Compare the2019 Infiniti QX60VS 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe XL

The QX60 Luxe’s optional pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Santa Fe XL doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

For enhanced safety, the front, middle and rear seat shoulder belts of the Infiniti QX60 are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Hyundai Santa Fe XL doesn’t offer height-adjustable middle or rear seat belts.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The QX60 Luxe offers an optional Backup Collision Intervention that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Santa Fe XL doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

Both the QX60 and the Santa Fe XL have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front-wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available all-wheel drive, lane departure warning systems and around view monitors.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2018 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Infiniti vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Infiniti fourth in reliability, above the industry average. With 4 more problems per 100 vehicles, Hyundai is ranked 6th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ April 2018 Auto Issue reports that Infiniti vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Infiniti 3 places higher in reliability than Hyundai.

The QX60’s 3.5 DOHC V6 produces 5 more horsepower (295 vs. 290) and 18 lbs.-ft. more torque (270 vs. 252) than the Santa Fe XL’s 3.3 DOHC V6.

On the EPA test cycle the QX60 gets better fuel mileage than the Santa Fe XL:

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Infiniti QX60 higher (5 out of 10) than the Hyundai Santa Fe XL (3). This means the QX60 produces up to 16.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Santa Fe XL every 15,000 miles.

The QX60 has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Santa Fe XL doesn’t offer a CVT.

The QX60’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Santa Fe XL are solid, not vented.

The QX60 stops much shorter than the Santa Fe XL:

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the QX60 Luxe offers optional 20-inch wheels. The Santa Fe XL’s largest wheels are only 19-inches.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the QX60’s wheelbase is 4 inches longer than on the Santa Fe XL (114.2 inches vs. 110.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the QX60 is 1.6 inches wider in the front and 1.2 inches wider in the rear than on the Santa Fe XL.

The QX60 AWD handles at .76 G’s, while the Santa Fe XL AWD pulls only .74 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The QX60 has 2.4 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Santa Fe XL (149 vs. 146.6).

The QX60 has .8 inches more front headroom, .9 inches more front legroom, .1 inches more front hip room, .9 inches more front shoulder room, 1.3 inches more rear legroom, .4 inches more rear hip room, 2.1 inches more rear shoulder room, .8 inches more third row headroom and 3.2 inches more third row shoulder room than the Santa Fe XL.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the QX60’s middle and third row seats recline. The Santa Fe XL’s third row seats don’t recline.

The QX60’s cargo area provides more volume than the Santa Fe XL.

The QX60 has a standard third row seat which folds flat into the floor. This completely clears a very large cargo area quickly. The Santa Fe XL doesn’t offer seats that fold into the floor.

Pressing a switch automatically raises the QX60’s optional third row seats, to make changing between cargo and passengers easier. The Santa Fe XL doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Infiniti service is better than Hyundai. J.D. Power ranks Infiniti first in service department satisfaction. With a 62% lower rating, Hyundai is ranked 22nd.

The QX60 offers a remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Santa Fe XL doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The QX60’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Santa Fe XL’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the QX60 the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Santa Fe XL can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The QX60’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Santa Fe XL’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted. The QX60 Luxe’s optional wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield.

Consumer Reports rated the QX60’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the Santa Fe XL’s headlights, which were rated “Good.”

When the QX60 Luxe is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Santa Fe XL’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The QX60 Luxe offers optional automatic dimming rear and side view mirrors which automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Santa Fe XL offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the QX60 is less expensive to operate than the Santa Fe XL because typical repairs cost much less on the QX60 than the Santa Fe XL, including $64 less for a water pump, $4 less for front brake pads, $84 less for a fuel pump and $209 less for a timing belt/chain.