2004 Hyundai Santa Fe New Car Buyer's Guide

What's New for the 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe?
A 200-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 engine from the XG350 sedan has been added as standard equipment for the 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe LX, and as an option on the Santa Fe GLS. Models equipped with the new V6 come standard with a five-speed Shiftronic automatic transmission, ABS with traction control and specially tuned springs and shocks. With 4WD, the Hyundai Santa Fe 3.5 has a new drivetrain called InterActive Torque Management (ITM). There are no other changes to the 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe.

Advantages of the 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe:

• Standard side-impact airbags
• Ten-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty
• Large and comfortable interior
• Quality cabin materials
• Impressive light-duty off-roading capability
• Smooth ride quality
• Attractive value equation

Objections to the 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe:

• Underpowered four-cylinder engine on base models
• Intrusive road and wind noise
• Lame towing capacity

Editor's Advice:
Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, and our eyes see little beauty on the outside of the 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe. However, don’t let our shallow opinion deter you from what is a fundamentally appealing entry in the small SUV marketplace. The Santa Fe is roomy and comfortable, equally adept on the pavement or well-traveled dirt roads, and is protected by an impressive ten-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. Side-impact airbags are standard on all models, and the top-shelf Santa Fe LX 3.5 is well equipped for a relatively small price. We haven’t tried the new 200-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 engine yet, but can’t imagine that it would disappoint since we find the 173-horsepower, 2.7-liter V6 entirely up to the task of tugging the Hyundai Santa Fe around. Avoid the standard 138-horse 2.4-liter four-cylinder; it has trouble with the Santa Fe’s 3,500 curb weight. If you like what you see, you’ll love the 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe.