Compare the2023 Toyota Corolla Cross HybridVS 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Corolla Cross 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 Corolla Cross 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.

Both the Corolla Cross 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, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Toyota Corolla Cross 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.

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 Corolla Cross 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 Corolla Cross 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 Corolla Cross Hybrid’s reliability 17 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 2023 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota first in overall reliability. Hyundai is ranked 13th.

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

The Corolla Cross 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.

For better maneuverability, the Corolla Cross Hybrid’s turning circle is 2 feet tighter than the Santa Fe Hybrid’s (35.4 feet vs. 37.4 feet).

The Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 750 to 850 pounds less than the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid.

The Corolla Cross Hybrid is 11.6 inches shorter than the Santa Fe Hybrid, making the Corolla Cross Hybrid easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Corolla Cross 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 Corolla Cross 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 Corolla Cross Hybrid XSE 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.