he value-priced, practical Hyundai Santa Fe doesn't get a lot of headlines.
But it made news this year when it beat out the Honda Pilot as the top midsize sport utility vehicle chosen by Consumer Reports magazine for 2008.
What put the Santa Fe amid the magazine's overall Top 10 Picks? A long list of standard safety equipment, roomy interior, decent ride, good reliability record, exemplary crash-test results and the fact buyers get a lot for the money.
One of the noteworthy standard features is a 10-year, 100,000-mile limited warranty on the Santa Fe powertrain. This warranty covers some of the most expensive components in a car, such as the engine, and compares with a three-year/36,000-mile warranty on Honda's Pilot.
Starting manufacturer's suggested retail price, including destination charge, is $21,845 for a base, two-wheel drive, 2008 Santa Fe GLS with 185-horsepower V-6 and manual transmission. With automatic transmission, the retail price starts at $23,145.
The lowest MSRP, including destination charge, for a 2008 Santa Fe with all-wheel drive is $23,545 with a manual transmission.
These prices undercut many other midsize SUVs, especially so-called crossover SUVs that are built on car-based platforms and provide a more car-like ride than do traditional, truck-based SUVs.
For example, the starting MSRP, including destination charge, for a 2008 Saturn Outlook is $28,995, while a 2008 Honda Pilot has a starting retail price of $28,230. Both the
Friday, July 4, 2008
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