Compare the2025 Honda CR-VVS 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe

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The Honda CR-V has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help 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 doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the CR-V deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The CR-V’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Santa Fe’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

Both the CR-V and the Santa Fe 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, front wheel drive, 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, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Honda CR-V is safer than the Hyundai Santa Fe:

	CR-V	Santa Fe
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	211	460
Neck Injury Risk	17.1%	28%
Neck Stress	181 lbs.	273 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	217/317 lbs.	290/423 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	357	369
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.6 inches
Neck Compression	37 lbs.	140 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	408/341 lbs.	726/652 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Honda CR-V is safer than the Hyundai Santa Fe:

	CR-V	Santa Fe
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	16 inches

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the CR-V is 1.9% to 3% less likely to roll over than the Santa Fe.

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There are over 25 percent more Honda dealers than there are Hyundai dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the CR-V’s warranty.

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A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Honda CR-V Hybrid’s reliability 13 points higher than the Santa Fe and the Honda CR-V is rated 19 points higher than the Santa Fe.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda fourth in overall reliability. Hyundai is ranked 10th.

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On the EPA test cycle the CR-V gets better mileage than the Santa Fe:

			MPG
CR-V
	FWD	2.0 4-cyl. Hybrid	43 city/36 hwy
		1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	28 city/34 hwy
	AWD	2.0 4-cyl. Hybrid	40 city/34 hwy
		1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	26 city/31 hwy
Santa Fe
	FWD	2.5 turbo 4-cyl.	20 city/29 hwy
	AWD	2.5 turbo 4-cyl.	20 city/28 hwy
		XRT 2.5 turbo 4-cyl.	19 city/26 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the CR-V Hybrid’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Santa Fe doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The CR-V 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.

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The CR-V 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 doesn’t offer a CVT.

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The CR-V stops shorter than the Santa Fe:

	CR-V	Santa Fe
70 to 0 MPH	163 feet	167 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	118 feet	125 feet	Motor Trend

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The CR-V Sport Touring Hybrid handles at .85 G’s, while the Santa Fe Calligraphy AWD pulls only .84 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the CR-V’s turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the Santa Fe’s (37.3 feet vs. 37.9 feet).

For greater off-road capability the CR-V has a 1.2 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Santa Fe (8.2 vs. 7 inches), allowing the CR-V to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

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The Honda CR-V may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 550 to 850 pounds less than the Hyundai Santa Fe.

The CR-V is 5.4 inches shorter than the Santa Fe, making the CR-V easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

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

© 1999 - 2025Advanta-STAR Automotive Research, all rights reserved. This vehicle comparison and all of the content in it are provided only by license from Advanta-STAR Automotive Research Corporation of America (“Advanta-STAR”). If you are not a legally licensed user of this vehicle comparison, it is against federal law to access it, copy it, forward it, or use it in any manner whatsoever. Any unauthorized use of this vehicle comparison is a violation of U.S. and international law and is punishable criminally and civilly. Removal of this watermark/notification without prior written license and approval received from Advanta-STAR is an agreement, understanding, and/or stipulation by the person(s), entities, agents, attorneys, and any other persons involved in the removal of this watermark/notification (including but not limited to Search Optics, LLC and any and all parent entities, sister entities, and subsidiary entities of Search Optics, LLC and/or any other entity, agent, attorney, and persons related in any manner to Search Optics, LLC) to: 1) an agreed upon amount of liquidated monetary damages of a minimum of $1,250,000.00 US Dollars in favor of Advanta-STAR; 2) the jurisdiction and enforcement of any legal claims associated with this matter asserted by Advanta-STAR in the United States Federal District Court in Portand, Oregon; and 3) service of process of any legal claims asserted by Advanta-STAR associated with this matter may be accomplished by First-Class Postage by the United States Postal Service or comparable service. HAYMU-86XR3 2a06:98c0:3600::103 2025/06/16

The CR-V has a much larger cargo volume than the Santa Fe with its rear seat up (39.3 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 CR-V. The Santa Fe doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

© 1999 - 2025Advanta-STAR Automotive Research, all rights reserved. This vehicle comparison and all of the content in it are provided only by license from Advanta-STAR Automotive Research Corporation of America (“Advanta-STAR”). If you are not a legally licensed user of this vehicle comparison, it is against federal law to access it, copy it, forward it, or use it in any manner whatsoever. Any unauthorized use of this vehicle comparison is a violation of U.S. and international law and is punishable criminally and civilly. Removal of this watermark/notification without prior written license and approval received from Advanta-STAR is an agreement, understanding, and/or stipulation by the person(s), entities, agents, attorneys, and any other persons involved in the removal of this watermark/notification (including but not limited to Search Optics, LLC and any and all parent entities, sister entities, and subsidiary entities of Search Optics, LLC and/or any other entity, agent, attorney, and persons related in any manner to Search Optics, LLC) to: 1) an agreed upon amount of liquidated monetary damages of a minimum of $1,250,000.00 US Dollars in favor of Advanta-STAR; 2) the jurisdiction and enforcement of any legal claims associated with this matter asserted by Advanta-STAR in the United States Federal District Court in Portand, Oregon; and 3) service of process of any legal claims asserted by Advanta-STAR associated with this matter may be accomplished by First-Class Postage by the United States Postal Service or comparable service. HAYMU-86XR3 2a06:98c0:3600::103 2025/06/16

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Honda service is better than Hyundai. J.D. Power ranks Honda 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 51% lower rating, Hyundai is ranked 30th.

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The CR-V’s standard front power windows 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. The CR-V EX-L/Sport L/Sport Touring’s front and rear power windows all open or close with one touch of the switches.

The CR-V’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’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

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 CR-V’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Santa Fe’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

© 1999 - 2025Advanta-STAR Automotive Research, all rights reserved. This vehicle comparison and all of the content in it are provided only by license from Advanta-STAR Automotive Research Corporation of America (“Advanta-STAR”). If you are not a legally licensed user of this vehicle comparison, it is against federal law to access it, copy it, forward it, or use it in any manner whatsoever. Any unauthorized use of this vehicle comparison is a violation of U.S. and international law and is punishable criminally and civilly. Removal of this watermark/notification without prior written license and approval received from Advanta-STAR is an agreement, understanding, and/or stipulation by the person(s), entities, agents, attorneys, and any other persons involved in the removal of this watermark/notification (including but not limited to Search Optics, LLC and any and all parent entities, sister entities, and subsidiary entities of Search Optics, LLC and/or any other entity, agent, attorney, and persons related in any manner to Search Optics, LLC) to: 1) an agreed upon amount of liquidated monetary damages of a minimum of $1,250,000.00 US Dollars in favor of Advanta-STAR; 2) the jurisdiction and enforcement of any legal claims associated with this matter asserted by Advanta-STAR in the United States Federal District Court in Portand, Oregon; and 3) service of process of any legal claims asserted by Advanta-STAR associated with this matter may be accomplished by First-Class Postage by the United States Postal Service or comparable service. HAYMU-86XR3 2a06:98c0:3600::103 2025/06/16

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Honda CR-V and the Hyundai Santa Fe, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The CR-V was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “5Best Trucks/10Best” for 2025 and 5 more times in the last 24 years. The Santa Fe has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.

Motor Trend selected the CR-V as their 2018 Sport Utility of the Year. The Santa Fe has never been chosen.

The Honda CR-V outsold the Hyundai Santa Fe by over three to one during 2024.