Compare the2025 Jeep WranglerVS 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, Full-Time Four-Wheel Drive is standard on the Wrangler. But it costs extra on the Santa Fe.

Both the Wrangler and the Santa Fe have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact 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, rearview cameras, available crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

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

The Wrangler has a solid front axle with a floating power axle for durability that the Santa Fe AWD’s independent front suspension and exposed front driveshafts don’t offer.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Wrangler has a standard 240-amp alternator (220-amp - Wrangler Rubicon). 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 Jeep vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai With 8 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Jeep higher than Hyundai.

The Wrangler’s standard 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 8 more horsepower (285 vs. 277) than the Santa Fe’s 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder. The Wrangler 4xe’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 98 more horsepower (375 vs. 277) and 159 lbs.-ft. more torque (470 vs. 311) than the Santa Fe’s 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder. The Wrangler Rubicon 392 Final Edition’s standard 6.4 V8 produces 193 more horsepower (470 vs. 277) and 159 lbs.-ft. more torque (470 vs. 311) than the Santa Fe’s 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Jeep Wrangler is faster than the Hyundai Santa Fe (automatics tested):

As tested in Car and Driver the Wrangler Rubicon 392 Final Edition 6.4 V8 is faster than the Hyundai Santa Fe (base engine) (automatics tested):

On the EPA test cycle the Wrangler 4-door running on electricity gets better mileage than the Santa Fe:

The Wrangler 4xe 8-speed Auto can travel with zero emissions for 21 miles. The Santa Fe can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Wrangler Rubicon 392’s fuel efficiency. The Santa Fe doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the Wrangler 2.0 Turbo/4Xe’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Santa Fe doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The Wrangler 4-door’s standard fuel tank has 3.8 gallons more fuel capacity than the Santa Fe (21.5 vs. 17.7 gallons).

The Wrangler Rubicon 392’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Santa Fe doesn’t offer launch control.

The 4Xe/Wrangler Rubicon Xtreme 35/Rubicon 392’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 are solid, not vented.

For better traction, the Wrangler has larger standard tires than the Santa Fe (245/75R17 vs. 235/60R18). The Wrangler 4-door Rubicon 392/Xteme 35’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Santa Fe (315/70R17 vs. 255/45R20).

The Wrangler 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 doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Wrangler 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; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

The Wrangler Rubicon 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 doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Wrangler 4-door’s wheelbase is 7.6 inches longer than on the Santa Fe (118.4 inches vs. 110.8 inches).

For better maneuverability, the Wrangler 2-door’s turning circle is 5.2 feet tighter than the Santa Fe’s (32.7 feet vs. 37.9 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Wrangler 2-door has a 2.7 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Santa Fe (9.7 vs. 7 inches), allowing the Wrangler to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Wrangler Rubicon 4-door Xtreme 35’s minimum ground clearance is 4.6 inches higher than on the Santa Fe XRT (12.9 vs. 8.3 inches).

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

The Wrangler 2-door is 1 foot, 11.4 inches shorter than the Santa Fe, making the Wrangler easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Wrangler 4-door has a much larger cargo volume than the Santa Fe with its rear seat up (31.7 vs. 14.6 cubic feet).

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

The Wrangler’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the left swing out door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The Santa Fe’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

Maximum trailer towing in the Hyundai Santa Fe is limited to 4500 pounds. The Wrangler 4-door offers up to a 5000 lbs. towing capacity.

The Wrangler 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 Wrangler can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Santa Fe can’t be towed flat on the ground.

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

The Wrangler’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 does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The Wrangler’s front power windows lower with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Santa Fe’s standard power windows’ passenger windows don’t open automatically.

The Wrangler’s 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’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Jeep Wrangler JL comes in four door and soft top bodystyles; the Hyundai Santa Fe isn’t available as a soft top.

Motor Trend selected the Wrangler as their 2019 Sport Utility of the Year. The Santa Fe has never been chosen.

The Jeep Wrangler outsold the Hyundai Santa Fe by 19% during 2023.