Compare the2023 Lexus NXVS 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Lexus NX have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision. The Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The Lexus NX has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer knee airbags.

Both the NX and the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the NX its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 29 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid has not been fully tested, yet.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are better in initial quality than Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus above average in initial quality. With 28 more problems per 100 vehicles, Hyundai is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Lexus second in overall reliability. Hyundai is ranked 13th.

The NX 350’s standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder produces 14 more horsepower (275 vs. 261) and 59 lbs.-ft. more torque (317 vs. 258) than the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid. The NX 450h’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 41 more horsepower (302 vs. 261) than the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Car and Driver the NX 350 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid:

As tested in Motor Trend the NX 450h 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid is faster than the Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid (base engine):

On the EPA test cycle the NX 450h running on electricity gets better mileage than the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid running on electricity (93 city/75 hwy vs. 79 city/72 hwy MPGe).

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

The NX 450h can travel with zero emissions on electricity, only, on a full charge for 37 miles. The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid has to start its internal combustion engine after only 31 miles.

Both the NX and Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. The NX (except NX 350h/450h+) has a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily.

The NX has 2.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid (14.5 vs. 12.4 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

An eight-speed automatic is available on the Lexus NX, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid.

The NX offers an available 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 Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer a CVT.

The NX’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid are solid, not vented.

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

The NX’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the NX offers optional 20-inch wheels. The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s largest wheels are only 19-inches.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires standard on the NX can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The NX offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The NX 350 AWD handles at .81 G’s, while the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid Limited pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The NX 350 AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid Limited (27.3 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 27.9 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

The Lexus NX may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 50 to 750 pounds less than the Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid.

The NX is 4.9 inches shorter than the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid, making the NX easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

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

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Lexus service is better than Hyundai. J.D. Power ranks Lexus first in service department satisfaction. With a 66% lower rating, Hyundai is ranked 29th.

The NX has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The NX’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The NX offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The NX’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 Plug-In Hybrid’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

On a hot day the NX’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. (Your Lexus service department must activate this window function.) The driver of the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The NX offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the NX offers optional cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer cornering lights. The NX also offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

The NX’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The NX 350h/450h+’s optional Advanced Park can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid Limited’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park.

The NX is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Insurance will cost less for the NX owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the NX will cost $1115 less than the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid over a five-year period.

Both are recommended, but Consumer Reports® chose the Lexus NX 350h as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance.