Subscription Based Features Hold This Car Back
The 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe (Calligraphy Trim) is overall a great car, the subscription based features really hold this care back.
Appearance: stylish and comfortable, the exterior (grill and headlights "pop") and the interior. Everything you would expect for a car in at this price point in this segment.
Performance: Responsive brakes, quick acceleration (has a 2.5L Turbo), smooth handling (All-Wheel Drive). Everything you would expect for a car in at this price point in this segment.
Technology: Great use of space and incorporating car cameras. Blind spot cameras show up on the diver's side gauges, and is very convenient. Camera's surrounding the car, make parking amazingly easy. Phone integration is seamless via USB cable (would have been nicer to have wireless Android Auto & Apple CarPlay - which is available on the lower trims...), or Bluetooth connectivity.
Comfort: Everything is comfortable for the Calligraphy Trim. All seats are comfortable, front seats have heated & ventilated seats, back row has heated seats.
Reason for the 2-Star: Several features become Subscription based after the trial period ends. Kinda disheartening after you spent so much money on the top of the line trim, and compared it to luxury brands at the same price point.
List of features that become subscription based:
SoS Emergency Assistance, Hyundai Assurance Car Care App, Maintenance Alerts, MyHundai Blue Link App, Automatic Diagnostic Trouble Code Notification, Monthly Vehicle Health Report, Service Link, Enhanced Roadside Assistance, Remote Vehicle Status, Automatic Collision Notification, Car Status Notification, On-Demand Diagnostics, Vehicle Safeguard Alerts, Geofence Alert, Remote Horn & Light, Engine Idle Notification, Stolen Vehicle Recovery, Remote Lights, Remote Door Unlock/Lock, Valet Parking Mode, Alarm Notification, Stolen Vehicle Immobilization, Remote Control Extension-Ims, Remote Start W/ Climate Control, Valet Alert, Notification Center, Speed Alert, GPS Streaming, Schedule Head Unit Software, Car Finder, Remote Seat Occupancy Alarm Notification, Alert Service, Multimedia & Navigation Updates, User Profile Backup, Secondary User Profile, Destination Search, Last Mile Guidance, Sound Hound Service, Speed Camera Information Service, Ota Update, Destination Send-To-Car, Route Guidance, Calendar Content, Weather Information Service, Picture Profile.
This is called the "BlueLink" service. If you purchase a Hyundai in 2024, all of these features are completely free for the life of the vehicle through "BlueLink+". What's the difference? Nothing feature wise according to Hyundai's website. The difference in BlueLink and BlueLink+ is only how you pay for them. BlueLink+ which is standard on 2024 Hyundai models, is free forever. When these features are tied to 2022-2023 models of the same cars, these features would cost you a "low monthly fee." The fact that all of these features are locked behind a paywall is ridiculous. If it was such a "low fee," why wouldn't Hyundai just upgrade all of the BlueLink customers to BlueLink+ for being early adopters, loyal customers or as an act of good faith? Money. That "low monthly fee" adds up. At the cost of a few hundred bucks a year, Hyundai is really banking on me renewing the subscription, being annoyed and likely never buying another car from them again, than to just enable these features forever (as if I purchased the car in 2024 instead of 2022.) I've called and asked customer care if anything can be done, or if there is an upgrade path from Bluelink to Bluelink+, and they just respond with "Well, you have the trial version for another year!" like that is supposed to be some positive consolation.
Remove all of these Bluelink features, and now the car is overpriced for the SUVs with comparable (or lack thereof) features.
This would be the sole reason I would not recommend this vehicle to anyone I know or love.
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