Compare the2025 Dodge HornetVS 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe

The Hornet has standard Active Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Santa Fe doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Hornet. But it costs extra on the Santa Fe.

Both the Hornet and the Santa Fe have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front 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, available around view monitors and driver alert monitors.

There are almost 3 times as many Dodge dealers as there are Hyundai dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Hornet’s warranty.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Hornet has a standard 160-amp alternator. The Santa Fe’s 150-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Dodge vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai With 8 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Dodge higher than Hyundai.

The Hornet R/T’s standard 1.3 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 11 more horsepower (288 vs. 277) and 72 lbs.-ft. more torque (383 vs. 311) than the Santa Fe’s 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Dodge Hornet is faster than the Hyundai Santa Fe:

On the EPA test cycle the Hornet running on electricity gets better mileage than the Santa Fe:

On the EPA test cycle the Hornet running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the Santa Fe:

The Hornet R/T can travel with zero emissions for 32 miles. The Santa Fe can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the Hornet R/T’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Santa Fe doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The Hornet 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 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Dodge Hornet, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Santa Fe.

The Hornet stops shorter than the Santa Fe:

The Hornet’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Santa Fe Limited’s 45 series tires.

The Hornet 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’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The Hornet R/T handles at .87 G’s, while the Santa Fe Calligraphy AWD pulls only .84 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Dodge Hornet may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 350 to 650 pounds less than the Hyundai Santa Fe.

The Hornet is 1 foot shorter than the Santa Fe, making the Hornet easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Hornet has a much larger cargo volume than the Santa Fe with its rear seat up (27 vs. 14.6 cubic feet).

The Hornet’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’s standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

If the windows are left open on the Hornet the driver can close them all from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can also lower the windows the same way. The driver of the Santa Fe can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Hornet’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Santa Fe’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the Hornet offers optional cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Santa Fe doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Dodge Hornet has power folding mirrors that offer unparalleled convenience while maneuvering in tight places or parked. With the mirrors folded it’s easier to walk past and help prevent parking damage. The mirrors can be quickly unfolded when the driver is ready to leave. Power folding mirrors are only offered on the Santa Fe Limited/Calligraphy.

The Hornet has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning is only available on the Santa Fe SEL/XRT/Limited/Calligraphy.