Compare the2025 Infiniti QX50VS 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid

The Infiniti QX50 has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help 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 a front passenger side knee airbag.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the QX50. But it costs extra on the Santa Fe Hybrid.

Both the QX50 and the Santa Fe Hybrid have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear 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 and available around view monitors.

The QX50’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 37 more horsepower (268 vs. 231) and 9 lbs.-ft. more torque (280 vs. 271) than the Santa Fe Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the Infiniti QX50 is faster than the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid:

The QX50 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 stopping power the QX50’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Santa Fe Hybrid:

The QX50’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 Hybrid are solid, not vented.

The QX50 stops shorter than the Santa Fe Hybrid:

The QX50’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Santa Fe SEL Hybrid’s standard 60 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the QX50 has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Santa Fe SEL Hybrid.

The QX50 has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Santa Fe Hybrid doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires standard on the QX50 can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Santa Fe Hybrid doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The QX50 handles at .84 G’s, while the Santa Fe Calligraphy Hybrid AWD pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The QX50 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2 seconds quicker than the Santa Fe Calligraphy Hybrid AWD (26.7 seconds @ .66 average G’s vs. 28.7 seconds @ .57 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the QX50’s turning circle is 1.5 feet tighter than the Santa Fe Hybrid’s (36.4 feet vs. 37.9 feet).

For greater off-road capability the QX50 has a 1.6 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Santa Fe Hybrid (8.6 vs. 7 inches), allowing the QX50 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Infiniti QX50 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 450 pounds less than the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid.

The QX50 is 5.5 inches shorter than the Santa Fe Hybrid, making the QX50 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The QX50 uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Santa Fe Hybrid doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The QX50 has a much larger cargo volume than the Santa Fe Hybrid with its rear seat up (31.4 vs. 14.6 cubic feet).

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the QX50. The Santa Fe Hybrid doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Infiniti service is better than Hyundai. J.D. Power ranks Infiniti 6th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 63% lower rating, Hyundai is ranked 29th.

The QX50’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 standard 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 QX50 the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Santa Fe Hybrid can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The QX50’s standard Infiniti Intelligent Key allow you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Proximity Key standard on the Santa Fe Hybrid doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear door.

The QX50’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Santa Fe Hybrid’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.