The only problem with the Sorento is I would not get the owner loyalty discount. We traded in our Kia Sephia last June for the Scion xB.

 

eh i love our hyundais, but dont get a kia or hyundai for this, Jeeps pwn man, my daily driver is a 95 grand cherokee, and my dad just got a brand new 04 GC, they drive beautifully through heavy snow, and ive taken mine off roading once or twice, hope dad dont read this. ANyways thats my 2 cents.

 

Just get the extended Jeep Unlimited you freaking geek!!! You know its better than the Tuscan!!!

 

I think Java the question was, and still is:
How do you plan to use the vehicle?
If you don't get off the road too often, are you really going to change your habits and get off the road very often? Is that really your plan?
In % how much of your driving time do you spend of the road?

It's not much fun if you have to drive everyday in a heavy, thorp, gas guzzler vehicle, just to once or twice a year enjoy good off road capabilities... you will end up hating your vehicle... however if you're ocassionally going off the road and do some "light off roading" and still want to enjoy more car-like handling, acceleration and braking, then go for a light SUV.
For just a couple of times a year off the road, you can get a Hyundai with your loyalty bonus and buy and old tank like a 1985 Jeep, or Mitsu Montero, and enjoy a good off roading.

 

Right now the only offroading I do is when I go to Glock33's house. He doesn't have a driveway. About the most real off roading I will do is when I go hunting at my uncle's and have to drive the muddy meadow road to get to the shooting house. I really just need something that would have no problem getting through puddles and about 3-6 inches of mud on occasion. The Grand Cherokee is appealing, as is the Liberty. The price on the GC is way over my budget and the Liberty has less HP and Torque than the Tucson (according to there website).

 

Here's my take.

If you need a SUV, and like you said, you are planning on staying Hyundai (Good choice!), think about this.

1. Tuscon is bigger, about the size of the Sorento.

2. Santa Fe is a bit smaller, but very comfy and fun to drive.

3. Engine choices, there's a bunch for the SF, don't know about the Tuscon.

4. Offroading. Look, they are both available in 4wd, but how serious are you going to use it? I mean if you are gonna be mud bogging, you don't even want one of those new jeeps at ALL. If it's some bumpy roads and a few mud puddles, go for either of the H's. I've driven the SF and loved it. A LOT. They will get you where you wanna go. Not bad to even take hunting, just don't go too crazy with it. You CAN get stuck in ANYTHING, with ANY vehicle, good judgement and sound driving skills will save that.

 

Leave my drivewayless house out of this!!! But if your going hunting with it you aint going to wanna throw a dead deer in the back. of an SUV.

 

drive the liberty, and the hyundai's. then tell me which has more power. But i can tell you right now that a jeep is proven off road. 3-6 mud puddles isn't off roading neither is driving through a field. you can do that with you tiburon with out any problems. off roading is: 6+ inches of mud 12+ inches of water trails 6 feet wide with no less then 3 feet deep ruts. Java i had my truck many times in 8+ inches of mud and i've drive through no less then 3 feet of water. That is off roading. What you talking is no wear near off roading. Mild off roading would be driving arround on the range. So get the cheaper one for stuff like that.

 

Actually REDZ, Tucson is SMALLER than the Santa Fe.
Tucson is derived from the Elantra platform, Santa Fe is derived from the Sonata platform.
The tucson is about the size of a Honda CR-V or a Subaru Forrester (but looks WAY MUCH BETTER than both of them), definitely smaller than the Sorento.
The Santa Fe has a particular style (which I also like a lot) and should be the size of a Jeep Grand Cherokee (maybe slightly smaller: and I emphasize size, not category, power, off road habilities, nor anything like it), this Santa Fe is about the size of the Sorento (the Sorento is taller, more thought for Off Road use I think).
There's another Hyundai SUV, the Terracan (I don't know if you get that in the US; here most of them are diesels) and that is the biggest Hyundai, it's the size of a Mitsubishi Montero.

Java, for what you're describing, any of both would do, Maybe the Santa Fe with the big V6 (3500cc) would have more torque, and it must be a lot more fun to drive in everyday driving in pavement than any Jeep.

 

i had to do a search. wanted to see it, i've never heard of it