Compare the2023 Toyota Rav4 HybridVS 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Rav4 Hybrid have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The Toyota Rav4 Hybrid has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Santa Fe Hybrid doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Rav4 Hybrid has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Santa Fe Hybrid doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Both the Rav4 Hybrid and the Santa Fe Hybrid have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

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 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid is safer than the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid:

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

There are over 49 percent more Toyota dealers than there are Hyundai dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Rav4 Hybrid’s warranty.

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 Rav4 Hybrid’s reliability 18 points higher than the Santa Fe Hybrid.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are better in initial quality than Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in initial quality. With 13 more problems per 100 vehicles, Hyundai is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in overall reliability. Hyundai is ranked 6th.

As tested in Motor Trend the Toyota Rav4 Hybrid is faster than the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid:

On the EPA test cycle the Rav4 Hybrid gets better mileage than the Santa Fe Hybrid:

The Rav4 Hybrid can travel with zero emissions on a full charge for 1.6 miles. The Santa Fe Hybrid can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

The Rav4 Hybrid has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Santa Fe Hybrid doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Rav4 Hybrid stops shorter than the Santa Fe Hybrid:

The Rav4 Hybrid has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Santa Fe Hybrid; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

The Rav4 Hybrid XSE handles at .80 G’s, while the Santa Fe Hybrid Limited pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Rav4 Hybrid XSE executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Santa Fe Hybrid Limited (27.6 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 28 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Rav4 Hybrid’s turning circle is 1.3 feet tighter than the Santa Fe Hybrid’s (36.1 feet vs. 37.4 feet).

The Toyota Rav4 Hybrid may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 350 to 400 pounds less than the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid.

The Rav4 Hybrid is 7.5 inches shorter than the Santa Fe Hybrid, making the Rav4 Hybrid easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The front grille of the Rav4 Hybrid uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Santa Fe Hybrid doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Rav4 Hybrid has a much larger cargo volume than the Santa Fe Hybrid with its rear seat up (37.6 vs. 36.4 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Rav4 Hybrid easier. The Rav4 Hybrid’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 27.8 inches, while the Santa Fe Hybrid’s liftover is 29 inches.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Rav4 Hybrid. The Santa Fe Hybrid doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The Rav4 Hybrid’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 Santa Fe Hybrid’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the Rav4 Hybrid the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Santa Fe Hybrid can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Rav4 Hybrid Limited offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Santa Fe Hybrid doesn’t offer cornering lights.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Toyota Rav4 Hybrid, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid isn't recommended.

The Toyota Rav4 outsold the Hyundai Santa Fe by almost four to one during the 2022 model year.