Hyundai AC issues

Repairs and Mods Forum
1

I just spent four days searching for a new car, trying out Mazdas, Toyotas, Hondas, Hyundais, and Kias. The Hyundais (Tucson and Santa Fe Hybrids) stand out in almost every way except for two important areas.

  1. They don’t have big enough ICE engines. They should have at least 300 HP. The Fords are a little better in this regard, but not by much. It’s crazy that the big Santa Fe with its long hood doesn’t offer a V8 Hybrid, 3.0 Hybrid, or diesel option.

  2. More importantly, the AC is embarrassingly weak. It was so disappointing that I chose not to buy one today. California has plenty of days over 100 degrees, and Utah has even hotter days. (On a side note, the Fords performed much better.)

For a 7-seater, the AC should be really cold, not just barely enough to keep the driver cool.

Ironically, after test driving, we drove my girlfriend’s old 97 Camry home, and we had to turn the A/C down because after five minutes, the whole car was cold.

Very disappointing, Hyundai. With all that tech, you’re missing the basics. The Adaptive Cruise, driver aids, and so on are fantastic, but then you ruin it with poor AC performance. Why?

2

Lizz said:
V8 hybrid…

What?

Yes… a hybrid that has good MPG but also gives the experience of a V8 on the highway. I want something that doesn’t sound like my blender when I push it hard.

My V8 6-speed Mustang gets in the high twenties for MPG. Why doesn’t it hit the 30s? Simple, city driving really hurts an ICE engine’s fuel economy. You can see this difference in MPG numbers for ICE cars versus hybrids. The hybrid typically has better city numbers than highway numbers. That’s where hybrids shine! While every ICE car’s highway MPG is better than its city MPG.

I want performance without compromises.

3

@Gia
So you want Hyundai to create a V8 hybrid using their tau engine and put that in the Santa Fe.

You do realize that would price the Santa Fe over $75k, right?

Who’s buying a Santa Fe for that much?

Look at other vehicles with V8 hybrids and then look at the Santa Fe. It doesn’t make sense to offer that engine option.

If you want a performance SUV, consider a Porsche Cayenne Turbo Hybrid.

But I suspect you don’t want to spend that much.

4

@Lizz
That actually sounds great… except for the price you mentioned.

But I wonder, why do you think the price would almost double? We’re not talking about something new here… that’s an engine with a 10+ year history. Adding hybrid features to something already developed should be cheaper.

Funny this comes up. I feel the same way about Ford’s Coyote engine. There shouldn’t be a single vehicle that doesn’t have the 5.0 Coyote in it.

I really think a Tau hybrid could have drawn many Porsche buyers. With Hyundai’s reliability and the great tech you get, especially the Adaptive Cruise on the Santa Fe, it would have been a fantastic car.

5

@Gia
The price would be a 50% increase on top of the highest spec model; they aren’t going to put V8 hybrids in entry-level models.

The top spec Santa Fe, called Calligraphy, costs around $50k. That’s a rough estimate since it doesn’t exist yet, and it would likely be a limited run because, again, who wants a V8 hybrid Santa Fe?

Pick battles you can win; Hyundai V8 hybrids isn’t one of them.

Besides, when 4-cylinder turbo hybrids like the C 63 have 500kw, do you really need a V8?

6

I’m a 2024 owner and live in Houston, where the humidity is high. I think I know heat when it’s 100 degrees with full humidity.

It takes some time to cool down, but there is more interior space, which is part of the issue.

I haven’t had comfort issues. I usually keep it around 70 degrees, and it cools down to the point where I have to lower the fan speed or raise the temperature.

I do dislike the position of the front driver side vent. It’s too low and partially blocked by the steering wheel. It should be closer to the pillar.

In terms of horsepower, it’s enough for both freeway and city driving. It’s just shy of 300 HP and has 300 lb-ft of torque for low-end power.

