Compare the2025 Subaru AscentVS 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe

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 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.

Both the Ascent and the Santa Fe 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.

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:

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Ascent has a standard 190-amp alternator. The Santa Fe’s 150-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

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

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

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 doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

On the EPA test cycle the Ascent gets better fuel mileage than the Santa Fe XRT AWD (20 city/26 hwy vs. 19 city/26 hwy).

The Ascent has 1.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the Santa Fe (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 doesn’t offer a CVT.

For better stopping power the Ascent’s standard brake rotors are larger than those on the Santa Fe:

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 are solid, not vented.

The Ascent stops much shorter than the Santa Fe:

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

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

For greater off-road capability the Ascent has a 1.7 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Santa Fe (8.7 vs. 7 inches), allowing the Ascent to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Ascent’s minimum ground clearance is .4 inch higher than on the Santa Fe XRT (8.7 vs. 8.3 inches).

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Ascent Limited is quieter than the Santa Fe Calligraphy AWD:

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

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.

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

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

The Ascent’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Santa Fe’s (5000 vs. 3500 pounds).

The engine in the Ascent 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.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Subaru service is better than Hyundai. J.D. Power ranks Subaru third in service department satisfaction. With a 66% lower rating, Hyundai is ranked 30th.

The Ascent’s 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.

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 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’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 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 offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The Ascent has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning is only available on the Santa Fe SEL/XRT/Limited/Calligraphy.

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.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Subaru Ascent and the Hyundai Santa Fe, based on reliability, safety and performance.