Compare the2023 Hyundai Santa Fe HybridVS 2023 Mazda CX-5

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 CX-5 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 CX-5’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 Hybrid are reminded to check the back seat when a sensor determines the back seat is occupied. The CX-5 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Santa Fe Hybrid’s standard Downhill Brake Control allows you to creep down safely. The CX-5 doesn’t offer Downhill Brake Control.

Both the Santa Fe Hybrid and CX-5 have rear cross-traffic warning, but the Santa Fe Hybrid has Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic.

Compared to metal, the Santa Fe Hybrid’s plastic fuel tank can withstand harder, more intrusive impacts without leaking; this decreases the possibility of fire. The Mazda CX-5 has a metal gas tank.

Both the Santa Fe Hybrid and the CX-5 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, all wheel drive, 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 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 Mazda CX-5:

	Santa Fe Hybrid	CX-5
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	16%	23%
Neck Stress	149 lbs.	274 lbs.
Neck Compression	13 lbs.	23 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	50/51 lbs.	160/307 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.5 inches
Neck Injury Risk	27%	37%
Neck Stress	99 lbs.	205 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	222/167 lbs.	449/262 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 Mazda CX-5:

	Santa Fe Hybrid	CX-5
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	61	81
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	148	208
Spine Acceleration	54 G’s	65 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	376	449

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

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Santa Fe Hybrid is 2.2% to 2.7% less likely to roll over than the CX-5.

Warranty

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

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

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

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. Mazda doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the CX-5.

There are over 52 percent more Hyundai dealers than there are Mazda dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Santa Fe Hybrid’s warranty.

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 Mazda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in reliability, above the industry average. With 31 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mazda is ranked 12th.

Engine

The Santa Fe Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 39 more horsepower (226 vs. 187) and 72 lbs.-ft. more torque (258 vs. 186) than the CX-5’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid is faster than the Mazda CX-5 4 cyl.:

	Santa Fe Hybrid	CX-5
Zero to 60 MPH	8.2 sec	8.7 sec
Quarter Mile	16.2 sec	16.7 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	87.6 MPH	78.3 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Santa Fe Hybrid gets better mileage than the CX-5:

			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
CX-5
	AWD	2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	24 city/30 hwy
		2.5 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/27 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the Santa Fe Hybrid’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The CX-5 doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights 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 CX-5 doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid uses regular unleaded gasoline. The CX-5 with the 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder engine requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Santa Fe Hybrid has 2.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the CX-5 (17.7 vs. 15.3 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

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 Mazda CX-5 (5 to 7). This means the Santa Fe Hybrid produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the CX-5 every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Santa Fe Hybrid’s brake rotors are larger than those on the CX-5:

	Santa Fe Hybrid	CX-5	CX-5 Turbo
Front Rotors	12.8 inches	11.7 inches	12.6 inches
Rear Rotors	12 inches	11.9 inches	11.9 inches

The Santa Fe Hybrid stops much shorter than the CX-5:

	Santa Fe Hybrid	CX-5
60 to 0 MPH	123 feet	136 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	134 feet	144 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Santa Fe Hybrid has larger tires than the CX-5 (235/65R17 vs. 225/65R17).

Suspension and Handling

The Santa Fe Hybrid has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The CX-5’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Santa Fe Hybrid’s wheelbase is 2.7 inches longer than on the CX-5 (108.9 inches vs. 106.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Santa Fe Hybrid is 2.1 inches wider in the front and 2.5 inches wider in the rear than the track on the CX-5.

The Santa Fe Hybrid Limited handles at .79 G’s, while the CX-5 pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Santa Fe Hybrid Limited executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the CX-5 (28 seconds @ .6 average G’s vs. 28.5 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Santa Fe Hybrid has a greater minimum ground clearance than the CX-5 (8.2 vs. 7.6 inches), allowing the Santa Fe Hybrid to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Santa Fe Hybrid’s minimum ground clearance is .3 inch higher than on the CX-5 Carbon/Premium/Turbo (8.2 vs. 7.9 inches).

Passenger Space

The Santa Fe Hybrid has 1.5 inches more front headroom, 3.1 inches more front legroom, 2.3 inches more front hip room, 2 inches more front shoulder room, 1.2 inches more rear legroom, 1 inch more rear hip room and 3.5 inches more rear shoulder room than the CX-5.

Cargo Capacity

The Santa Fe Hybrid has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the CX-5 with its rear seat up (36.4 vs. 30.8 cubic feet). The Santa Fe Hybrid has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the CX-5 with its rear seat folded (72.1 vs. 59.3 cubic feet).

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Santa Fe Hybrid’s liftgate can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The CX-5 doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Towing

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 CX-5 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 CX-5 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 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 CX-5 doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The power windows standard on both the Santa Fe Hybrid and the CX-5 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 CX-5 prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Santa Fe 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 CX-5’s power mirror switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Santa Fe Hybrid to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The CX-5 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. Mazda only offers heated mirrors on the CX-5 Premium/Turbo.

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 CX-5’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Santa Fe 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 CX-5 Select/Preferred/Carbon Edition/Premium/Turbo.

Both the Santa Fe Hybrid and the CX-5 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 CX-5 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. Only the CX-5 Turbo offers wireless 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 CX-5 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 CX-5 doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Recommendations

Both are recommended, but Consumer Reports® chose the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance.