Hyundai Santa Fe Generation 2 (2007–2012)

Hyundai Santa Fe Generation 2 (2007–2012) — production years, market prices by model year, NHTSA recalls and owner complaints, and live listings for sale on VehiSales.

Hyundai Santa Fe — body generations

Generation Produced Facelift
Generation 1 2001–2006 —
Generation 2 2007–2012 —
Generation 3 2013–2020 —
Generation 4 2021–2023 —
Generation 5 2024–present —

Vehicles within one generation share the same platform and body style.

Engines used in the Santa Fe

Engine families this model shipped with, by NHTSA VIN build data — each links to every model that shares it.

Engine Years in this model Also used in VIN builds ⓘ
Hyundai 2.5L 4-cylinder 2021–2023 5 models 41
Hyundai 2.0L 4-cylinder 2017–2020 13 models 16
Hyundai 1.6L 4-cylinder 2021–2023 9 models 15

About this generation

The new 2006 Santa Fe went on sale in South Korea in late 2005. In the United States, it debuted at the 2006 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The first production Santa Fe in the United States rolled off Hyundai's Montgomery, Alabama assembly line on 18 April 2006. It shared this assembly line with the Hyundai Sonata. This new generation shed the old style's quirky design in favour of a more contemporary look.

In the United States, the new generation was offered in GLS, SE, and Limited versions. The new Santa Fe saw the return of a manual transmission, but only when mated with the V6. The V6 (a retuned version of the same engine found in the Sonata) was standard on the SE and Limited and comes only with a 5-speed automatic. Both 2WD and AWD models with a 3.3 L have a fuel economy of city and highway. The 2.2 L diesel engine (not available in the US) with has mixed cycle of 7.2l and a city cycle of 8.0l.

The 4WD is a Borg-Warner Torque Management device, which diverts power to the wheels with best grip according to the amount of slip. If the front wheels spin slightly, 10% of the torque will transfer to the rear axle. If the front wheels start to slip a lot, 50% of the torque will transfer to the rear axle. Body lean in turns, a problem with the previous generation, has been reduced in the new Santa Fe. Both road and wind noise have also been reduced.

Newly standard on the latest iteration of the Santa Fe are safety features the previous model lacked or charged as extra. Electronic stability control (ESC), side-curtain airbags for all seating rows, a tire pressure monitor, active front head restraints, and anti-lock brakes are all standard. A heated windshield wiper grid located in the front wipers' 'park' position helps to thaw ice buildup on the blades in colder climates.

Some features like the tailgate flip glass and the lower body cladding were not integrated into the new model. The interior has been upgraded with blue-lit dashboard controls (unlike the green colour used in other Hyundai models), a gated shifter pattern, illuminated cup holders, and higher quality leather on Limited models. The rear seat head restraints caused visibility problems in the previous model due to their size.

The new style features 'shingled' head rests that when lowered completely, sit flush with the top of the seat, helping to maximize rear visibility. The middle rear seating position comes with its own head restraint and a three-point seat belt built in. LATCH child seat anchors are also standard, and an optional 50/50 third row seat allows Santa Fe to seat seven passengers. Pricing remained competitive despite the upward move in size and feature content.

In Malaysia, Hyundai Santa Fe is available as a complete knock down model rebadged as Inokom Santa Fe. The Inokom Santa Fe is only available in CRDi 2.2-litre, diesel inline-four or a 2.7-litre V6. The second-generation Hyundai Santa Fe was awarded 2008 Consumer Reports "top pick" and was among the top 10 vehicles for 2008 unveiled in the magazine's issue. The magazine's annual ratings, based on road tests and predicted safety and reliability, are considered highly influential among consumers.

For 2008, only minor changes were applied to the Santa Fe. A navigation system made by LG was offered and the Infinity sound system and the power glass sunroof were made standard on Limited models. The non-metallic white paint trim was dropped, leaving the pearl white as the only white colour available on the Santa Fe. 2009 saw only minor changes for the Santa Fe. New mirror indicators were introduced, except on US-built models.

The 16" wheels on the base GLS model (USA specification) were dropped and replaced with black steel wheels and plastic covers. Additionally, the GLS received black plastic mirrors as opposed to the body-coloured mirrors of the higher-tier SE and Limited models.

Source: Wikipedia — Hyundai Santa Fe — Second generation (CM; 2005), CC BY-SA.

Recalls & complaints by year (NHTSA)

Year Recalls Complaints Most reported
2008 6 541 Fuel/Propulsion System, Electrical System, Air Bags
2011 3 181 Engine, Electrical System, Vehicle Speed Control
2012 1 352 Engine, Electrical System, Vehicle Speed Control

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.

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