Compare the2024 Ford BroncoVS 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Ford Bronco 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 Bronco has standard Post Collision Braking, which automatically apply 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 Bronco and the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

There are almost 4 times as many Ford dealers as there are Hyundai dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Bronco’s warranty.

The Bronco has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Bronco has a standard 800-amp battery. The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s 760-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

The Bronco’s standard 2.3 turbo 4-cylinder produces 39 more horsepower (300 vs. 261) and 67 lbs.-ft. more torque (325 vs. 258) than the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid. The Bronco’s optional 2.7 turbo V6 produces 69 more horsepower (330 vs. 261) and 157 lbs.-ft. more torque (415 vs. 258) than the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid. The Bronco Raptor’s standard 3.0 turbo V6 produces 157 more horsepower (418 vs. 261) and 182 lbs.-ft. more torque (440 vs. 258) than the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Car and Driver the Ford Bronco is faster than the Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid (automatics tested):

Both the Bronco 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 Bronco has a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily.

The Bronco 2-Door’s standard fuel tank has 4.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid (16.9 vs. 12.4 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Bronco Raptor’s standard fuel tank has 8.8 gallons more fuel capacity than the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid (21.2 vs. 12.4 gallons).

The Bronco has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

The Bronco offers a manual transmission for better acceleration, control and sportiness. The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer a manual transmission.

A 10-speed automatic is available on the Ford Bronco, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid.

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

The Bronco’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 traction, the Bronco has larger standard tires than the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid (255/75R17 vs. 235/55R19). The Bronco Raptor’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid (37 x 12.5R17 vs. 235/55R19).

The Ford Bronco’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The Bronco has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare 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.

The Bronco Badlands/Raptor has an active front sway bar, which helps keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnects at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The Bronco offers an optional 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 Bronco’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Bronco 4-Door’s wheelbase is 7.2 inches longer than on the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid (116.1 inches vs. 108.9 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Bronco is 3.6 inches wider in the front and 3.3 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid.

For better maneuverability, the Bronco 2-Door’s turning circle is 1.9 feet tighter than the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s (35.5 feet vs. 37.4 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Bronco 4-Door has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid (8.3 vs. 8.2 inches), allowing the Bronco to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The front grille of the Bronco 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 Bronco 4-Door has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid with its rear seat up (38.3 vs. 36.4 cubic feet). The Bronco 4-Door has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid with its rear seat folded (83 vs. 72.1 cubic feet).

The Bronco 4-Door’s optional sliding cargo floor makes loading and unloading cargo easier and safer. The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer a sliding load floor.

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

The Bronco’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the right swing out door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

The Bronco’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s (3500 vs. 2000 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid is only 2000 pounds. The Bronco offers up to a 4500 lbs. towing capacity.

The Bronco can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Bronco can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid can’t be towed flat on the ground.

The engine in the Bronco is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

The Bronco (except Manual) offers a 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 Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The Bronco’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.

On a hot day the Bronco’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Bronco’s available exterior PIN entry system. The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its Blue Link can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

The Ford Bronco comes in four door and soft top bodystyles; the Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid isn’t available as a soft top.

The Bronco was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2023 and 2022. The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Bronco as the 2022 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year. The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid has never been chosen.