Compare the2022 Mitsubishi OutlanderVS 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe

The Mitsubishi Outlander has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Santa Fe doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Outlander has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The Santa Fe doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Outlander has a standard cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Only the Santa Fe SEL/Limited has a cross-path warning system.

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

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2020 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Mitsubishi vehicles are better in initial quality than Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Mitsubishi 6th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 5 more problems per 100 vehicles, Hyundai is ranked 10th.

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

The Outlander 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 doesn’t offer a CVT.

For better stopping power the Outlander’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Santa Fe:

The Outlander’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 are solid, not vented.

The Outlander stops shorter than the Santa Fe:

For better traction, the Outlander has larger tires than the Santa Fe (255/45R20 vs. 235/65R17).

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

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Outlander has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Santa Fe SE/SEL. The Outlander’s optional 20-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels on the Santa Fe 2.0T.

The Outlander SEL AWC handles at .85 G’s, while the Santa Fe AWD pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The Outlander S-AWC has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Santa Fe doesn’t offer headlight washers.

When the Outlander SEL 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’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Outlander has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning costs extra on the Santa Fe and isn’t available on the Santa Fe SE.

The Outlander’s standard automatic temperature control maintains the temperature you set, automatically controlling fan speed, vents and temperature to maintain a consistent, comfortable environment. The Santa Fe SE doesn’t offer automatic air conditioning.