Compare the2022 Kia SportageVS 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe

Both the Sportage and the Santa Fe 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, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Kia Sportage is safer than the Hyundai Santa Fe:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Kia Sportage is safer than the Hyundai Santa Fe:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Sportage’s reliability 22 points higher than the Santa Fe.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Sportage second among compact suvs in their 2020 Initial Quality Study. The Santa Fe was rated third in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2020 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in initial quality, above the industry average. With 17 more problems per 100 vehicles, Hyundai is ranked 10th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia third in reliability, above the industry average. With 4 more problems per 100 vehicles, Hyundai is ranked 7th.

The Sportage has more powerful engines than the Santa Fe:

As tested in Motor Trend the Kia Sportage 4 cyl. is faster than the Hyundai Santa Fe:

On the EPA test cycle the Sportage FWD gets better fuel mileage than the Santa Fe FWD:

The Sportage stops much shorter than the Santa Fe:

For better traction, the Sportage SX Turbo’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Santa Fe (245/45R19 vs. 235/65R17).

The Sportage LX’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Santa Fe SE/SEL’s standard 65 series tires. The Sportage SX Turbo’s tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Santa Fe 2.0T’s 55 series tires.

The Sportage has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Santa Fe doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The Sportage SX Turbo AWD handles at .83 G’s, while the Santa Fe AWD pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Sportage SX Turbo AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.1 seconds quicker than the Santa Fe (26.8 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 28.9 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Sportage’s turning circle is 2.7 feet tighter than the Santa Fe’s (34.8 feet vs. 37.5 feet).

The Kia Sportage may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 300 pounds less than the Hyundai Santa Fe.

The Sportage is 11.4 inches shorter than the Santa Fe, making the Sportage easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Sportage easier. The Sportage’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 29.8 inches, while the Santa Fe’s liftover is 31.2 inches.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are optional on the Sportage to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Santa Fe doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

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

Insurance will cost less for the Sportage owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Sportage will cost $290 less than the Santa Fe over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Sportage is less expensive to operate than the Santa Fe because it costs $46 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost less on the Sportage than the Santa Fe, including $10 less for front brake pads, $68 less for a starter, $48 less for fuel injection, $127 less for a fuel pump, $4 less for front struts and $12 less for a timing belt/chain.

The Kia Sportage has won recognition from these important consumer publications: