Compare the2024 Hyundai Santa FeVS 2024 Ford Bronco Sport

Both the Santa Fe and Bronco Sport 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 Bronco Sport’s 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.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Santa Fe Limited/Calligraphy has standard Parking Collision Avoidance Assist that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Bronco Sport doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

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

Both the Santa Fe and Bronco Sport have rear cross-traffic warning, but the Santa Fe has Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Bronco Sport’s Cross Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the Santa Fe and the Bronco Sport have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available all wheel drive.

The Hyundai Santa Fe weighs 636 to 1019 pounds more than the Ford Bronco Sport. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The Hyundai Santa Fe achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2024 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The Bronco Sport has not yet been fully evaluated by the IIHS for 2024.

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 Bronco Sport’s 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 Ford covers the Bronco Sport. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Bronco Sport ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

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

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Santa Fe for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Hyundai will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Ford doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Bronco Sport.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are better in initial quality than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in initial quality, above the industry average. With 17 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is ranked 9th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Ford With 41 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Hyundai higher than Ford.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Hyundai 11 places higher in reliability than Ford.

The Santa Fe’s 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 96 more horsepower (277 vs. 181) and 121 lbs.-ft. more torque (311 vs. 190) than the Bronco Sport’s standard 1.5 turbo 3-cylinder. The Santa Fe’s 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 27 more horsepower (277 vs. 250) and 34 lbs.-ft. more torque (311 vs. 277) than the Bronco Sport Badlands’ standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Hyundai Santa Fe is faster than the Ford Bronco Sport turbo 3 cyl.:

On the EPA test cycle the Santa Fe gets better mileage than the Bronco Sport:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Hyundai Santa Fe uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Bronco Sport Badlands requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Santa Fe has 1.7 gallons more fuel capacity than the Bronco Sport (17.7 vs. 16 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Santa Fe has a standard locking fuel door which locks and unlocks with the power locks. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Bronco Sport. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Hyundai Santa Fe higher (7 out of 10) than the Ford Bronco Sport (6 to 7). This means the Santa Fe produces up to 1.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Bronco Sport every 15,000 miles.

The Santa Fe offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The Bronco Sport doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

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

The Santa Fe stops shorter than the Bronco Sport:

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

The Santa Fe SE/SEL’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 Bronco Sport’s standard 65 series tires. The Santa Fe Limited’s tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Bronco Sport’s optional 60 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 Bronco Sport. The Santa Fe Calligraphy’s 21-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels optional on the Bronco Sport.

The Santa Fe’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 Bronco Sport doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Santa Fe’s wheelbase is 5.7 inches longer than on the Bronco Sport (110.8 inches vs. 105.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Santa Fe is 1.2 inches wider in the front and 2.2 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Bronco Sport.

The Santa Fe Calligraphy AWD handles at .84 G’s, while the Bronco Sport Outer Banks pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For excellent aerodynamics, the Santa Fe has standard flush composite headlights. The Bronco Sport has recessed headlights that spoil its aerodynamic shape and create extra drag.

As tested by Car and Driver while cruising at 70 MPH, the interior of the Santa Fe Calligraphy AWD is quieter than the Bronco Sport Badlands (68 vs. 69 dB).

The Santa Fe has standard seating for 7 passengers; the Bronco Sport can only carry 5.

The Santa Fe has 46.3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Bronco Sport (152 vs. 105.7).

The Santa Fe has 1.9 inches more front legroom, 1.3 inches more front hip room, 2.2 inches more front shoulder room, 5.4 inches more rear legroom, 1.5 inches more rear hip room and 2.5 inches more rear shoulder room than the Bronco Sport.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Santa Fe’s middle and third row seats recline. The Bronco Sport’s rear seats don’t recline.

The Santa Fe’s cargo area provides more volume than the Bronco Sport.

Pressing a button automatically lowers the Santa Fe’s second row seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Bronco Sport doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Santa Fe’s power liftgate can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Santa Fe’s power liftgate can also be opened or closed by pressing a button. The Bronco Sport doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening liftgate.

The Santa Fe’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Bronco Sport’s (3500 vs. 0 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Ford Bronco Sport is only 2200 pounds. The Santa Fe offers up to a 4500 lbs. towing capacity.

A Trailer Sway Assist is standard on the Santa Fe, using 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. A trailer sway program costs extra on the Bronco Sport.

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 Bronco Sport doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Santa Fe Calligraphy has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, navigation instruction and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Bronco Sport doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Santa Fe’s standard driver’s power window opens or closes with one touch of the window control, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths. The Bronco Sport’s standard driver’s power window switch has to be held the entire time to close it fully.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Santa Fe to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Bronco Sport 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 Bronco Sport’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

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

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 Bronco Sport doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

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 Bronco Sport doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The Santa Fe is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Bronco Sport doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

The Hyundai Santa Fe outsold the Ford Bronco Sport by 4098 units during 2023.