[Dazzler]

So much nicer styling inside and out than the i35 (I could live with one of those) 

Hyundai Tucson first drive review

[CraigB]

I quite like the new Santa Fe SR Hyundai Santa Fe News and Reviews | Find All the Hyundai Santa Fe Range on Drive

[Shambles]

That's a real eye-opener.

And probably a wallet-opener too

I was never a fan of the old boxy Tuc but I like that, a lot.

[cruiserfied]

Dude needs to lay off the old Tucson.
I stopped reading after first couple of paragraphs because he obviously has no idea what hes on about.

But yes the new one looks stunning.

[cruiserfied]

I quite like the new Santa Fe SR Hyundai Santa Fe News and Reviews | Find All the Hyundai Santa Fe Range on Drive

We have 2 on the lot. Them Brembos are sex IN wheels lol

[mjt57]

That's a real eye-opener.

And probably a wallet-opener too

Wallet closer would be my view.

The model that I'd be interested in, the Elite with the diesel is upwards of $45k plus onroads. Not much cheaper than the Santa Fe Highlander which nudges the mid 50s driveaway (the last quote that I got).

I can get a superceded Prado for similar and it is a lot more vehicle.

Whilst the Hyundai brand has improved markedly over the years it's a stretch to start comparing it with higher end models such as the Prado, when they come with similar price tags.

Maybe Hyundai is thinking that if it prices its products up there with the Japanese marques that people will think that it's as good.

[Dazzler]

That's a real eye-opener.

And probably a wallet-opener too

Wallet closer would be my view.

The model that I'd be interested in, the Elite with the diesel is upwards of $45k plus onroads. Not much cheaper than the Santa Fe Highlander which nudges the mid 50s driveaway (the last quote that I got).

I can get a superceded Prado for similar and it is a lot more vehicle.

Whilst the Hyundai brand has improved markedly over the years it's a stretch to start comparing it with higher end models such as the Prado, when they come with similar price tags.

Maybe Hyundai is thinking that if it prices its products up there with the Japanese marques that people will think that it's as good.

I was trying to find prices a few days ago. Pricing is why the i40 hasn't been a bigger seller (IMHO) If it was the same price or a tad cheaper than equivalent Toyota and Mazda models they would have sold plenty. They seem to only discount their volume sellers like i20 and i30. 

[FatBoy]

I had a look at the SR Santa Fe prices just yesterday.  $66k drive away!!  For less than that I can get a brand new Toyota Prado GXL (with work, I can get a Prado VX for not much more).  Why would I buy a Santa Fe for the same price when the Prado has better resale value (and just as many features).

[Dazzler]

I had a look at the SR Santa Fe prices just yesterday.  $66k drive away!!  For less than that I can get a brand new Toyota Prado GXL (with work, I can get a Prado VX for not much more).  Why would I buy a Santa Fe for the same price when the Prado has better resale value (and just as many features).

Yep, they are fooling themselves .. a top of the range Genesis (only 3.8 ltr 6 cyl) is over 80K drive away! 

There is actually a Demo in WA for over 90K!!!!

2015 Hyundai Genesis Auto

[mjt57]

I had a look at the SR Santa Fe prices just yesterday.  $66k drive away!!  For less than that I can get a brand new Toyota Prado GXL (with work, I can get a Prado VX for not much more).  Why would I buy a Santa Fe for the same price when the Prado has better resale value (and just as many features).

Maybe they're relying on buyers stupidity, perhaps.

A Prado is so much more motor vehicle, electronic gadgetry aside. For starters it can two 2,500kg, what can either the Santa Fe or the new Tuskon (how some people tended to pronounce the old version) tow?

If I had to spend upwards of $50k I know where it would be spent.

[Dazzler]

It is a shame about the pricing because there is a lot to like about the Tucson and the Sante Fe 

[CraigB]

Those big Brembo brakes on the Santa Fe sr are worth 5k alone.

[mjt57]

I had a look at the SR Santa Fe prices just yesterday.  $66k drive away!!  For less than that I can get a brand new Toyota Prado GXL (with work, I can get a Prado VX for not much more).  Why would I buy a Santa Fe for the same price when the Prado has better resale value (and just as many features).

Yep.

2015 Hyundai Santa Fe SR Auto 4x4 MY15

And here's but one example of a new Prado for well under the Santa Fe cost...

2015 Toyota Landcruiser Prado GXL Auto 4x4 MY14

And these are just asking prices. No doubt there's room for negotiation for both cars, but why the hell would you spend that sort of dough for a Santa Fe (or indeed a Tuscon) when there are better cars for similar money out there???

Sorry, Hyundai is an emerging premier brand, but none of its cars can match it with the likes of the Land Cruiser range. Well, not yet.

And we can argue that the SR has a lot more features than the GXL. Maybe it does, but the GXL does come with some cool stuff. But its basics are what makes it a superior vehicle. No tosser "on demand 4x4", but rather, a genuine 4x4 to begin with.

[Lakes]

This Tucson, looks a bit soft to me, I thought the Tucson was a hard roader?
I love adventure these day's n get off road , I would not be game with car like that.
But what ever suits you personally.

