Compare the2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-In HybridVS 2022 Nissan Rogue Sport

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 Plug-In Hybrid and Rogue Sport have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Santa Fe Plug-In 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 Rogue Sport’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.

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

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

Both the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid and the Rogue Sport have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

The Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid weighs 899 to 1199 pounds more than the Nissan Rogue Sport. 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 Plug-In Hybrid is safer than the Nissan Rogue Sport:

	Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid	Rogue Sport
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	296	399
Neck Injury Risk	16%	33.7%
Neck Stress	149 lbs.	349 lbs.
Neck Compression	13 lbs.	106 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	50/51 lbs.	266/278 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.5 inches
Neck Injury Risk	27%	35.3%
Neck Stress	99 lbs.	189 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	222/167 lbs.	327/570 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 Plug-In Hybrid is safer than the Nissan Rogue Sport:

	Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid	Rogue Sport
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	61	106
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	148	211
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	44 G’s	45 G’s
Hip Force	576 lbs.	590 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 Plug-In Hybrid its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 112 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Rogue Sport has not been fully tested, yet.

Warranty

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

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

The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Rogue Sport’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Hyundai will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Nissan doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Rogue Sport.

Reliability

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 Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in reliability, above the industry average. With 57 more problems per 100 vehicles, Nissan is ranked 20th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Hyundai 2 places higher in reliability than Nissan.

Engine

The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 120 more horsepower (261 vs. 141) and 111 lbs.-ft. more torque (258 vs. 147) than the Rogue Sport’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid running on electricity gets better mileage than the Rogue Sport:

			MPGe
Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid
	AWD	Electric Motor	79 city/72 hwy
Rogue Sport
			MPG
	FWD	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	25 city/32 hwy
	AWD	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	24 city/30 hwy

On the EPA test cycle the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the Rogue Sport:

			MPG
Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid
	AWD	1.6 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	33 city/32 hwy
Rogue Sport
	FWD	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	25 city/32 hwy
	AWD	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	24 city/30 hwy

The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid can travel with zero emissions for 31 miles. The Rogue Sport can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

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

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Santa Fe Plug-In 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 Rogue Sport doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

Environmental Friendliness

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

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Rogue Sport:

	Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid	Rogue Sport
Front Rotors	12.8 inches	11.65 inches
Rear Rotors	12 inches	11.5 inches

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid has larger tires than the Rogue Sport (235/55R19 vs. 215/60R17). The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Rogue Sport (235/55R19 vs. 225/45R19).

The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Rogue Sport S/SV’s standard 60 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Rogue Sport S/SV.

Suspension and Handling

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

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s wheelbase is 4.7 inches longer than on the Rogue Sport (108.9 inches vs. 104.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid is 2.4 inches wider in the front and 3 inches wider in the rear than on the Rogue Sport.

Passenger Space

The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid has 1.6 inches more front headroom, 1.3 inches more front legroom, 4.1 inches more front hip room, 2.5 inches more front shoulder room, .7 inches more rear headroom, 6.1 inches more rear legroom, 9.4 inches more rear hip room and 2.6 inches more rear shoulder room than the Rogue Sport.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s rear seats recline. The Rogue Sport’s rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Rogue Sport with its rear seat up (36.4 vs. 22.9 cubic feet). The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Rogue Sport with its rear seat folded (72.1 vs. 61.1 cubic feet).

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

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

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

Towing

The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid has a 2000 lbs. towing capacity. The Rogue Sport has no towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Sway Assist on the Santa Fe Plug-In 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 Rogue Sport doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Servicing Ease

The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Rogue Sport 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

The Santa Fe Plug-In 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 Rogue Sport doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Rogue Sport’s parking brake has to be released manually.

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

The Santa Fe Plug-In 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 Rogue Sport’s passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Rogue Sport’s power window (except driver window) switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid Limited’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Rogue Sport’s intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Rogue Sport’s standard halogen headlights. LED lights also light instantly and last over twenty times longer than halogen.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Rogue Sport doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Nissan only offers heated mirrors on the Rogue Sport SV/SL.

When the Santa Fe Plug-In 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 Rogue Sport’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid has standard heated front seats. Heated front seats are only available on the Rogue Sport SV/SL. The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid Limited also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Rogue Sport.

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

The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid 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 is only available on the Rogue Sport SV/SL.

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

The Santa Fe Plug-In 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 Rogue Sport doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Santa Fe Plug-In 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 Rogue Sport doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid and the Nissan Rogue Sport, based on reliability, safety and performance.