Compare the2025 Hyundai Santa FeVS 2025 Honda CR-V

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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Both the Santa Fe and CR-V have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Santa Fe has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The CR-V’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

With its standard Forward Collision Avoidance Assist, the Hyundai Santa Fe is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Honda CR-V, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

	Santa Fe	CR-V
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
	Crossing Child - DAY
12 MPH	AVOIDED	-10 MPH
25 MPH	AVOIDED	-18 MPH
	Crossing Adult - NIGHT
12 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
12 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	No Slowing
25 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	-17 MPH
	Parallel Adult - NIGHT
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	No Slowing
37 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	-33 MPH
37 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	No Slowing
Warning Issued-Low beams	1.4 sec	No Warning

In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Hyundai Santa Fe achieved a “Good” rating - the highest possible - in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, outperforming the Honda CR-V which scored only an “Acceptable” in these critical safety features.

The Santa Fe Limited/Calligraphy has a standard Surround View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The CR-V only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Santa Fe has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Rear cross-path warning is not offered on the CR-VLX and the CR-V’s Cross Traffic Monitor does not include automatic braking.

Both the Santa Fe and the CR-V 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 and available all wheel drive.

The Hyundai Santa Fe weighs 417 to 1014 pounds more than the Honda CR-V. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

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 Santa Fe is much safer than the CR-V:

	Santa Fe	CR-V
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	POOR
Structure	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Chest Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Thigh/hip Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Leg/foot Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Restraints	GOOD	GOOD
	Rear Passenger Injury Measures
Chest Rating
Thigh Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Restraints	ACCEPTABLE	POOR

The Hyundai Santa Fe (built after November 2024) has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2025 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” 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 CR-V is not even a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2025.

Warranty

The Santa Fe comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The CR-V’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Santa Fe 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Honda covers the CR-V. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the CR-V ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The Santa Fe’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the CR-V’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Santa Fe for 2 years and 24,000 miles longer than Honda pays for maintenance for the CR-V (3/36,000 vs. 1/12000).

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are better in initial quality than Honda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in initial quality, above the industry average. With 19 more problems per 100 vehicles, Honda is ranked 10th.

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

Engine

The Santa Fe’s 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 87 more horsepower (277 vs. 190) and 132 lbs.-ft. more torque (311 vs. 179) than the CR-V’s standard 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder. The Santa Fe’s 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 73 more horsepower (277 vs. 204) and 64 lbs.-ft. more torque (311 vs. 247) than the CR-V Hybrid’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Hyundai Santa Fe is faster than the Honda CR-V:

	Santa Fe	CR-V turbo 4 cyl.	CR-V Hybrid
Zero to 30 MPH	2.7 sec	3.7 sec	3.3 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	6.7 sec	8.8 sec	8.4 sec
45 to 65 MPH Passing	4.2 sec	5.5 sec	5.4 sec
Quarter Mile	15.2 sec	17 sec	16.7 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	97 MPH	86 MPH	84 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

Both the Santa Fe and the CR-V have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. All Santa Fes have a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily. The CR-V Hybrid doesn’t offer a way to disable start/stop.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Hyundai Santa Fe uses regular unleaded gasoline. The CR-V with the 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder engine requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Santa Fe has 3.7 gallons more fuel capacity than the CR-V (17.7 vs. 14 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Santa Fe’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the CR-V:

	Santa Fe SE/SEL/XRT	Santa Fe Limited/Calligraphy	CR-V
Front Rotors	12.8 inches	13.6 inches	12.3 inches
Rear Rotors	12 inches	12.8 inches	12.2 inches

The Santa Fe stops shorter than the CR-V:

	Santa Fe	CR-V
70 to 0 MPH	167 feet	171 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	125 feet	130 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	142 feet	147 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Santa Fe Limited’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the CR-V (255/45R20 vs. 235/60R18).

The Santa Fe SE/SEL’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the CR-V LX’s standard 65 series tires. The Santa Fe Limited’s tires have a lower 45 series profile than the CR-V Sport Touring Hybrid’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Santa Fe has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the CR-V LX. The Santa Fe Calligraphy’s 21-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels on the CR-V Sport Touring Hybrid.