[cruiserfied]

I do agree that the prices are getting quite expensive. Goes with the improved quality of the cars.
As for comparing with Prado. I just did a quote on a base model Prado auto $59,335 drive away and Santa-fe SR $65,105 driveaway. Both prices from Australian dealer websites.
Dunno where your all getting your prices from.
Compare top of the lines the Kakadu is $91,604 drive away.

[cruiserfied]

Just to add to that more than 50% of Santa-fe's sold are Highlanders showing that the cost isn't deterring buyers

[Dazzler]

Just to add to that more than 50% of Santa-fe's sold are Highlanders showing that the cost isn't deterring buyers

  Despite the price I do like them and I reckon the Tucson would be right up my alley ( so to speak) 

[FatBoy]

Yep, the Highlander would be my pick for the Santa Fe.  Don't get me wrong, I do like them, but I wouldn't buy the SR at $65k drive away, when I can get a Prado GXL drive away for $62,990.

July Special Offers and Great Deals

As a trade in on a two year old Prado GXL, you will get $40-44k.

Used Car Research - Used Car Prices - Compare Cars - RedBook.com.au

A Santa Fe Highlander will get you $30-34k. 

Used Car Research - Used Car Prices - Compare Cars - RedBook.com.au

You lose about the same amount, but the percentage loss on the Prado is less.

I like the Prado as it has more after market options than the Santa Fe (roof racks that hold a lot, snorkel, shelving systems, etc).  Realistically, I would be happy with either the Prado or the Santa Fe.

[beerman]

The Prado is no doubt a good vehicle if you want to go off road, but it is rather on the sparse side in the base spec (and we are comparing a base model Prado with a top model Santa Fe)

Given that most of these vehicles are Toorak tractors and will never actually go off road or tow anything, I can see why a family would shun a very basic Prado for a top of the line Santa Fe (and the Prado given below is a my14 in August 15 it would want to be cheap).

I actually thought the Tucson prices were fairly good considering the car has gone up in size.

Saw the Tucson on the flesh when I was getting the i40 serviced yesterday. They look nice. Much nicer than the ix35.

[FatBoy]

The GXL isn't the base model Prado, the GX is.  I was comparing like features in each vehicle (tri-zone air con, seven seats, rear view camera, inbuilt GPS etc.).  Having sat in both, I much prefer the Prado, particularly the rear seat space (the FatKids are also tall kids), and carrying capacity in the rear, not to mention that the Prado can tow more.

Toyota will discount the Prado for my work (which I can tap into), Hyundai won't with the Santa Fe.  As I said in a previous post, I can get the VX Prado for not much more than a GXL (a couple of thousand).

For me, if I was looking at a $60k+ vehicle, it would be the Prado (GXL or VX), not the Santa Fe (Highlander or SR).

Here are the prices in Tassie for said vehicles.

New & Used Toyota Landcruiser Prado GXL cars in Tasmania - Find Toyota Landcruiser Prado GXL cars for sale in Tasmania -

[mjt57]

Given that most of these vehicles are Toorak tractors and will never actually go off road or tow anything, I can see why a family would shun a very basic Prado for a top of the line Santa Fe

And that's understandable. The Hyundais aren't off-roaders despite their claim to "active 4x4". May be OK for some dirt roads where it's reasonably flat. And they'd rattle to bits anyway. That's the big diff between the Prado and its ilk and that of the softroaders (ix35, Santa Fe, Captiva, Mazda Tribute/Ford Escape and so on).

I took a Santa Fe and an ix35 for a test drive recently. Nice enough road cars but the ride quality wasn't as good as that of a mate's Prado that I drove (and it's got 120,000km on it, a lot of it done towing his 2.5t tractor or 1.8t boat). And another mate's GLX 'Cruiser 200 Series wagon was another level again. That V8 twin turbo diesel sure had some mumbo. But it's also carrying a shitload of weight, too.

We want to join the Grey Nomads. The vans we've looked at require something like the Prado as a minimum as a towing vehicle. But soon the i30's lease expires and I need to make a decision. Sell it and get something new, re-lease it or pay its residual out and keep it and wait. Option 1 looked like getting an ix35, maybe a superceded model, rather than the Tuscon because of the $40+k cost of the mid-spec model.

[tla]

Another favourable review/comparison:

Hyundai Tucson Elite v Mazda CX-5 Maxx Sport v Ford Kuga Trend Ecoboost v Mitsubishi Outlander XLS AWD comparison review

[Lakes]

Craig has pointed out something i did not know, & from reading all your posts , u all are doing your comparisons , just reading the spec sheet, not getting first hand experience by test driving.
Also just looking at what they are rated at being capable of towing , & actually experiencing what they perform like when towing the rated weight, are two different things.
But if the Hyundai have Brembo stopping them, they moved a class up above Toyota!! they are  class brakes like you expect in Ferrari & probably
you should be comparing them with Audi or similar. to me the first thing i do is test drive both & if i'm going to tow a caravan , i would want to test it doing that too. a mate of mine bought a Mazda diesel auto Bravo ( new model ) 4x4 to tow an off road caravan . after one year with that he went to a Totota V8 diesel land cruiser , as pulls the weight a lot better up hills. ( hate to think what fuel economy is )
just pointing out the importance of test driving.