Compare the2022 Honda HR-VVS 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the HR-V deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The HR-V’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Santa Fe’s airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

Both the HR-V 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, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, crash mitigating brakes and lane departure warning systems.

There are over 28 percent more Honda dealers than there are Hyundai dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the HR-V’s warranty.

The engine in the HR-V has a single overhead cam for simplicity. The engines in the Santa Fe have dual overhead cams, which add to the number of moving parts and the complexity of the cylinder heads.

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 HR-V’s reliability 20 points higher than the Santa Fe.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda 1 place higher in reliability than Hyundai.

The HR-V 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.

The HR-V’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Santa Fe’s standard 60 series tires.

The Honda HR-V may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 750 to 950 pounds less than the Hyundai Santa Fe.

The HR-V is 1 foot, 6 inches shorter than the Santa Fe, making the HR-V easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The HR-V Sport/EX/EX-L uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Santa Fe doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

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