Seoul Mate

My wife has been driving for over twenty years and has never owned an import. Unfortunately, the last nine years with a Ford has changed all that. If you read my 100,000-mile report of our Freestyle in January 2014, than you’ll know what a roller-coaster ride it has been. In 2011, Ford stuck us with a $4000 CVT repair bill when it broke down at just 58,000 miles. Given that we bought it new, and had every recommended service performed at the dealership, I felt that Ford should have covered the repair for us, but they didn’t. And last summer, the new Motorcraft battery we bought died suddenly leaving her and my daughter stranded in the sweltering August heat. Add to that other problems such as a faulty fuel pump sending unit, a leaking valve cover gasket, broken engine mount, and quickly deteriorating air conditioner and it made no sense to fix them and prolong the agony. After all, the cost would exceed the value of the Freestyle thanks to the worst vehicle depreciation I’ve ever seen: That’s right, our 2006 Freestyle’s value has dropped  more than 90% from the new MSRP of $27,000 to now around $2500. So, last fall I made a deal with her to keep the Freestyle through the cooler winter months and then we’d trade it in before the weather got hot in the Spring.

After months of research and the best standard warranty available (60 months/60,000 miles bumper-to-bumper and 120 months/100,000 miles powertrain) we decided on a Hyundai. Based in Seoul, South Korea, Hyundai entered the U.S. Market in 1986 with one model, the Excel. And in that time they’ve turned a big corner in much the same way Honda and Toyota have. Last year, Hyundai placed fourth overall in the 2014 U.S. Initial Quality Study from J.D. Power, and was the highest-ranked non-premium nameplate, up six spots from 2013. And as a testament to improved reliability and striking designs, they’ve seen sales rise 75 percent since 2008. 

Because we had decided on Hyundai, we took a closer look at their Santa Fe crossover which we’ve admired since it debuted in 2001. Initially, we were elated with the Freestyle’s seven-seat capacity. That is, until my wife’s two sisters and their kids began panhandling for rides everywhere. Hauling around a bunch of freeloaders quickly became tiresome and left us wishing we didn’t have a third row. For that reason, we decided on the Santa Fe Sport, which is the five-seat version and eschews the third-row for more cargo space. Equally important was the 2.4-liter four-cylinder, which at 190 hp, was within 10 horsepower of the Freestyle’s 3.0-liter V6, but much less thirsty. We also liked that the Santa Fe was manufactured locally in West Point, Georgia, which is even closer than the Springhill facility my Saturn came from in Tennessee.

In early January, we stopped by Palmer’s Hyundai in Mobile to check out their inventory and take a test drive so Amanda could make sure it was what she wanted. However, it turned out that every Hyundai on the lot had a dealer-applied markup shown as “AMV” which varied anywhere from $1500-$2000. This “Adjusted Market Value” was nothing more than a surreptitious rip-off disguised as a legitimate charge. We left as soon as I saw that, although in hindsight I suppose I should thank them for being upfront about their dishonesty-- it certainly saved me a lot of time.  And much to my surprise, a cursory glance on the Hyundai Forums turned up that the “AMV” gouge is actually quite common among unscrupulous dealers.

Unfortunately, these deceptive tactics made the prospect of visiting new Hyundai showrooms even more undesirable.  So with an aversion usually reserved for trips to the dentist, we avoided any more car shopping until we couldn’t put it off any longer.

On February 3rd, we had to make a trip to Gulfport so I confidently told her that between Gautier and Hattiesburg there were three Hyundai dealers we could choose from. Since it was closest, we happened to end up at Allen Hyundai in Gulfport. Amanda was dead-set on getting a white vehicle, so we test drove the only white Santa Fe 2.4 that they had on the lot.  Regrettably, it was a dealership loaner that customers frequently used when their cars were being serviced. Our salesman downplayed the 7,000 miles on the odometer by advocating how much cheaper we would be able to purchase it for instead of a brand new one. Despite that, the “extensively-used” interior (i.e. carpet stains, evidence of kids punching and/or kicking the back of the seats, etc.) convinced us that we didn’t want it no matter how appealing the discount.

As fate would have it, there was also a white Turbo model on the lot, although I wasn’t too thrilled with the price on it. Whereas the 2.4 model was pretty attractive at $24,950, the Turbo model was $32,995.     

