Compare the2022 Hyundai Santa Fe HybridVS 2022 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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Both the Santa Fe Hybrid and Eclipse Cross have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Santa Fe Hybrid has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The Eclipse Cross’ child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Santa Fe Hybrid are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Santa Fe Hybrid Limited has standard Parking Collision Avoidance Assist that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Santa Fe Hybrid. But it costs extra on the Eclipse Cross.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Santa Fe Hybrid’s standard Downhill Brake Control allows you to creep down safely. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer Downhill Brake Control.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Santa Fe Hybrid has a standard rear 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 Eclipse Cross SE/SEL has a rear cross-path warning system.

The Santa Fe Hybrid’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

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

The Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid weighs 573 to 942 pounds more than the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

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

	Santa Fe Hybrid	Eclipse Cross
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	16%	35.1%
Neck Stress	149 lbs.	467 lbs.
Neck Compression	13 lbs.	65 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	50/51 lbs.	239/273 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	244	244
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.5 inches
Neck Injury Risk	27%	30.3%
Neck Stress	99 lbs.	162 lbs.
Neck Compression	89 lbs.	143 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	222/167 lbs.	314/170 lbs.

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 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid is safer than the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross:

	Santa Fe Hybrid	Eclipse Cross
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	61	145
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	148	162
Spine Acceleration	54 G’s	55 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	44 G’s	44 G’s
Hip Force	576 lbs.	622 lbs.

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

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Santa Fe Hybrid its highest rating: “Top Pick Plus” for 2021, a rating granted to only 74 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Eclipse Cross has not been fully tested, yet.

Warranty

The Santa Fe Hybrid’s 7 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Eclipse Cross runs out after 100,000 miles.

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Santa Fe Hybrid for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Hyundai will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Mitsubishi doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Eclipse Cross.

There are almost 3 times as many Hyundai dealers as there are Mitsubishi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Santa Fe Hybrid’s warranty.

Reliability

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Santa Fe Hybrid has a standard 760-amp battery. The Eclipse Cross’ 520-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

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 Santa Fe Hybrid’s reliability 20 points higher than the Eclipse Cross.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Mitsubishi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai 7th in reliability, above the industry average. With 15 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mitsubishi is ranked 13th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Mitsubishi vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Hyundai 14 places higher in reliability than Mitsubishi.

Engine

The Santa Fe Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 74 more horsepower (226 vs. 152) and 74 lbs.-ft. more torque (258 vs. 184) than the Eclipse Cross’ 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid is faster than the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross:

	Santa Fe Hybrid	Eclipse Cross
Zero to 30 MPH	3.1 sec	3.6 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	8.3 sec	9.9 sec
45 to 65 MPH Passing	4.4 sec	6.1 sec
Quarter Mile	16.4 sec	17.6 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	88 MPH	80 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Santa Fe Hybrid gets better mileage than the Eclipse Cross:

			MPG
Santa Fe Hybrid
	AWD	Blue 1.6 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	36 city/31 hwy
		1.6 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	33 city/30 hwy
Eclipse Cross
	FWD	ES 1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	26 city/29 hwy
		1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	25 city/28 hwy
	AWD	ES 1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	25 city/28 hwy
		1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	25 city/26 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the Santa Fe Hybrid’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In heavy traffic or at stop lights the Santa Fe Hybrid’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The Santa Fe Hybrid has 1.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the Eclipse Cross AWD’s standard fuel tank (17.7 vs. 15.8 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Santa Fe Hybrid has 1.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the Eclipse Cross FWD’s standard fuel tank (17.7 vs. 16.6 gallons).

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid higher (7 out of 10) than the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross (5). This means the Santa Fe Hybrid produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Eclipse Cross every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Santa Fe Hybrid	Eclipse Cross
Front Rotors	12.8 inches	11.6 inches
Rear Rotors	12 inches	11.9 inches

The Santa Fe Hybrid stops shorter than the Eclipse Cross:

	Santa Fe Hybrid	Eclipse Cross
60 to 0 MPH	123 feet	129 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Santa Fe Hybrid has larger tires than the Eclipse Cross (235/65R17 vs. 215/70R16). The Santa Fe Hybrid Blue’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Eclipse Cross (235/65R17 vs. 225/55R18).

The Santa Fe Hybrid Blue’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 65 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Eclipse Cross ES’ standard 70 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Santa Fe Hybrid Blue has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Eclipse Cross ES. The Santa Fe Hybrid Limited’s 19-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the Eclipse Cross LE/SE/SEL.

Suspension and Handling

The Santa Fe Hybrid has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Eclipse Cross’ suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Santa Fe Hybrid’s wheelbase is 3.8 inches longer than on the Eclipse Cross (108.9 inches vs. 105.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Santa Fe Hybrid is 4.2 inches wider in the front and 4.6 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Eclipse Cross.

The Santa Fe Hybrid Limited handles at .79 G’s, while the Eclipse Cross SEL AWD pulls only .74 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Santa Fe Hybrid Limited executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1 seconds quicker than the Eclipse Cross SEL AWD (28 seconds @ .6 average G’s vs. 29 seconds @ .56 average G’s).

Passenger Space

The Santa Fe Hybrid has 1.7 inches more front headroom, 3.2 inches more front legroom, 4.5 inches more front hip room, 2.9 inches more front shoulder room, 1.7 inches more rear headroom, 5.5 inches more rear legroom, 4.3 inches more rear hip room and 3.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the Eclipse Cross.

Cargo Capacity

The Santa Fe Hybrid has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Eclipse Cross with its rear seat up (36.4 vs. 23.4 cubic feet). The Santa Fe Hybrid has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Eclipse Cross with its rear seat folded (72.1 vs. 50.1 cubic feet).

Pressing a button automatically lowers the Santa Fe Hybrid’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Santa Fe Hybrid’s power liftgate can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Santa Fe Hybrid’s power liftgate can also be opened or closed by pressing a button. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening liftgate.

Towing

The Santa Fe Hybrid’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Eclipse Cross’ (2000 vs. 1500 pounds).

Standard Trailer Sway Assist on the Santa Fe Hybrid uses the Electronic Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Servicing Ease

The Santa Fe Hybrid uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Eclipse Cross uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

Ergonomics

When different drivers share the Santa Fe Hybrid Limited, the memory system makes it convenient. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position, outside mirror angle, climate settings and radio stations. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Santa Fe Hybrid Limited’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Santa Fe Hybrid’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Eclipse Cross has a lever-type parking brake that has to be strenuously raised to engage properly. It has to be lifted up more and a button depressed to release it.

The power windows standard on both the Santa Fe Hybrid and the Eclipse Cross have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Santa Fe Hybrid is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Eclipse Cross prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Santa Fe Hybrid’s front power windows 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 Eclipse Cross’ standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Santa Fe Hybrid has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Eclipse Cross only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Santa Fe Hybrid’s headlights were rated “Good” to “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the Eclipse Cross’ headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Poor.”

The Santa Fe Hybrid has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. The Eclipse Cross has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the SE/SEL.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Santa Fe Hybrid to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The Santa Fe Hybrid’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. The Eclipse Cross ES FWD doesn’t offer heated side mirrors.

When the Santa Fe Hybrid Limited 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 Eclipse Cross’ mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Santa Fe Hybrid Limited keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

Both the Santa Fe Hybrid and the Eclipse Cross offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Santa Fe Hybrid has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The Santa Fe Hybrid Limited has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Santa Fe Hybrid Limited’s Smart Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. Remote Smart Parking Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Recommendations

The Hyundai Santa Fe outsold the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross by over 14 to one during the 2021 model year.