Compare the2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-In HybridVS 2023 Ford Bronco Sport

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

Safety

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Both the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid and Bronco 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 Bronco 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.

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 Bronco Sport doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid offers an optional Surround View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Bronco Sport only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.

Both the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid and the Bronco Sport 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 driver alert monitors.

The Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid weighs 654 to 1048 pounds more than the Ford Bronco 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 Ford Bronco Sport:

	Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid	Bronco Sport
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	16%	26%
Neck Stress	149 lbs.	178 lbs.
Neck Compression	13 lbs.	29 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	50/51 lbs.	123/237 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	27%	37%
Neck Stress	99 lbs.	177 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	222/167 lbs.	385/291 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, results indicate that the Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid is safer than the Ford Bronco Sport:

	Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid	Bronco Sport
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	61	80
Abdominal Force	164 lbs.	198 lbs.

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

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 Bronco 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 Ford covers the Bronco 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 Bronco 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 Bronco 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. Ford doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Bronco Sport.

Reliability

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the Bronco Sport’s camshafts. If the Bronco Sport’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

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 50 points higher than the Bronco Sport.

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 Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in reliability, above the industry average. With 40 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is ranked 16th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Hyundai 5 places higher in reliability than Ford.

Engine

The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 80 more horsepower (261 vs. 181) and 68 lbs.-ft. more torque (258 vs. 190) than the Bronco Sport’s standard 1.5 turbo 3-cylinder. The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 11 more horsepower (261 vs. 250) than the Bronco Sport Badlands’ standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid is faster than the Ford Bronco Sport turbo 3 cyl.:

	Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid	Bronco Sport
Zero to 60 MPH	7.5 sec	8.2 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	20.4 sec	26.8 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	7.5 sec	8.7 sec
Quarter Mile	15.7 sec	16.3 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	90 MPH	84 MPH
Top Speed	130 MPH	125 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPGe
Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid
	AWD	Electric Motor	79 city/72 hwy
Bronco Sport
			MPG
	AWD	1.5 turbo 3-cyl.	25 city/28 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/26 hwy

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

			MPG
Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid
	AWD	1.6 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	33 city/32 hwy
Bronco Sport
	AWD	1.5 turbo 3-cyl.	25 city/28 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/26 hwy

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

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

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 Ford Bronco Sport (5 to 7). This means the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Bronco 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 Bronco Sport:

	Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid	Bronco Sport
Front Rotors	12.8 inches	12.1 inches
Rear Rotors	12 inches	11.9 inches

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid has larger tires than the Bronco Sport (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 Bronco Sport’s standard 65 series tires. The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s tires are lower profile than the Bronco Sport’s optional 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 Bronco Sport. The Bronco Sport’s largest wheels are only 18-inches.

Suspension and Handling

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

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid is 1.4 inches wider in the front and 2.4 inches wider in the rear than on the Bronco Sport.

The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid Limited handles at .83 G’s, while the Bronco Sport Outer Banks pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

Chassis

For excellent aerodynamics, the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid has standard flush composite headlights. The Bronco Sport has recessed headlights that spoil its aerodynamic shape and create extra drag.

Passenger Space

The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid has 1.7 inches more front legroom, 2.3 inches more front hip room, 1.8 inches more front shoulder room, 2.6 inches more rear legroom, 2.9 inches more rear hip room and 2.7 inches more rear shoulder room than the Bronco Sport.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s rear seats recline. The Bronco 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 Bronco Sport with its rear seat up (36.4 vs. 32.5 cubic feet). The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Bronco Sport with its rear seat folded (72.1 vs. 65.2 cubic feet).

Pressing a button automatically lowers the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Bronco 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 Bronco Sport doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening liftgate.

Towing

The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Bronco Sport’s (2000 vs. 0 pounds).

A Trailer Sway Assist is standard on the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid, using 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. A trailer sway program costs extra on the Bronco Sport.

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 Bronco Sport doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

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 Bronco Sport’s standard power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. Only its driver’s window opens 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 Bronco Sport doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

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 Bronco 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. Ford only offers heated mirrors on the Bronco Sport Big Bend/Outer Banks/Badlands.

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 Bronco Sport’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid has standard heated front seats. Heated front seats cost extra on the Bronco Sport, and aren’t available on the Bronco Sport Base. 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 Bronco 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 Bronco 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 costs extra on the Bronco Sport and isn’t available on the Bronco Sport Base/Big Bend.

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. Wireless charging costs extra on the Bronco Sport and isn’t available on the Bronco Sport Base.

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 Bronco Sport doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Ford Bronco Sport isn't recommended.

The Hyundai Santa Fe outsold the Ford Bronco Sport by 20% during 2022.