If their sales tactic was selling us an upscale model by first showing us how undesirable the demo model was, it certainly worked. The Turbo was brand new, with plastic still on the floor mats, and showed just 4 delivery miles on the odometer. The entire cabin was steeped in the fragrance of the leather upholstery and it mingled with the new car scent to create a woozy, intoxicating aroma. Perhaps the science of selling luxury items via aromatic scents is not so far-fetched after all? I didn’t have much time to ponder that as we pulled onto the highway and our salesman stabbed the gas to demonstrate the difference a twin-scroll turbocharger makes.

After we turned down a residential side street, it was easier to focus on the upscale appointments present in the Turbo model. For starters, my wife remarked immediately about how much better the leather-wrapped steering wheel felt compared to the regular plastic one. And the Turbo’s massive 235/60-18 wheels notwithstanding, it soaked up bumps as favorably as the smaller 17-inch tires on the 2.4 model. We also noticed that a lot of the optional features we wanted on the 2.4 were standard on the Turbo. My daughter’s primary complaints about the Freestyle centered on floor-mounted vents she couldn’t feel and the sun shining in her face. These problems were instantly solved with the second-row vents near the headrests and retractable rear-window sunshades.

Back at the dealership, I did the math and discovered that to outfit an entry-level 2.4 with all the standard amenities we wanted from the Turbo model (Leather upholstery, 4.3-inch Color touchscreen, Rearview Camera, etc.) would raise the price to $29,600. Now, arithmetic has never been my strong suit, but it seemed crazy to pay almost $30K for a loaded 2.4 model when I could spend a little extra and move up to the Turbo with it’s more-powerful engine and bigger wheels.

Amanda and I decided we wanted the white Turbo model we had driven, but with a weekend in Hattiesburg coming up, we didn’t know when we would get back to Gulfport to buy it. Up until then, our car shopping experience at Allen Hyundai had been much more pleasant than I’d expected. So I thanked our salesman for his time and promised him we’d be back to buy it (which I’m sure he’d heard thousands of times). It was at this point that I anticipated some resistance from him or the sales manager. But they were all as cheerful as could be, and Amanda and I left a little stunned that there was no pressure exerted on us to buy it immediately.

As we drove down the highway, we agreed that the Turbo was perfect, and we didn’t want to let it slip through our fingers. So we turned around and headed back to the dealership. Once there, I asked them to appraise our Freestyle so I could get an idea of what they were willing to pay for it. Granted, the Freestyle was dirty and hadn’t been washed in a while because we had no intention of actually trading it in that day. As such, they offered us $2,200 which fell under the “Rough Trade-In” NADA allowance. Truthfully, it was probably pretty accurate given the condition (122,000 miles, a crack in the windshield, stains on the seats, worn tires, etc.) but I was aiming for the “Average Trade-In” value of $3,000 since I was expecting them to negotiate down from the Santa Fe’s MSRP. Yet to my surprise, they presented me with a quote for the Santa Fe at just $300 over invoice. Secretly, I was delighted with their proposal, but with my best poker face I told them I needed $3,000 for the Freestyle. They agreed to meet me halfway at $2,500 and I accepted since I was already happy with the initial price, and the extra $300 was just icing on the cake. Truthfully, I could have probably haggled my way to $3000, but because the whole experience had been so stress-free, I was satisfied.

I was also pleased that there were no bogus charges like “Undercoating” tacked onto the sticker price. Their only concession to profit was a $99 charge for “Nitrogen-Filled” tires. Naturally, this is not something I would ordinarily purchase, but it does give me the opportunity to finally evaluate this popular trend on my own. Given that the $100,000 Nissan GT-R comes standard with Nitrogen-filled tires tells me there’s some value to it, but whether it will make a difference in our Santa Fe remains to be seen. The primary benefit of filling tires with Nitrogen is the principal that it’s much less susceptible to temperature and pressure fluctuations than conventional oxygen. As the water vapor expands or contracts due to heat and cold, it can make it necessary to regulate the amount of air in the tires on a weekly basis. Now, with the Santa Fe’s sophisticated Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) I can easily keep an eye on the individual pressures without having to use an old-fashioned tire gauge.