The turbo lag isn’t as bad as some say, and the dual-clutch transmission is well-geared and shifts quickly.

Coming from cars with more horsepower than this, I don’t feel it’s underpowered.

7

@Amanda
I agree with you about the power to some extent. It’s not unsafe or painfully slow, but it’s not exactly fun either. The Santa Fe I drove today was about $50,000! For that price, there should be no serious compromises, especially in the basics department.

I can’t say much about the A/C… Anywhere off the coast of California is like a desert. There’s a lot of heat and sun. The heat coming into the car was so strong that after 20 minutes of driving, it still hadn’t cooled down. I think I was just getting used to it.

That’s unacceptable. It means any short drive on a hot day (less than 30 minutes) will be uncomfortable.

8

I think your complaint about engine size is a bit off. They have a 277 hp turbo 4 engine, and I don’t think anyone can feel a difference between a 277 hp engine and a 300 hp engine. I get the preference for the sound of higher cylinder count engines, but these turbo 4s are comparable in torque to V8s from just a decade ago. Even Mercedes AMG is shifting to 4-cylinder engines, and modern engineering has these engines producing performance that was once only seen in cars with much larger engines and more cylinders.

Regarding air conditioning, I think the car you drove might have had a problem. I haven’t had any issues with my Genesis Coupe keeping me cool in California.

9

@Maverick
There’s something about how engines feel that’s hard to explain. The torque from an electric motor feels similar to that of a V8. I would know because all my cars are V8s or Diesels. Maybe the average driver can’t tell or doesn’t care, but I definitely feel the difference. More importantly, I feel that my 20-year-old Jaguar’s engine is way better than most new cars I drive, and my girlfriend’s 30-year-old Camry is almost as quick as the $40k cars I’ve been driving this week. The MPG isn’t that much worse on the Jaguar or the Camry!

I think certain hybrids can somewhat replicate that feeling. What I don’t understand is why the market feels like it’s settling for less. For $50k, I shouldn’t feel slower than my dad’s 06 Sorento V6. It seems like ICE technology is moving backward.

It’s strange to say, but I’d love to see the engines from the 1990s and 2000s with a modern twist. Modern turbos and hybrid systems. What changed? Is it really the number of cylinders or just a bit of displacement? What has been lost with these smaller engines? It leads to a sluggish driving experience.

I’d probably be okay with it if the A/C was great. But it’s hardly better than the notoriously bad A/C in my 2004 Jaguar. Lol!

10

@Gia

There’s something about how engines feel

That’s likely because of the crank rotation between power strokes. In a 4-stroke engine, the crankshaft must turn two complete rotations (or 720 degrees) for every cylinder to ignite. So in a 4-cylinder, you get ignition every 180 degrees, while in a V8, you get it every 90 degrees. This is one reason higher cylinder count engines feel smoother.

As for your dad’s Sorento, you may have been driving a base engine Santa Fe or are looking at it with rose-colored glasses. Car and Driver lists the turbocharged 2.5L 4-cylinder Santa Fe as about a half-second faster to 60. The added weight might make it feel slower than it actually is.

Most mainstream manufacturers produced around a 200hp V6 and a low 100hp range for a 4-cylinder. These modern engines made some sacrifices but brought a lot of benefits, which I think were worth it, even if I miss the sounds of a V8. You just haven’t found the version that suits you. I’d recommend test driving something like an Elantra N if you’re looking for something more exciting.

I think your issue is expecting a 3-row SUV to drive like something sportier. Consider shopping for cars with specific needs instead of trying to find a do-it-all. If you need a 3-row SUV, let it do that without expecting it to be engaging. I haven’t driven the latest Santa Fe, but I was really impressed with the previous generation.

11

@Maverick
To your first point, that’s why a V8 is a better choice. It provides that smooth, powerful delivery. Drive a Mustang or a V8 Jaguar, then hop into a 4-cylinder, and it feels like night and day.

