2010 Hyundai Santa Fe SE: Much improved SUV

Written by Steven Macoy
Thursday, 23 December 2010 10:55

We boarded our Pacific Blue Pearl 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe with certain biases and expectations that had nothing to do with this compact SUV’s style, quality or versatility. It was late November, and we had just returned a two-seat sporty convertible without ever having gotten a chance to lower the top. What we really wanted was something big and roomy, easy to get in and out of, and the Santa Fe more than filled the bill.

Hyundai has caught up with its Japanese and American competitors but remains on a fast learning curve. The Korean automaker also has its public relations ducks in a row. The Santa Fe may wear a Korean badge, but it’s built in Montgomery, Ala., by American workers, and 40 percent of its components are American or Canadian made.

Hyundai recently broke its U.S. sales record with 500,000 units sold in 2010, with a month still to go, and the Santa Fe is among its top sellers.

What’s the attraction? For starters, the Santa Fe used to be an ugly duckling while the similar Kia Sorento, with a discernible resemblance to the handsome Mercedes-Benz M-Class, was and remains a sharp-looking SUV. Today’s Santa Fe, redesigned for the 2007 model year and tweaked annually since then, is conservative but nicely proportioned.

In its early days, the Santa Fe was coarse and stiffly sprung, making it less appealing than the class-leading Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV-4. It no doubt lost a customer to the test drive for every one it gained thanks to its low price, long warranty and extensive standard-features list. But the Santa Fe now boasts a smooth, quiet ride and competent handling, as well as unexpectedly high-quality interior materials and styling.

For 2010, Hyundai made two major changes. First, it did away with the cramped third seat, a feature most owners probably didn’t use. As a practical matter, people who need three rows of usable seating will be happiest in a minivan or a large SUV.

Also new for 2010 are the engine offerings. Our SE model, with front-wheel drive, came with a 276-horsepower V-6 engine. Also available is a 175-horsepower Four. All Santa Fes have the same six-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel drive is available at all trim levels.

Rated at 20 mpg in the city and 26 on the highway, the best our Santa Fe could deliver was 24 to 25 mpg.

Our Santa Fe had just one option, carpeted floor mats. Standard equipment included 18-inch alloy wheels, XM satellite radio, integrated Bluetooth hands-free phone system, steering-wheel-mounted audio and cruise controls, power driver’s seat with adjustable lumbar support, auto-dimming mirror and roof rack. The bottom line was $26,915. The base Santa Fe GLS starts at $21,695.

Safety and reliability are Hyundai strong suits these days. The Santa Fe earned five-star safety ratings across the board except for rollover resistance (four stars) in government crash tests. And Consumer Reports magazine reader surveys found the 2009 Santa Fe much more reliable than average.

 

Steven Macoy ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) is a longtime car enthusiast and full-time editor who lives in Bethel, Conn.

 

Price: $26,915

Engine: 3.5-liter inline V-6, 276 horsepower, 226 lb.-ft. torque

Transmission: 6-speed shiftable automatic

Drive: Front-wheel

Weight: 3,902 lb.

Suspension: MacPherson strut front, multi-link rear

Wheels: 18-inch alloy

Tires: P235/60R18 all-season

Seating capacity: 5

Luggage capacity: 34.2 cu. ft.

Maximum cargo capacity: 78.2 cu. ft.

Fuel capacity: 19.8 gallons

Fuel economy: 20 mpg city, 26 mpg highway

Fuel type: Regular unleaded