Our Turbo was also liberally outfitted with handsome, black carpeted floor mats and a black cargo mat. With Santa Fe stitched in silver on them, they retail for $160 and $130 respectively. I didn’t protest this accessory because I was going to buy them regardless. Sure, I could have saved a few dollars by purchasing them on Ebay, but then I would have had to wait a week or more on the shipping. The plush cargo mat is also so nice that it’s a shame to actually have to use it. I thought about buying a plastic cargo mat for it, but it seemed redundant to have a cover for the cover.  

The other dealer-installed addition that was already on the Turbo when we bought it was a heavy-duty trailer hitch. Unlike the garish ones with the shiny silver ball you see on pickup trucks, this was an all-black Class 2 Hitch with a two-inch receiver specifically designed for the Santa Fe. When not in use, a rectangular cover with the Hyundai logo keeps it camouflaged. Like the Nitrogen-inflated tires, this is not something I would have purposely specified, but it’s nice to have. Our Freestyle had a meager 1000 lbs. towing capacity, and that coupled with the troublesome transmission meant we would have never dreamed of even pulling a balloon behind it. But the Santa Fe can tow a whopping 3,500 lbs. which means I can even pull my Saturn if the need arises.

We had to transfer a significant amount of possessions from the Freestyle to the Santa Fe and this highlighted one of my wife’s favorite new features of the 2015 model-- The Hands-Free Smart Liftgate. It’s exceedingly convenient to not have to fumble with opening the rear liftgate when your hands are full. It also closes automatically which squelches one of my biggest gripes with the manual liftgate on the Freestyle and that was dusty handprints from numerous opening and closings. However, when the Santa Fe’s liftgate does close there’s enough alarms and flashing lights to make you wonder if a NASA Space Shuttle launch is imminent. Ostensibly, I believe this is so any appendages and small children are clear of the area. Otherwise, those items might be hastily converted into pâté.

As I mentioned before, the CVT in the Freestyle was great when it worked properly, and I was worried we had gotten spoiled on its seamless upshifts and downshifts over the past nine years. However, I was excited by just how smooth the Santa Fe’s six-speed automatic is. In fact, Hyundai utilizes their patented “Shiftronic” technology to allow drivers to manually select the gears if they so desire. This dynamic demeanor is further emphasized by a new 32-bit microprocessor that manages the electric power steering. For 2015, Hyundai's Driver Selectable Steering Mode (DSSM) has been enhanced with a retuned “Sport” setting that offers a firmer feel and more responsive feedback. Complementing this are new tire bushings, increased stiffness in the wheel bearings, lower control arms, and revised suspension geometry. The net result of all this engineering voodoo is an SUV that feels as solid as a Sherman tank, and tracks just as straight.

Of course, the Santa Fe would be as useless as a screen door on a submarine if it couldn’t get out of it’s own way. To combat this, Hyundai installed its Theta II turbocharged 2.0 four-cylinder. This engine is shared with the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution and was jointly developed under the Global Engine Manufacturing Alliance. It’s also remarkably similar to the supercharged 2.0 four-cylinder in my Saturn. But thanks to ultramodern electronic sorcery lacking on my Red Line such as Variable Valve Timing (VVT) and Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI), the Santa Fe makes 265 hp on 87 octane (or 280 hp on 93 octane). Enthusiasts will recall that the legendary Syclone truck also made 280 hp, but required a turbocharged 4.3 V-6 to accomplish it. Car and Driver recently tested the 2015 Santa Fe Turbo Limited model with all-wheel drive, and noted that in spite of the excessive curb weight of 4,021 lbs., it still managed a sports car-like 6.6-second sprint to 60 mph. Furthermore, with our two-wheel drive model weighing some 450 lbs. less, it slices nearly a half-second from those figures. That would put our Turbo door-to-door with my Red Line’s stock quarter-mile of 14.7 @ 97 mph. Even more astounding, it grinds to a halt from 70 mph in 168 ft., just six-feet longer than my 2,800 lb. Saturn.  And although horsepower is bumped nearly 50% from the 2.4’s 190, it’s the inflated torque that makes the Santa Fe Turbo so responsive. Whereas the naturally-aspirated 2.4 doesn’t reach it’s maximum torque of 181 lb.-ft. until a lofty 4250 rpm, the Turbo achieves it’s 270 lb.-ft. at a much more usable 1750 rpm. Generating this twist is a Mitsubishi TD04 model that offers an overboost of 16-18psi with a sustained surge of 14psi. And ensuring 100,000 miles of trouble-free operation, the 1998cc block is reinforced with a ladder frame and forged connecting rods. Also, the engine is built at the Hyundai plant in Montgomery, Alabama, before being shipped over to Georgia for final assembly. Moreover, because the Santa Fe’s engine bay is sized to accommodate the larger 3.3-liter V6 of the 7-seat GLS model, there’s a surplus of space for the four-cylinder. In fact, this is the most space I’ve had in an engine compartment since my 1990 Mustang GT. And for someone accustomed to doing his own oil changes and other maintenance, it’s quite refreshing.

