2010 Hyundai Santa Fe Review

With pricing between $21,695 and $30,295, the 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe offers excellent value and loads of standard features for safety, convenience, technology and economy. It's a well-done compact crossover that has been thoughtfully designed to never neglect to rear passengers. 40 inches of headroom are found in the front and rear, 60 inches of shoulder room (59 rear), 56 inches of hip room (55 rear) and a toe-tappin' 42.6 inches of legroom (36.8 rear) abound. The ground is cleared by 8.1 inches by its wheelbase measuring 106.3 inches. Base model curb weights are 3688 pounds and standard seating is for five. You'll find 34.2 cubic feet of luggage capacity that's expandable up to 78.2 cubic feet by folding down the rear seating.

There are two engine choices available for the 2010 Santa Fe by Hyundai: the 2.4L 175-horsepower 169 lb-ft inline four cylinder and the 3.5L 276-horsepower 248 lb-ft V6. Seven trims are available, three with the 2.4L I4 and the remainder with the V6. Transmission-wise, purchasers may select between a 6-speed manual and a 6-speed SHIFTRONIC automatic. There are front wheel drive and all-wheel-drive versions available. Regardless of the trim selected, 17.7 feet of turning radius is required in a maximum towing capacity of 1653 pounds is firmly recommended. However, when properly equipped, a 3500-pound towing limit is achieved. The Santa Fe is appreciated by its worldwide audience because of its well-integrated standards for safety, utility, technology and refinement.

With double 5-star crash test safety ratings from the NHTSA and a "Top-Pick" listing from the IIHS, the Hyundai Santa Fe pridefully shows off its long list of standard safety features including:

• Six airbags;
• 4-wheel antilock braking with electronic brake assist;
• Electronic stability control;
• Electronic traction control;
• Individual tire pressure monitoring;
• Active anti-whiplash frontal head restraints;
• First aid kit;
• Loads more...

New for this year, the Santa Fe has received several mechanical and aesthetic improvements. New bumpers, new front/rear fascias, new alloy wheels, a bold new grill, auxiliary input jacks, USB ports, eco indicators and the Bluetooth hands-free phone system have been added as standard features. It's a practical, surprisingly stylish vehicle that serves excellently for prowling the streets of suburbia, or base-pumping down the Vegas strip. It is considered a compact crossover SUV, but it still large enough to accommodate three separate rows of seating, a feat unable to be matched by the smaller Tucson. And because of its unibody, car-like construction standards, the Hyundai Santa Fe drives with a light, smooth ride quality.

The 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe is a shapely, good looking compact crossover SUV that delivers high levels of safety, accompanied by loads of standard features for accommodating individual family members. It definitely has something to offer everyone. And it's definitely worth your consideration as a viable alternative to the Toyota Highlander, or other more expensive crossover SUV's.