Compare the2023 Hyundai Santa FeVS 2022 Jeep Renegade

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

Safety

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Both the Santa Fe and Renegade have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Santa Fe 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 Renegade’s 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 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Renegade doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Santa Fe SEL Premium/Limited/Calligraphy has a standard Surround View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Renegade only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The Santa Fe’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 Renegade doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Santa Fe and the Renegade 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, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available all wheel drive.

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 is safer than the Jeep Renegade:

	Santa Fe	Renegade
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	16%	26%
Neck Stress	149 lbs.	332 lbs.
Neck Compression	13 lbs.	18 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	50/51 lbs.	343/366 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	244	363
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.7 inches
Neck Injury Risk	27%	35%
Neck Stress	99 lbs.	221 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	222/167 lbs.	290/322 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 is safer than the Jeep Renegade:

	Santa Fe	Renegade
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	61	161
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	3 Stars
HIC	148	286
Spine Acceleration	54 G’s	73 G’s
Hip Force	736 lbs.	1157 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	576 lbs.	625 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 its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 87 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Renegade last would have qualified as only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2019.

Warranty

The Santa Fe comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Renegade’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Santa Fe 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Jeep covers the Renegade. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Renegade ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The Santa Fe’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Renegade’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Reliability

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Santa Fe has a standard 760-amp battery. The Renegade’s 500-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are better in initial quality than Jeep vehicles. With 14 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Hyundai higher than Jeep.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Jeep vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in reliability, above the industry average. With 53 more problems per 100 vehicles, Jeep is ranked 19th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Jeep vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Hyundai 13 places higher in reliability than Jeep.

Engine

The Santa Fe’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 14 more horsepower (191 vs. 177) than the Renegade’s 1.3 turbo 4-cylinder. The Santa Fe Limited/Calligraphy’s standard 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 104 more horsepower (281 vs. 177) and 101 lbs.-ft. more torque (311 vs. 210) than the Renegade’s 1.3 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Santa Fe Limited/Calligraphy 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Jeep Renegade:

	Santa Fe	Renegade
Zero to 60 MPH	6.2 sec	9.3 sec
Quarter Mile	14.6 sec	17.3 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	98.4 MPH	78.1 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

Regardless of its engine, the Santa Fe’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Renegade 2.4-liter doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Hyundai Santa Fe uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Renegade requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Santa Fe has 6.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the Renegade (18.8 vs. 12.7 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Transmission

The Santa Fe offers an available sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The Renegade doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Santa Fe	Santa Fe 2.5T	Renegade
Front Rotors	12.8 inches	13.6 inches	12 inches
Rear Rotors	12 inches	12 inches	10.95 inches

The Santa Fe stops much shorter than the Renegade:

	Santa Fe	Renegade
60 to 0 MPH	117 feet	133 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Santa Fe has larger standard tires than the Renegade (235/60R18 vs. 215/65R16). The Santa Fe Calligraphy’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Renegade (255/45R20 vs. 235/45R19).

The Santa Fe’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 Renegade’s standard 65 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Santa Fe has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Renegade. The Santa Fe Calligraphy’s 20-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels optional on the Renegade Latitude/Limited.

Suspension and Handling

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

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Santa Fe’s wheelbase is 7.7 inches longer than on the Renegade (108.9 inches vs. 101.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Santa Fe is 4.1 inches wider in the front and 4.4 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Renegade.

The Santa Fe Calligraphy AWD handles at .83 G’s, while the Renegade Trailhawk 4x4 pulls only .73 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Santa Fe Calligraphy AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.3 seconds quicker than the Renegade Trailhawk 4x4 (26.7 seconds @ .67 average G’s vs. 29 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Santa Fe has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Renegade (8.2 vs. 8 inches), allowing the Santa Fe to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The design of the Hyundai Santa Fe amounts to more than styling. The Santa Fe has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .33 Cd. That is lower than the Renegade (.35 to .37) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Santa Fe get better fuel mileage.

For excellent aerodynamics, the Santa Fe has standard flush composite headlights. The Renegade has recessed headlights that spoil its aerodynamic shape and create extra drag.

Passenger Space

The Santa Fe has 11.4 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Renegade (111.5 vs. 100.1).

The Santa Fe has .1 inches more front headroom, 2.9 inches more front legroom, 4.4 inches more front hip room, 3.2 inches more front shoulder room, 6.6 inches more rear legroom, 4.4 inches more rear hip room and 3.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the Renegade.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Santa Fe’s rear seats recline. The Renegade’s rear seats don’t recline.

The front step up height for the Santa Fe is 1.9 inches lower than the Renegade (17.5” vs. 19.4”). The Santa Fe’s rear step up height is 1.3 inches lower than the Renegade’s (18.3” vs. 19.6”).

Cargo Capacity

The Santa Fe has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Renegade with its rear seat up (36.4 vs. 18.5 cubic feet). The Santa Fe has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Renegade with its rear seat folded (72.1 vs. 50.8 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Santa Fe easier. The Santa Fe’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 29 inches, while the Renegade’s liftover is 30.2 inches.

The Santa Fe’s cargo area is larger than the Renegade’s in almost every dimension:

	Santa Fe	Renegade
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	42.4”/77.4”	28.9”/59”
Max Width	54”	40.1”
Min Width	43.4”	37.6”
Height	31”	33.7”

Pressing a button automatically lowers the Santa Fe’s (except SE) optional rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Renegade doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

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

Towing

The Santa Fe’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Renegade’s (2000 vs. 0 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Jeep Renegade 4x4 is only 2000 pounds. The Santa Fe offers up to a 3500 lbs. towing capacity.

Servicing Ease

The Santa Fe uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Renegade 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 two different drivers share the Santa Fe Limited/Calligraphy, the memory system makes it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position, outside mirror angle, climate settings and radio stations. The Renegade doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Santa Fe Limited/Calligraphy’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 Renegade doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Santa Fe Calligraphy has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Renegade doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Santa Fe Calligraphy’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 Renegade’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

The Santa Fe has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The Renegade doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

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

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’s headlights were rated “Good” to “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the Renegade’s headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Poor.”

The Santa Fe 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 Renegade has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the Latitude/Trailhawk/Limited.

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

When the Santa Fe Limited/Calligraphy 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 Renegade’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

Both the Santa Fe and the Renegade offer available heated front seats. The Santa Fe Limited/Calligraphy also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Renegade.

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

Both the Santa Fe and the Renegade offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Santa Fe has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Renegade 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 SEL/XRT/Limited/Calligraphy has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Renegade doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The Santa Fe Limited/Calligraphy’s Smart Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. 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 Renegade Limited’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park and it doesn’t offer remote control parking.

Recommendations

The Hyundai Santa Fe outsold the Jeep Renegade by over two to one during the 2021 model year.

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