If anyone has a 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe I’d appreciate your opinions of it. Time to get a new company car. Two options are hybrid, one is way too small for the tool/parts load I normally carry. The other is the fwd hybrid Pacifica. I got word today that there’s an option for an awd hybrid Santa Fe.

Until this job, I had never driven a front wheel drive on a regular basis, and I’ve never owned a foreign car. I’ve been choosing the Dodge caravans and Pacifica because of space. The few videos I’ve been able to find the new Santa Fe has nowhere near the van as far as space. With the third row down it looks like there’s a decent amount though.

Mainly concerned about space and that it seems like everything other than hvac is controlled by a touchscreen. I have enough things with touchscreen/electronics issues I work on to not really trust that.

Oh my they have changed for 24,
I don't know what you need to haul everyday but I would look for the weight limit (that I couldn't find in a quick search) because that is the important part, especially if you get tagged as a commercial vehicle.
Is hybrid a company ESG requirement?
The battery weight will reduce your capacity.
Everything new is all high tech, don't think you can avoid it anymore.
Sorry I don't know anything about the SF itself and is a new for 24 upgrade.
The van is going to be tough to beat.

Company uses a leasing company, no commercial/weight issues, most of the time. I have five options with the Santa Fe. Two fully electrics (Tesla model 3 and Toyota BZ4X). Three hybrids(Pacifica, Santa Fe, and Toyota Venza). They are pushing hard for electric but it’s not realistic for a lot of my days. We are allowed to use them for personal use but have to pay even if we don’t. I’m not paying as much as I do a month for personal use of a vehicle and then not use it. Some of the other guys only have a company car, but I have a beater grand Cherokee that’s paid for, so it’s used for dump runs and range trips.

My main issue isn’t weight but space. For some jobs I am sent kits that only weight 200-400lbs so I can get them in the vehicle. But they are some really big cases that tend to be about 3x4x2, sometimes multiples of the cases depending on the job. Sometimes I can ship them out. Sometimes I can’t for various reasons, difficult customer or another job at a different hospital requires the same kit. Then I have to be able to carry that and my tools. Tools aren’t that much, a couple Rubbermaid containers of occasionally used things, some daily use medium Milwaukee pack outs and a big Jensen tool case. Plus my 40lbish backpack and a hand truck.

Last year I wasn’t eligible for a replacement vehicle, and one of the options was a Chevy Colorado with the camper shell. This year because of the push to electric the options are what they are and over 200 of us ordered the van and of course they came back today and said they’re pushing to have us cancel the van orders because of cost. A lot of the guys who ordered the pick up truck last year, their orders were canceled with no notice. Most of the folks whose order got canceled are on the list of people who ordered the van. I already know that all the other options other than the Pacifica and maybe the Santa Fe are too small. I don’t think the hybrid is actually out yet but I was hoping someone had a regular one and had some experience with it so at least have an idea of how it was.

Toyota. And tow a trailer

Just saw a Santa Fe commercial that had Vikings driving one. So you can raid, loot and burn if you get one. Thats a +!

It sounds like the nitwits who set work vehicle policy prioritize appearance over productivity.

I guess the good ol' days of getting a vehicle allowance and buying what works for you and trade it on the next one or give to the wife or sell are over.

Wonder who owns the leasing company?

quote:

Originally posted by YooperSigs:

you can raid, loot and burn

Back in the early 1960's a few of us did a group buy, to get a bunch of 50cc Honda cycles. We decided that we would become an outlaw gang, but ran into a few problems:

• We all worked for Bell Labs. Couldn't get a consensus on whether to call ourselves "Bell's Angels" or "The Mild Ones."
  
  
• One of the guys had to be home by 9:00 every night.
  
  
• The real killer, some of the members just could not understand the sequence. First you pillage, then you burn.

Although you’re not buying this directly, why don’t you just go by a dealership and put hands on. Maybe even go for a test drive. Also, you could rent one for a day, probably $50-$100, but that would tell you a lot.

Of the choices you’ve listed I’d go with the Venza.

They look really nice and roomy. We have owned numerous Hyundai vehicles over the years and never really had any issues with them, other than the normal wear and tear items. Our newest is the Santa Cruz we bought a year ago and it seems well built and very roomy. I like the design of them. My wife claimed it as her own.

Toyota makes a great vehicle as well and has a great reputation.

I found a dealer with a non-hybrid Santa Fe in stock today and took a test drive. Not a fan of everything but the HVAC being touchscreen and there is room for the tools with the seats down but there’s not enough extra room for some parts and kits I don’t think. The big thing is if I’m gonna use it for personal use I’ll have to empty the tools out of it cause there won’t be room for both. No towing allowed with company cars for liability reasons.

There was a conference call today. I guess their big complaint is the van cost about 15,000 more than the Santa Fe and they said with over 230 of us that’s supposedly over $3 million in cost difference not in total cost. The company is even charging people an extra 75 bucks a month over the cost of the other vehicles for the Pacifica because they say that it costs 150 more a month to operate and so we’re gonna have to offset the cost by 50%.

They upped the ante this afternoon and offered a Tesla Y long range. That makes three EVs. The other two are a Tesla model three and a Toyota BZ4X both of which have less storage for tools and equipment. If you take an electric, they’ll also provide a level two charger and 1500 bucks towards installing it.
Think I’m sticking with the Pacifica

This message has been edited. Last edited by: buddy357,

Had good experiences with Genesis & Hyundai. UNTIL: The last purchase a year ago. Was a 2023 Santa Fe.

Damn thing would lock on brakes headed down the highway with no warning. Whole dash would light up like christmas. Have to pull over and turn all the way off. Then restart it to get the thing in motion again. Hyundai tried to fix it x3 - x4 times.

They EVENTUALLY bought it back under lemon laws. After a TON of paperwork and pain in my ass. Took them 10... count them... TEN months to finally get us a check and come get the damn thing. Had to get State Attorney General involved cause those D-Bags at Hyundai rejected our request. After saying so sorry... we don't know what's wrong with it. It's your problem.

Really soured me on Hyundai. 10 freaking months from the day we started the process till the day they picked it up. "ohh we lost your paperwork.." "Ohh, we cut the wrong check amount..." "ohh... people are on vacation that process mailing checks..." "Sorry, we don't have anyone available to pick up the vehicle for the next 60 days..."

Every freaking excuse you could think of. Really pissed me off. I doubt I'll ever show them a dime of my money again.