2001 Hyundai Santa Fe

The 2001-2006 Hyundai Santa Fe is the SM generation and Hyundai's first SUV, a unibody crossover that arrived early in the segment's formation. Engines were a 2.4-liter four-cylinder and 2.7-liter and 3.5-liter V6s, paired with a four- or five-speed automatic or a five-speed manual on base models. Front-wheel drive was standard with all-wheel drive optional. The body is a five-door wagon with two rows of seating.

The Santa Fe undercut Japanese rivals significantly on price while offering comparable space and a long warranty, and it sold in large numbers as a result. Styling was distinctive to the point of being polarizing. The CM generation that followed in 2007 grew larger and offered a third row.

For used buyers, surviving SM Santa Fes are very inexpensive and now old enough that condition is everything. The V6 engines of this era use timing belts requiring scheduled replacement. Corrosion around the rear subframe and suspension mounting points is the primary structural concern on vehicles from salted-road regions. Automatic transmission service history is worth verifying. These are budget purchases where a documented maintenance record matters far more than trim level or mileage.