By KBB Editors
Updated December 23, 2019
If getting the most for your money matters, the 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe might be the SUV for you. The Korean manufacturers have improved quality over the years but still have to entice buyers with good value and an excellent warranty – the Santa Fe has both.
Many people remember the cheap economy cars Hyundai sold in America starting in 1986. If you are looking to buy an SUV with the resale values of the Japanese brands, the Hyundai Santa Fe may not be for you.
For 2010, the Santa Fe sees a number of changes. In addition to added in-cabin amenities and some exterior styling tweaks, the car also gets new powertrains – a four-cylinder and a more powerful V6, both of which are paired with six-speed transmissions and offer better fuel economy than their predecessors.
The Hyundai Santa Fe is a unibody SUV made for tackling the urban jungle, not the rain-forest jungle. Since its introduction in 2000, almost half a million have been sold. The Santa Fe is right at home running the kids to soccer practice, hauling groceries from the supermarket or heading to the mountains for the weekend. Combining attributes like a higher seating position, roomy interior, rugged good looks, a long list of standard equipment, a good warranty (10-year/100,000-mile powertrain) and a reasonable price, the 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe provides good value in the mid-size SUV category.
The Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price for any individual used vehicle can vary greatly according to mileage, condition, location, and other factors, but here's a general idea of what buyers are currently paying for used 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe models when purchasing from a dealership.
Original MSRP | KBB Fair Purchase Price (nat'l average) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
$23,985 | $5,769 | |||
$26,790 | $5,821 | |||
$29,390 | $6,359 |
For reference, the 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe originally had a starting sticker price of $23,985, with the range-topping Santa Fe Limited Sport Utility 4D starting at $29,390.
The Santa Fe rides smoothly and inspires confidence while cornering thanks to its responsive steering and well controlled body lean. Standard Electronic Stability Control helps during evasive maneuvers and is especially reassuring when driving in slippery conditions. Also standard is a tilt and telescoping steering wheel which makes it easy to find the perfect driving position. With the exception of some wind noise in the front and road noise from the rear, the cabin remains fairly quiet at freeway speeds. The Shiftronic automatic transmission responds quickly to manual gear selections, making driving on curvy roads an almost sporty experience.
The 2010 Santa Fe’s interior conveys a feeling of quality thanks to sturdy plastics and low-gloss surfaces. The instrumentation is neatly laid out, easy to operate and at night glows with pleasant blue backlighting. Behind the second-row seat is 34.2 cubic feet of cargo space, which should be ample room for luggage for five passengers.
Hyundai showed good taste in moving away from the overly busy appearance of the first-generation Santa Fe. The newest version features a much simpler approach, with design elements that are tasteful and purposeful. Body cladding is gone, replaced by smooth sheetmetal flowing into color-keyed bumpers. With its wide track, the Santa Fe has a much stronger stance.
3.5-liter V6 Engine
Not only does the V6 deliver more than 100 horsepower more than the four-cylinder engine, it also has roughly similar EPA fuel economy ratings.
LG Navigation
Available on SE and Limited models, this navigation system’s voice guidance feature makes map reading a thing of the past.
The 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe offers high value, as reflected by its standard equipment list which includes air conditioning, cruise control, a roof rack, dual exhaust, power windows, power door locks, heated power side mirrors, steering-wheel audio controls, a six-speaker MP3-compatible CD player and Bluetooth. To enhance safety, all trim levels include four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes (ABS), electronic stability control (ESP), traction control, front and side airbags for the driver and front passenger, side-curtain airbags that protect all three rows and active front head restraints.
Most popular options can be grouped together in packages that vary depending upon trim level. All-wheel-drive is available for all Santa Fe models. Other options include heated front seats, a power outlet in the cargo area, a power sunroof and a navigation system with a 6.5-inch screen and rearview camera.
Hyundai offers new two engines for the 2010 Santa Fe: a 2.4-liter four-cylinder or a 3.5-liter V6. The four-cylinder is standard on the GLS and Limited models, while the V6 is standard on the SE. Both engines are paired to new six-speed transmissions. The Santa Fe also sees significant improvements in its fuel economy, garnering a 15 percent increase overall.
