Compare the2024 Ford BroncoVS 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe

The Bronco has standard Post Collision Braking, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Santa Fe doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

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

Both the Bronco and the Santa Fe have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

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

The Bronco has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The Santa Fe doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Bronco has a standard 240-amp alternator. The Santa Fe’s 150-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

The Bronco’s standard 2.3 turbo 4-cylinder produces 23 more horsepower (300 vs. 277) and 14 lbs.-ft. more torque (325 vs. 311) than the Santa Fe’s 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder. The Bronco’s optional 2.7 turbo V6 produces 53 more horsepower (330 vs. 277) and 104 lbs.-ft. more torque (415 vs. 311) than the Santa Fe’s 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder. The Bronco Raptor’s standard 3.0 turbo V6 produces 141 more horsepower (418 vs. 277) and 129 lbs.-ft. more torque (440 vs. 311) than the Santa Fe’s 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Bronco Raptor 3.0 turbo V6 is faster than the Hyundai Santa Fe (automatics tested):

The Bronco Raptor’s standard fuel tank has 3.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the Santa Fe (21.2 vs. 17.7 gallons).

The Bronco 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.

A 10-speed automatic is available on the Ford Bronco, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Santa Fe.

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

The Bronco’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 Bronco has larger standard tires than the Santa Fe (255/75R17 vs. 235/60R18). The Bronco Raptor’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Santa Fe (37 x 12.5R17 vs. 255/45R20).

The Ford Bronco’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Hyundai Santa Fe only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The Bronco 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 Bronco Badlands/Raptor 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.

The Bronco offers an optional driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Santa Fe’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Bronco 4-Door’s wheelbase is 5.3 inches longer than on the Santa Fe (116.1 inches vs. 110.8 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Bronco is 3.7 inches wider in the front and 3.5 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Santa Fe.

For better maneuverability, the Bronco 2-Door’s turning circle is 2.4 feet tighter than the Santa Fe’s (35.5 feet vs. 37.9 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Bronco 4-Door has a 1.3 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Santa Fe (8.3 vs. 7 inches), allowing the Bronco to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Bronco 2-Door is 1 foot, 4.5 inches shorter than the Santa Fe, making the Bronco easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Bronco 4-Door has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Santa Fe with its rear seat up (38.3 vs. 14.6 cubic feet). The Bronco 4-Door has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Santa Fe with its rear seat folded (83 vs. 79.6 cubic feet).

The Bronco 4-Door’s optional sliding cargo floor makes loading and unloading cargo easier and safer. The Santa Fe doesn’t offer a sliding load floor.

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

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

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

The engine in the Bronco 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 Bronco’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 Bronco’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 Bronco’s available 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 Ford Bronco comes in four door and soft top bodystyles; the Hyundai Santa Fe isn’t available as a soft top.

The Bronco was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2023 and 2022. The Santa Fe has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Bronco as the 2022 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year. The Santa Fe has never been chosen.