Hyundai has worked more magic than David Copperfield when designing the Santa Fe. Outwardly, it appears small and compact, but it’s no illusion how much interior room it has. In fact, it’s the exact same width as the Freestyle, yet 5 inches taller and a foot shorter. The extra height translates into the amphitheater-like openness of the cabin but the shorter length does sacrifice roughly 10 cubic feet of cargo space. Going in, this was a concession we knew we’d have to accept. What I wasn’t expecting was having a smaller gas tank. We’d gotten accustomed to the Freestyle’s 19 gallon tank, so to downsize to a 17.4 one in the Santa Fe came as a bit of a shock. Anyway, I rationalized that with the Hyundai’s superior fuel economy (we’ve seen as high as 34.8 mpg), we could still go considerably further than the Freestyle even with a tinier tank.

As we proceeded to leave the dealership, I pressed the illuminated “ENGINE START/STOP” button and the Santa Fe hummed to life. With the futuristic blue glow of the Electroluminescent Gauge Cluster, I felt like I was on the bridge of the U.S.S. Enterprise. Everywhere around me there were screens processing and displaying information. In the center console, a picture of the Santa Fe came up with “System Scan” flashing above it. A light bounced back and forth like it was being X-rayed, but thankfully it was just a routine check and not an impending TSA airport strip search. I counted no less than 17 buttons just on the steering wheel, for managing everything from the Bluetooth and USB devices to the satellite radio. Even the mirror had 7 buttons! Meanwhile, Amanda was busy adjusting the temperature of her heated leather seat. Travelling down the highway, a vehicle pulled alongside on my left and the Blind Spot Detection (BSD) lit up an amber silhouette of a car in my driver’s side mirror, warning me that it was there. This is a great feature since my wife is notoriously bad about changing lanes without looking. Even better, the Lane Change Assist can issue a Rear Cross-Traffic Alert (RCTA) that audibly cautions the driver if they try to move into a space occupied by another motorist. This, coupled with an alphabet-soup of safety features such as Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Traction Control System (TCS) and Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) system means even Stevie Wonder would be hard pressed to crash it. But, if such an unfortunate incident does occur, the Santa Fe is prepared with a whopping seven airbags covering everything from our head to our knees and earning it a five-star safety rating.

The next morning, I drove my 1996 del Sol to work and it felt like I had awakened twenty years in the past. The rudimentary controls and analog items (like the odometer and cassette player) were quite a shock after I had spent the previous night acclimating myself to the Santa Fe’s digital domain.  

So what are the Santa Fe’s shortcomings? Thankfully nothing major, but I’ve found a few nitpicks here and there. For starters, at the post $30K price-point I’d expect Xenon headlights and LED taillights but they’re only available in a $4,400 “Ultimate” package that includes such frivolous items as “Premium Door Sill Plates” and “Ultimate Badging on Liftgate”, the latter of which can be purchased on Ebay for $19.99. I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out that even econoboxes like a new $16,000 Toyota Corolla now come with standard Xenon headlights or a Nissan Sentra with LED tailights. Also, the steering wheel is so cluttered with buttons that there’s no room for an opening at the bottom of the steering wheel to rest my hand on long trips. At best, I can squeeze two fingers through, but this makes for an awkward grip like I’m attempting to throw a Major League knuckleball. And that would not be recommended on a ten-hour drive to Disney World unless I wanted prematurely arthritic hands. Again, this is our first car ever without that convenience, along with slippery, leather-covered door ledges that are too narrow to prop my arm on. Secondly, the maintenance schedule calls for new spark plugs at 45,000 miles which seems awfully early. The plugs on my Red Line are not due for a change until 100,000 miles although I did move to a colder plug when I dropped pulley sizes. Additionally, there’s so much power on tap that my wife is having to learn to recalibrate her right foot. Even with traction control enabled, she recently spun the tires merging into traffic which prompted my startled daughter to scream from the backseat, “ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL US?!?” Obviously, Victoria’s come to expect rapid acceleration from my car, but the Mom-mobile is another story. I’m also not particularly enamored with the Kumho Crugen tires which sound like something you’d order at Benihana. Truthfully, I had similar misgivings about the Continental Contisports on our Freestyle, but they ended up lasting 65,000 miles so I guess I really can’t complain.   