Suspension and Handling

The Santa Fe has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The CR-V’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The Santa Fe’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The CR-V doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Santa Fe’s wheelbase is 4.5 inches longer than on the CR-V (110.8 inches vs. 106.3 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Santa Fe is 1.3 inches wider in the front and 1 inch wider in the rear than the average track on the CR-V.

The Santa Fe Calligraphy AWD handles at .84 G’s, while the CR-V EX-L AWD pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Santa Fe Calligraphy AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.2 seconds quicker than the CR-V Sport Touring Hybrid (27.1 seconds @ .64 average G’s vs. 29.3 seconds @ .57 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Santa Fe XRT has a greater minimum ground clearance than the CR-V (8.3 vs. 8.2 inches), allowing the Santa Fe to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

As tested by Car and Driver while cruising at 70 MPH, the interior of the Santa Fe Calligraphy AWD is quieter than the CR-V EX-L AWD (68 vs. 69 dB).

Passenger Space

The Santa Fe has standard seating for 7 passengers; the CR-V can only carry 5.

The Santa Fe has 46 cubic feet more passenger volume than the CR-V (152 vs. 106).

The Santa Fe has 1.1 inches more front headroom, 3.1 inches more front legroom, .9 inches more front hip room, 1.6 inches more front shoulder room, 2.4 inches more rear headroom, 1.3 inches more rear legroom, 2.3 inches more rear hip room and 2.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the CR-V.

Cargo Capacity

The Santa Fe’s cargo area provides more volume than the CR-V.

	Santa Fe	CR-V
Third Seat Folded	40.5 cubic feet	n/a
Third Seat Removed	n/a	39.3 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	79.6 cubic feet	76.5 cubic feet

Pressing a button automatically lowers the Santa Fe’s second row seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The CR-V doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

Towing

The Santa Fe’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the CR-V’s (3500 vs. 1000 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Honda CR-V is only 1500 pounds. The Santa Fe offers up to a 4500 lbs. towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Sway Assist on the Santa Fe uses the Electronic Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The CR-V doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

The Santa Fe Calligraphy has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, navigation instruction and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The CR-V doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The power windows standard on both the Santa Fe and the CR-V have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Santa Fe is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The CR-V prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Santa Fe’s standard Proximity Key allows you to unlock the doors from either front door handle, open the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Pushbutton Start standard on the CR-V only offers hands-free access for the ignition, none to unlock the vehicle. Pushbutton Start is not available on the CR-V EX/Sport.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Santa Fe to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The CR-V doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The Santa Fe’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Honda only offers heated mirrors on the CR-V EX/Sport.

When the Santa Fe Limited/Calligraphy is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The CR-V’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

Both the Hyundai Santa Fe and Honda CR-V offer exterior mirrors that can be folded to provide convenience. The Santa Fe offers available power folding mirrors, which allow for easy, one-touch folding or unfolding at the driver’s discretion. This provides added convenience when maneuvering or parking, as well as when walking past the parked vehicle. In comparison, the CR-V’s foldable mirrors are manual, requiring the driver to get out and physically fold them once parked and unfold them before getting in.

Both the Santa Fe and the CR-V offer available heated front seats. The Santa Fe Limited/Calligraphy also has standard heated second row seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the CR-V.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Santa Fe Limited/Calligraphy keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The CR-V doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

Compared to the Honda CR-V, the Hyundai Santa Fe eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries with its optional integrated Homelink® universal remote controlled from the rear view mirror.

The Hyundai Santa Fe stands out above the Honda CR-V by offering not one, but two Qi-compatible phone chargers. This convenience helps travelers with multiple devices to keep powered up on-the-go. Wireless charging eliminates lost or cluttered charging cables and two of them provide more flexibility. Both vehicles also offer Qi charging for the second row passengers.

The Santa Fe XRT/Limited/Calligraphy has a 115-volt a/c outlet, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The CR-V doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Santa Fe Limited/Calligraphy’s Smart Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Smart Parking Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The CR-V doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Recommendations

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

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Santa Fe first among midsize suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The CR-V isn’t in the top three.

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