2.4-liter in-line four
175 horsepower @ 6000 rpm
169 lb.-ft. of torque @ 3750 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 19/26 (2WD, manual), , 20/28 (2WD, automatic), 21/27 (AWD, automatic)
3.5-liter V6
276 horsepower @ 6300 rpm
248 lb.-ft. of torque @ 5000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 20/26
Our Expert Ratings come from hours of both driving and number crunching to make sure that you choose the best car for you. We comprehensively experience and analyze every new SUV, car, truck, or minivan for sale in the U.S. and compare it to its competitors. When all that dust settles, we have our ratings.
We require new ratings every time an all-new vehicle or a new generation of an existing vehicle comes out. Additionally, we reassess those ratings when a new-generation vehicle receives a mid-cycle refresh — basically, sprucing up a car in the middle of its product cycle (typically, around the 2-3 years mark) with a minor facelift, often with updates to features and technology.
Rather than pulling random numbers out of the air or off some meaningless checklist, KBB’s editors rank a vehicle to where it belongs in its class. Before any car earns its KBB rating, it must prove itself to be better (or worse) than the other cars it’s competing against as it tries to get you to spend your money buying or leasing.
Our editors drive and live with a given vehicle. We ask all the right questions about the interior, the exterior, the engine and powertrain, the ride and handling, the features, the comfort, and of course, about the price. Does it serve the purpose for which it was built? (Whether that purpose is commuting efficiently to and from work in the city, keeping your family safe, making you feel like you’ve made it to the top — or that you’re on your way — or making you feel like you’ve finally found just the right partner for your lifestyle.)
We take each vehicle we test through the mundane — parking, lane-changing, backing up, cargo space and loading — as well as the essential — acceleration, braking, handling, interior quiet and comfort, build quality, materials quality, reliability.
Curb Weight | 3725 lbs. | ||
---|---|---|---|
EPA Passenger | 108.3 cu.ft. | ||
Fuel Capacity | 19.8 gallons | ||
Front Head Room | 40.2 inches | ||
Front Leg Room | 42.6 inches | ||
Max Seating Capacity | 5 | ||
Minimum Ground Clearance | 8.1 inches | ||
Overall Length | 184.1 inches | ||
Front Shoulder Room | 59.5 inches | ||
Towing Capacity, Maximum | 2000 lbs. | ||
Trunk or Cargo Capacity | 78.2 cu.ft. | ||
Turning Diameter | 35.4 feet | ||
Wheel Base | 106.3 inches | ||
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) | 4916 lbs. | ||
Width with mirrors | 74.4 inches |
Alloy Wheels | Available | ||
---|---|---|---|
Moon Roof/Sun Roof | Available | ||
Number of Doors | 4 doors | ||
Privacy Glass | Available | ||
Roof Rails | Available |
City | 20 mpg | ||
---|---|---|---|
Highway | 28 mpg | ||
Combined | 23 mpg |
Drivetrain | 2WD | ||
---|---|---|---|
Transmission Type | Automatic | ||
6 speed | Available | ||
Recommended Fuel | Regular |
Horsepower | 175 @ 6000 RPM | ||
---|---|---|---|
Torque | 169 @ 3750 rpm | ||
Engine | 4-Cyl, 2.4 Liter |
Basic | 5 years / 60000 miles | ||
---|---|---|---|
Powertrain | 5 years / 60000 miles | ||
Corrosion | 7 years / Unlimited miles |
Used 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe | Used 2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara | Used 2010 Saturn Outlook | Used 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Price | $6,289 | $5,940 | $5,952 | $5,681 | |
KBB.com Rating | N/A | 2.5 | N/A | N/A | |
Consumer Rating | 4.6 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.2 | |
Fuel Economy | City 20/Hwy 28/Comb 23 MPG | City 19/Hwy 26/Comb 22 MPG | City 17/Hwy 24/Comb 19 MPG | City 15/Hwy 20/Comb 17 MPG | |
Fuel Type | Gas | Gas | Gas | Gas | |
Seating Capacity | 5 | 5 | 8 | 5 | |
Basic Warranty | 5 years or 60000 miles | 3 years or 36000 miles | 3 years or 36000 miles | 3 years or 36000 miles | |
Horsepower | 175 @ 6000 RPM | 166 @ 6000 RPM | 288 @ 6300 RPM | 210 @ 5200 RPM | |
Engine | 4-Cyl, 2.4 Liter | 4-Cyl, 2.4 Liter | V6, 3.6 Liter | V6, 3.7 Liter | |
Drivetrain | 2WD | 2WD | FWD | 4WD |
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