To your second point, my dad’s 07 Kia Sorento had a 3.8L engine with 262hp and 260 ft-lbs of torque. It was quicker than you’d think (also a body-on-frame, which was nice). It was faster than the hybrid Santa Fe, which I’m talking about.

I didn’t drive the 2.5 turbo, which probably feels much better but sacrifices on fuel economy. It’s tough to say I want it all, but I do. And at this price, I think that’s fair. The 2.5 turbo with a hybrid instead of a 1.6 turbo hybrid is probably what would make me happy. That would add 60 HP, giving us 337hp with the same hybrid system!

On a side note, oddly, the 2.5 uses a DCT, which seems like a mistake. The hybrid has a 6-speed automatic. At least it’s not a CVT; those drive horribly, in my opinion.

As for what engines I’m reminiscing about… there are plenty. My XJ8 Jaguar has an amazing engine. The 5SFE Toyota and 1UZFE (and their follow-ups) are fantastic. I’m just not seeing the gains from the market’s current direction.

What I’m getting at is these were engines from 20-30 years ago that were reliable, made good power, and were easy to work on. I want those engines updated with an extra gear or two, a turbo, and/or a hybrid. Instead, we dropped a liter or two and/or 2-4 cylinders and ended up with powertrains that feel sluggish. Especially given how complicated and expensive everything has become.

I’ve realized that adding hybrid systems means you don’t give up much for overall efficiency in larger vehicles. Look at the hybrid Santa Fe… It gets 35MPG and feels as big as a Suburban. I don’t expect it to be fast, but with a hybrid system, it should be quick, and it could have been easily done.

Regarding my initial issue, I plan to drive the 2.5L Santa Fe and the Hybrid again to see if the MPG loss is acceptable and to check if the A/C on the one I drove was faulty or something. Even if it’s not, I may consider adding an auxiliary fan to improve airflow through the condensing coil or out of the engine bay. The car is otherwise great (especially the adaptive cruise), so I’m willing to try to resolve the issues I have.

I appreciate your responses. It might all be pointless since we aren’t going to change anything, but I’ll just have to accept a compromise I didn’t expect or buy used and hope to find a good deal.

12

I have a 2023 Santa Fe hybrid. My hands have gone numb from the A/C use. No complaints from the back seat.

13

YukiJane said:
I have a 2023 Santa Fe hybrid. My hands have gone numb from the A/C use. No complaints from the back seat.

I’m not sure what changed, but the 2024 is a completely different car inside and out. From my Google searches, it seems many Hyundais have mediocre A/C.

14

You all are tripping.

15

Honda has the worst A/C in the auto industry. Hyundai is average. Ford is the best based on my experience.

Edit: I just remembered if you’re talking about the 2024/2025 Santa Fe, yes, the rear A/C is pretty weak. The front is fine.

16

@barak
The CR-V Hybrid’s A/C was far better than the Tucson or Santa Fe. Its design is arguably more refined, and the drivetrain is somewhat better, but not by much. That said, the Santa Fe feels like being in a space shuttle… The adaptive cruise control is unmatched. There’s so much tech packed in… It’s pretty impressive.

But having good A/C is a must for most people in the southwest USA. We have some really hot days… It’s common for Utah to reach 110-120 degrees. Your car parked in a black lot will probably hit 140-160. It needs to be able to cool down… The ability to start it remotely doesn’t help if the A/C can’t even handle the heat initially.

17

@barak
In response to your edit… that’s disappointing to hear. Looks like Hyundai focused too much on adding 12 ways to charge a phone in the Calligraphy instead of ensuring the A/C can cool the seven passengers it can carry.

What a frustrating process this has been… I need a new car, but nothing is meeting my basic needs. All I want is a 1997 Camry SUV Hybrid with great Adaptive Cruise control. :man_facepalming: lol!

18

@Gia
I think the Tucson’s A/C is fine in both the front and back.