Turning the Santa Fe was surprising. I thought it would take up more pavement, but a turning circle is 37.1 feet makes it possible to turn into tight mall parking places with just a little pre-planning. The stereo was very easy to use and understand. It was shy in the midranges, the bass was clearly needed a boast, and there was a need for stronger reception, but the CD player was satisfactory.
Family conference: This is a well priced, go most anywhere, family vehicle that is attractive to some because of its warranty and to others because it is comfortable to live with on a daily basis. For example, we are now testing the $46,000 Volvo SUV. It is twice as much as the Santa Fe, but parking it is a chore and we are only getting 14 mpg on premium. In town, we all preferred the Hyundai. However, we doubt any one will cross shop these two. Instead they are going to look at the equally basic Suzuki Grand Vitara and the Kia Sorento. In that regard the Santa Fe does extremely well in all areas, although the truck based Sorento is larger and tows more.
Comparison
| Hyundai Santa Fe | Kia Sorento | Grand Vitara | |
| Price | $25,589 | $25,340 | $21,319 |
| Horsepower | 195 @ 6000 RPM | 192 @ 5500 RPM | 165 @ 6500 |
| Wheelbase | 103.1 inches | 106.7 inches | 97.6 inches |
| EPA highway mileage | 21 | 18 | 20 |