Considering we paid $27,000 for our no-frills Freestyle when we bought it new in March 2006, the Santa Fe Turbo represents a tremendous bargain at $30,000 out the door. It’s more luxurious, more powerful, and more fuel-efficient. We had cross-shopped other models such as the Mercedes-Benz GLK350 which Amanda really liked, but it had worse fuel-economy, a shorter warranty, and a nearly $10,000 premium. Having happily driven Saturns for twenty years, I’ve never been compelled to buy a car because of it’s fancy hood ornament, although those status-seeking individuals in Hurley who do are easy to spot. No, I think we’ll be just fine with our SUV that was built in Georgia and not Germany, thank you very much.

However, I do hope that our Santa Fe’s reliability is better than Hyundai’s customer relations. On the way back from my daughter’s dance competition in Birmingham, we stopped off to take a picture of our new Santa Fe in front of the manufacturing facility. Since it was a Sunday, I knew there would be no guided tours, so we simply pulled off on the side of the road to snap a shot with the sprawling facility in the background. And judging by the ruts and lack of grass on the shoulder, it looked like we weren’t the first to do that. I stepped outside while Amanda and Victoria remained inside the vehicle. I was having difficulty lining up our Santa Fe with the large Hyundai sign when I saw a Chevy Suburban rapidly approaching with the headlights flashing and the horn blaring. It pulled alongside and I saw a young black woman was the sole occupant. She had the passenger window down and started yelling at me that I couldn’t take pictures and that they were about to get my tag number and call the police. I almost burst out laughing at the absurdity of the situation. Clearly, I was not some spy committing international espionage. Even after I calmly pointed out that I had bought a new Hyundai and simply wanted to take a picture in front of the sign, she was less friendly than the Japanese during World War II. So when I saw that her hostile attitude wasn’t going to change, I ceased trying to reason with her and we left. Conversely, I mentioned to my wife that despite the woman’s bluster and idle threats, there was nothing legally they could do since I was on a public highway. But the experience did leave me with one nagging conundrum that will possibly never be answered: Hyundai’s security patrol drives Chevy Suburbans!?!  

Over Spring Break, we took our longest trip yet to Panama City and Destin. With enough insects and bugs splattered on our windshield to make an entomologist envious, and white sand covering every square inch inside and out, I do believe our Santa Fe has lost it’s luster of newness. But the big thrill for me was observing the real-time fuel economy of 28.4 mpg at an air-conditioned 85 mph on the interstate. In comparison, the Freestyle only managed 22 mpg on a similar Florida trip last year, and that’s not even counting the Hyundai’s extra horsepower. And despite the worst tourist traffic we’ve ever encountered on the Emerald Coast, the Santa Fe handled it and the soaring spring temperatures with aplomb. My only complaint was some initial stiction in the accelerator pedal which made it hard to smoothly apply the throttle. Other than that, it was much lighter and more nimble than the longer and heavier Freestyle.   

Finally, my daughter has christened our new Frost White Santa Fe “Elsa” after the polar queen from Disney’s Frozen. And because everything was so rushed with us buying it spontaneously, I needed some assurance that we chose the ideal one to serve us for the next 10 years. It was a couple days after we got it home that I noticed the build date of January 6th 2015, which coincidentally was the same day as my Mother’s passing. So, was it just a cosmic coincidence that of all the Santa Fe’s we ended up with this one? For me, that’s a clear enough sign that she approves, and that we picked the right one.