. Our GLS tester did not include the Limited’s power rear hatch, but the lift gate is very light, so we didn’t feel that it was necessary. 

Neither is running quarter miles in this family wagon, but that’s what we do, so off to the track we went for a 0-60 time of only 7.4 seconds, and a sprint through the quarter of 16.0-seconds flat at 90 miles per hour. Braking from 60 felt very good for a mass market hauler. Stops averaged an acceptable 131-feet with immediate response and feedback from the nice firm pedal. But dodging cones was not so impressive; with slow steering, plenty of body roll, and a clumsy feel that all work together to constantly remind you how big the new Santa Fe really is. 

The Santa Fe features sharper lines over the rear wheels, has chrome-tipped dual exhaust, a tow hitch cover, a slightly different take on the grille, and 18-inch wheels. 

Santa Fe pricing starts at a class reasonable $29,455, with the Limited model starting at $34,025. All-wheel-drive is available on either model for $1,750 more.   

The 2013 Santa Fe is all around competent and a good value, if not really a standout. A nice vehicle, but clearly a step down in image from the Veracruz it replaces. Still, the Santa Fe name may be just what it takes to give Hyundai a serious player in the larger crossover segment.

Specifications

  • Engine: 3.3-liter V6
  • Horsepower: 290
  • Torque: 252 lb-ft.
  • 0-60 mph: 7.4 seconds
  • 1/4 mile: 16.0 seconds @ 90 mph
  • EPA: 18 mpg city/ 25 mpg highway
2024 Hyundai Sonata 1

2024 Hyundai Sonata

Updated Sonata Continues To Deliver

Episode 4412
Auto Value and Bumper to BumperTire Rack "The Way Tire Buying Should Be"

Comfort and room to roam used to be core elements for attracting buyers to midsize family sedans. But thanks to SUVs, that’s not enough these days. Now, luxury, tech integration, performance, fuel economy, and even all-wheel drive have become must have sedan ingredients. And one more, value. So, let’s see if the latest Hyundai Sonata gives us all a lesson in chemistry.

The seventh-generation Hyundai Sonata midsize sedan has been on the road since 2020, and as usually happens when vehicles approach the end of their lifecycle, this 2024 Sonata gets a makeover to keep the looks fresh and electronics current until an all-new one arrives.

Standard tech includes a crystal-clear 12.3-inch digital gauge display and a 12.3-inch touchscreen for infotainment. Both are now combined into one wide curved housing similar to what we’ve seen from BMW and other luxury brands. This required a complete dash overhaul; a big interior change you can’t miss. Top Limited trim ups the game with navigation, leather seating, 12-speaker Bose premium sound, head-up display, and sunroof. It’s quite roomy inside, though maybe not quite as spacious or as comfy as some rivals with newer designs. On the other hand, rear seat legroom is very generous with long distance comfort.

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There are three powertrain choices. The base front-wheel-drive SEL works with a 191-horsepower, naturally aspirated 2.5-liter I4. And for 2024, you can now add all-wheel drive to it for $1,500. The sporty N Line puts a turbocharger onto that 2.5 which boosts output to 290 horsepower, but it remains front-wheel-drive only, as does this Hybrid. The Hybrid is 2.0-liter I4 based with a 39-kW electric motor that combine for an output of 192 horsepower.

The real draw with the Hybrid is fuel economy of course, and the Government Ratings are 44 City, 51 Highway, and 47 Combined. We manage just 42.7 mpg of Regular in our driving loop, but that’s still slightly better than in our recent tests of both the Toyota Camry Hybrid and Honda Accord Hybrid. And it earns a much better than average Energy Impact Score, using 6.3 barrels of oil yearly, with 3.1 tons of CO2 emissions.

Minimal body roll and light steering had us whipping in and out of the cones with a surprising amount of speed.

The price for that great fuel economy was paid at our test track with a slow roll to 60 of 8.0-seconds. There was no sense of urgency off the line, and while the engine sounded like it was really working hard, numbers on the speedometer were slow to climb. That meter was reading only 89 mph after 16.0 seconds as we crossed the quarter-mile. On a much more positive note, the Sonata Hybrid’s true six-speed automatic transmission provides a much more enjoyable experience than competitor’s CVTs.

And the experience in our handling course was positive too; minimal body roll and light steering had us whipping in and out of the cones with a surprising amount of speed. We didn’t experience much in the way of oversteer or understeer, and stability systems stayed out of the way. In our panic braking runs, the pedal was soft, and we could really hear the ABS working overtime, but stops were straight and fade free, averaging a fine 114 feet from 60 mph.

2024 Hyundai Sonata 4

The Sonata has always attempted to set itself apart when it comes to exterior design. That meant an awkwardly shaped “Digital Pulse Cascading” grille when this gen debuted; we much prefer the more traditional and sportier take of this update. The rear fascia also gets revised, looking both sportier and more upscale at the same time, with wide H-themed lighting to accentuate the Sonata’s width.

Pricing starts with the SEL at $28,650; adding the hybrid powertrain boosts it to $31,950, Limited comes exclusively with the hybrid engine and tops the lineup at $38,350.

Hyundai’s long-time formula for success, delivering more for less and tacking on a longer warranty than rivals, has done a great job of getting them where they are today. The 2024 Hyundai Sonata’s high value, impressive powertrain options, which now include all-wheel drive, and better than average driving dynamics, will ensure they stay a major player in the midsize sedan segment for years to come.

Specifications

As Tested

  • Engine: 2.0-liter I4
  • Transmission: 6-speed manual
  • Horsepower: 192
  • Torque: 151 lb-ft.
  • EPA: 44 City | 51 Highway | 47 Combined
  • 0-60 mph: 8.0 seconds
  • 1/4 Mile: 16.0 seconds at 89 mph
  • Braking, 60-0 (avg): 114 feet
  • MW Fuel Economy: 42.7 mpg (Regular)