Compare the2025 Subaru AscentVS 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid

The Ascent has standard Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Santa Fe Hybrid doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

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

Both the Ascent and the Santa Fe Hybrid 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, available around view monitors and driver alert monitors.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH moderate front offset crash tests on new cars. In this updated test, results indicate that the Ascent is safer than the Santa Fe Hybrid:

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Subaru Ascent is safer than the Santa Fe Hybrid:

The Subaru Ascent has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2024 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned an “Acceptable” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The Santa Fe Hybrid is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2024.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru 5 places higher in reliability than Hyundai.

The Ascent’s 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder produces 29 more horsepower (260 vs. 231) and 6 lbs.-ft. more torque (277 vs. 271) than the Santa Fe Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the Subaru Ascent is faster than the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid:

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the Ascent lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability without compromising ground clearance. The Santa Fe Hybrid doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

The Ascent has 1.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the Santa Fe Hybrid (19.3 vs. 17.7 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Ascent 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 Ascent’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Santa Fe Hybrid:

The Ascent’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 Ascent stops much shorter than the Santa Fe Hybrid:

For better traction, the Ascent has larger tires than the Santa Fe Hybrid (245/60R18 vs. 235/60R18).

The Ascent has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Santa Fe Hybrid; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Ascent’s wheelbase is 3 inches longer than on the Santa Fe Hybrid (113.8 inches vs. 110.8 inches).

The Ascent Touring executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.5 seconds quicker than the Santa Fe Calligraphy Hybrid AWD (27.2 seconds @ .64 average G’s vs. 28.7 seconds @ .57 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Ascent has a 1.7 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Santa Fe Hybrid (8.7 vs. 7 inches), allowing the Ascent to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Ascent offers optional seating for 8 passengers; the Santa Fe Hybrid can only carry 7.

The Ascent has 2.2 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Santa Fe Hybrid (153.2 vs. 151).

The Ascent has .1 inches more front headroom, 1.3 inches more front hip room, 1.6 inches more front shoulder room, 2.3 inches more rear hip room, 2.2 inches more rear shoulder room, 1.7 inches more third row legroom, 3.2 inches more third row hip room and 3.5 inches more third row shoulder room than the Santa Fe Hybrid.

The Ascent’s cargo area provides more volume than the Santa Fe Hybrid.

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

The Ascent’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Santa Fe Hybrid’s (5000 vs. 2000 pounds).

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

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Subaru service is better than Hyundai. J.D. Power ranks Subaru 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 58% lower rating, Hyundai is ranked 29th.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Ascent’s exterior PIN entry system. The Santa Fe 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 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Ascent’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Santa Fe Hybrid’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Ascent has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Santa Fe Hybrid doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Ascent’s standard rear view mirror and optional side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Santa Fe Hybrid offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The Subaru Ascent has a standard Homelink wireless remote control system for garage door operation and device management, conveniently located on the rear view mirror. Homelink® eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries. Hyundai charges extra for Homelink® on the Santa Fe Hybrid.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Subaru Ascent, based on reliability, safety and performance.