Compare the2023 Toyota Highlander HybridVS 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid

For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Highlander 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 Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The Toyota Highlander 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 Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Highlander Hybrid has standard Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Highlander 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 Plug-In 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 Highlander Hybrid 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, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

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 Highlander Hybrid is safer than the Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-In 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 Highlander 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 Highlander Hybrid’s reliability 60 points higher than the Santa Fe Plug-In 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.

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

The Highlander Hybrid has 4.7 gallons more fuel capacity than the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid (17.1 vs. 12.4 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Highlander 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 Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer a CVT.

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

The Highlander Hybrid’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.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Highlander Hybrid Limited/Platinum has standard 20-inch wheels. The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s largest wheels are only 19-inches.

The Highlander 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 Plug-In Hybrid; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Highlander Hybrid’s wheelbase is 3.3 inches longer than on the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid (112.2 inches vs. 108.9 inches).

The front grille of the Highlander 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 Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Highlander Hybrid has standard seating for 8 passengers; the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid can only carry 5.

The Highlander Hybrid has .4 inches more rear headroom, .7 inches more rear hip room and .4 inches more rear shoulder room than the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid.

The Highlander Hybrid’s cargo area provides more volume than the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid.

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

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

The Highlander Hybrid’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s (3500 vs. 2000 pounds).

The Highlander Hybrid 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 Highlander Hybrid Platinum has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, 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 Highlander 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 Plug-In 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 Highlander 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 Plug-In Hybrid can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Highlander Hybrid Platinum has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Highlander Hybrid 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.

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

The Toyota Highlander outsold the Hyundai Santa Fe by over two to one during the 2022 model year.