Before you get carried away with the Hyundai Santa Fe, consider the reasons not to purchase it. Weigh your pros and cons with this three-row SUV to make sure it’s the right investment for you and your family. Despite winning multiple awards, there are a few reasons to pass on the Hyundai Santa Fe. 

Reasons To Pass On The Hyundai Santa Fe 

1. The Hyundai Santa Fe Is Pricey

The Hyundai Santa Fe seems like a bargain on wheels with its starting price around $26k, which is the same price that the Kia Sorento starts around. Only the Kia Sorento gives you a third row of seats, while the Santa Fe can only seat five passengers. Also, the Toyota RAV4 starts off cheaper around $25k, and the infamous Kia Seltos is a steal at $21k. 

The Hyundai Santa Fe won’t provide savings at the fuel pump either. It only gets 22 mpg in the city and up to 29 mpg in the city. Rivals, like the RAV4, get up to 26 mpg in the city and up to 36 mpg on the highway. 

2. The Hyundai Santa Fe Lacks Power 

The Hyundai Santa Fe base model engine is a 2.4-liter four-cylinder option that offers 185 horsepower and 178 lb-ft of torque. You can also upgrade to the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine for 235 horsepower and 265 lb-ft of torque. 

We know the turbocharged engine sounds great, but the Hyundai Santa Fe can only tow 2,000 lb unless you upgrade to the SEL2.0T trim, which starts around $34k.

That’s close to having to spend an extra 10 grand to enhance its towing capabilities slightly. Again, the turbocharged engine sounds fun, but in the Hyundai Santa Fe, it’s not. It takes the Santa Fe a staggering 7.8 seconds to go from 0 to 60 mph. So much for having a sporty feel.

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Also, the Hyundai Santa Fe offers all-wheel-drive, but it isn’t included. You have to pay to add it to your build and keep in mind that AWD may impact your speed and fuel economy by making the SUV heavier. Plus, the Kia Seltos has AWD included with its lower price. 

3. The Hyundai Santa Fe Lacks Tech 

Sure, the Hyundai Santa Fe has a touchscreen infotainment center with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, but you will be hard-pressed to find an SUV that doesn’t offer those amenities these days. 

What the Hyundai Santa Fe doesn’t have is a Wi-fi hotspot or the ability to connect to your smartphone and watch. It also doesn’t have navigation and only has two USB ports, meaning your family might have to battle for who gets to charge their devices. 

If safety is a priority, you will have to spend some extra cash, because the base trim doesn’t have a lot of the Hyundai Safety Sense features. With the base model, there is no blind-spot alert, rear cross-traffic alert, or downhill brake control. So, the low price that the Hyundai Santa Fe has might be because it lacks value.