Compare the2023 Hyundai Santa FeVS 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross

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

Safety

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Both the Santa Fe and Corolla Cross have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Santa Fe 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 Corolla Cross’ 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.

The Santa Fe SEL Premium/Limited/Calligraphy has a standard Surround View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Corolla Cross only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The Santa Fe 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. Only the Corolla Cross LE/XLE offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Santa Fe 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. Only the Corolla Cross LE/XLE has a rear cross-path warning system.

Both the Santa Fe and the Corolla Cross have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors and available all wheel drive.

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 is safer than the Toyota Corolla Cross:

	Santa Fe	Corolla Cross
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	16%	27%
Neck Stress	149 lbs.	243 lbs.
Neck Compression	13 lbs.	50 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	50/51 lbs.	330/310 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	244	356
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	27%	27%
Neck Stress	99 lbs.	165 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	222/167 lbs.	301/156 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 is safer than the Toyota Corolla Cross:

	Santa Fe	Corolla Cross
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	61	92
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	576 lbs.	623 lbs.

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

Warranty

The Santa Fe comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Corolla Cross’ 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Santa Fe 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Toyota covers the Corolla Cross. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Corolla Cross ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The Santa Fe’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Corolla Cross’ (7 vs. 5 years).

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Santa Fe for 1 year and 11000 miles longer than Toyota pays for maintenance for the Corolla Cross (3/36,000 vs. 2/25000).

Reliability

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

Engine

The Santa Fe’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 22 more horsepower (191 vs. 169) and 30 lbs.-ft. more torque (181 vs. 151) than the Corolla Cross’ 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Santa Fe Limited/Calligraphy’s standard 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 112 more horsepower (281 vs. 169) and 160 lbs.-ft. more torque (311 vs. 151) than the Corolla Cross’ 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Santa Fe Limited/Calligraphy 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Toyota Corolla Cross:

	Santa Fe	Corolla Cross
Zero to 60 MPH	6.2 sec	9.3 sec
Quarter Mile	14.6 sec	17.1 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	98.4 MPH	83.1 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

The Santa Fe has 6.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the Corolla Cross FWD’s standard fuel tank (18.8 vs. 12.4 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Santa Fe has 5.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the Corolla Cross AWD’s standard fuel tank (18.8 vs. 13.2 gallons).

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Santa Fe’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Corolla Cross:

	Santa Fe	Santa Fe 2.5T	Corolla Cross
Front Rotors	12.8 inches	13.6 inches	12 inches
Rear Rotors	12 inches	12 inches	11.1 inches

The Santa Fe stops shorter than the Corolla Cross:

	Santa Fe	Corolla Cross
60 to 0 MPH	117 feet	120 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	136 feet	140 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Santa Fe has larger standard tires than the Corolla Cross (235/60R18 vs. 215/65R17). The Santa Fe Calligraphy’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Corolla Cross (255/45R20 vs. 225/55R18).

The Santa Fe’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Corolla Cross’ standard 65 series tires. The Santa Fe Calligraphy’s tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Corolla Cross XLE’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Santa Fe has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Corolla Cross. The Santa Fe Calligraphy’s 20-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the Corolla Cross XLE.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Hyundai Santa Fe has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Corolla Cross 4x2 has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The Santa Fe has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Corolla Cross’ suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The Santa Fe has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Santa Fe flat and controlled during cornering. The Corolla Cross 4x2 suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Santa Fe’s wheelbase is 5 inches longer than on the Corolla Cross (108.9 inches vs. 103.9 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Santa Fe is 3.2 inches wider in the front and 3 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Corolla Cross.

The Santa Fe Calligraphy AWD handles at .83 G’s, while the Corolla Cross XLE AWD pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Santa Fe Calligraphy AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.5 seconds quicker than the Corolla Cross XLE AWD (26.7 seconds @ .67 average G’s vs. 28.2 seconds @ .57 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Santa Fe has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Corolla Cross (8.2 vs. 8.1 inches), allowing the Santa Fe to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Passenger Space

The Santa Fe has 16.6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Corolla Cross (111.5 vs. 94.9).

The Santa Fe has 2.6 inches more front headroom, 1.2 inches more front legroom, 4.9 inches more front hip room, 6.4 inches more front shoulder room, 9.7 inches more rear legroom, 12.5 inches more rear hip room and 5.9 inches more rear shoulder room than the Corolla Cross.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Santa Fe’s rear seats recline. The Corolla Cross’ rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The Santa Fe has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Corolla Cross (36.4 vs. 26.5 cubic feet).

Pressing a button automatically lowers the Santa Fe’s (except SE) optional rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Corolla Cross doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Santa Fe’s liftgate can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Corolla Cross doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Payload and Towing

The Santa Fe’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Corolla Cross’ (2000 vs. 1500 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Toyota Corolla Cross is only 1500 pounds. The Santa Fe offers up to a 3500 lbs. towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Sway Assist on the Santa Fe uses 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. The Corolla Cross doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The Santa Fe has a much higher standard payload capacity than the Corolla Cross (1411 vs. 1160 lbs.).

The Santa Fe has a much higher maximum payload capacity than the Corolla Cross (1411 vs. 1175 lbs.).

Servicing Ease

The Santa Fe uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Corolla Cross 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

When two different drivers share the Santa Fe Limited/Calligraphy, the memory system makes it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position, outside mirror angle, climate settings and radio stations. The Corolla Cross doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Santa Fe Limited/Calligraphy’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 Corolla Cross doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Santa Fe Calligraphy 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 Corolla Cross doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Santa Fe SE/XRT/SEL’s standard variable intermittent wipers have an adjustable delay to allow the driver to choose a setting that best clears the windshield during light rain or mist. The Corolla Cross L’s standard fixed intermittent wipers only have one fixed delay setting, so the driver will have to manually switch them between slow and intermittent. The Santa Fe Limited/Calligraphy’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Corolla Cross LE/XLE’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Consumer Reports rated the Santa Fe’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the Corolla Cross’ headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

The Santa Fe has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. The Corolla Cross has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the LE/XLE.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Santa Fe to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Corolla Cross doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

When the Santa Fe Limited/Calligraphy 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 Corolla Cross’ mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

Both the Santa Fe and the Corolla Cross offer available heated front seats. The Santa Fe Limited/Calligraphy also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Corolla Cross.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Santa Fe Limited/Calligraphy keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Corolla Cross doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

On extremely cold winter days, the Santa Fe Limited/Calligraphy’s standard heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The Corolla Cross doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The Santa Fe Limited/Calligraphy has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Corolla Cross doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Santa Fe Limited/Calligraphy’s Smart Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, 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 Corolla Cross doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Hyundai Santa Fe and the Toyota Corolla Cross, based on reliability, safety and performance.

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