Compare the2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-In HybridVS 2023 Chevrolet Equinox

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

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Chevrolet Equinox doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid and Equinox 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 Equinox’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.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Santa Fe Plug-In 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 Equinox 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 Plug-In Hybrid. But it costs extra on the Equinox.

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 Equinox doesn’t offer Downhill Brake Control.

The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. A system to reveal vehicles in the Equinox’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Santa Fe Plug-In 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. Rear cross-path warning costs extra on the Equinox.

The Santa Fe Plug-In 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 Equinox doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid and the Equinox have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available around view monitors.

The Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid weighs 875 to 1241 pounds more than the Chevrolet Equinox. 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 Chevrolet Equinox:

	Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid	Equinox
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	16%	17%
Neck Stress	149 lbs.	190 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	50/51 lbs.	363/349 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	244	376
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.6 inches
Neck Stress	99 lbs.	153 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	222/167 lbs.	264/236 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 Chevrolet Equinox:

	Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid	Equinox
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	61	109
Chest Movement	1.1 inches	1.1 inches
Abdominal Force	164 lbs.	195 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	148	288
Spine Acceleration	54 G’s	55 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	376	377
Hip Force	576 lbs.	730 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 Equinox 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 Equinox’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 Chevrolet covers the Equinox. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Equinox ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s corrosion warranty is 1 year and unlimited miles longer than the Equinox’s (7/unlimited vs. 6/100,000).

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. Chevrolet only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Equinox.

Reliability

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid has a standard 760-amp battery. The Equinox’s 700-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 Plug-In Hybrid’s reliability 33 points higher than the Equinox.

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 Chevrolet vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in reliability, above the industry average. With 23 more problems per 100 vehicles, Chevrolet is ranked 10th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Hyundai 7 places higher in reliability than Chevrolet.

Engine

The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 86 more horsepower (261 vs. 175) and 55 lbs.-ft. more torque (258 vs. 203) than the Equinox’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid is faster than the Chevrolet Equinox:

	Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid	Equinox
Zero to 60 MPH	7.5 sec	8.9 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	20.4 sec	26.8 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	7.5 sec	9.6 sec
Quarter Mile	15.7 sec	16.9 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	90 MPH	83 MPH
Top Speed	130 MPH	124 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPGe
Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid
	AWD	Electric Motor	79 city/72 hwy
Equinox
			MPG
	FWD	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	26 city/31 hwy
	AWD	1.5 turbo 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 Equinox:

			MPG
Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid
	AWD	1.6 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	33 city/32 hwy
Equinox
	FWD	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	26 city/31 hwy
	AWD	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/30 hwy

The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid can travel with zero emissions for 31 miles. The Equinox 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 Equinox doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid	Equinox
Front Rotors	12.8 inches	11.8 inches
Rear Rotors	12 inches	11.3 inches

The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid stops shorter than the Equinox:

	Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid	Equinox
70 to 0 MPH	176 feet	182 feet	Car and Driver

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid has larger tires than the Equinox (235/55R19 vs. 225/65R17).

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 Equinox LS/LT’s standard 65 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 Equinox LS/LT.

Suspension and Handling

The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid flat and controlled during cornering. The Equinox’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s wheelbase is 1.6 inches longer than on the Equinox (108.9 inches vs. 107.3 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid is 2.6 inches wider in the front and 3 inches wider in the rear than on the Equinox.

The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid Limited handles at .83 G’s, while the Equinox LT AWD pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

Passenger Space

The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid has 1.2 inches more front headroom, 3.2 inches more front legroom, 3.3 inches more front hip room, 1.9 inches more front shoulder room, .5 inches more rear headroom, 4.6 inches more rear hip room and 2.8 inches more rear shoulder room than the Equinox.

Cargo Capacity

The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Equinox with its rear seat up (36.4 vs. 29.9 cubic feet). The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Equinox with its rear seat folded (72.1 vs. 63.9 cubic feet).

The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s cargo area is larger than the Equinox’s in almost every dimension:

	Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid	Equinox
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	42.4”/77.4”	34.9”/67.4”
Max Width	54”	53.7”
Min Width	43.4”	40.7”
Height	31”	31”

Towing

The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Equinox’s (2000 vs. 1500 pounds).

Servicing Ease

The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Equinox 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’s front power windows open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Equinox’s front passenger window doesn’t close automatically.

The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid has a standard locking fuel and charge port 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 Equinox doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

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 Equinox’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

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 Equinox doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

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 costs extra on the Equinox and isn’t available on the Equinox LS.

The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s standard automatic temperature control maintains the temperature you set, automatically controlling fan speed, vents and temperature to maintain a consistent, comfortable environment. The Equinox LS doesn’t offer automatic air conditioning.

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. Only the Equinox Premier offers wireless charging.

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 the transmission and speed with the brake pedal. With its available fully controlled system, the driver just activates it and it parks autonomously, 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 Equinox Premier’s automatic parking system does not offer parking by remote control.

Economic Advantages

The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid will retain 49.58% to 49.67% of its original price after five years, while the Equinox only retains 44.91% to 45.97%.

Recommendations

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