Hyundai Santa Fe vs Honda Passport
Midsize SUVs · head to head, 2019–2027
The Hyundai Santa Fe and Honda Passport were both sold for 9 model years (2019–2027). Among the Santa Fe's own years, its best bet is 2020; no year to avoid; the newest year rated a good buy is 2024. Among the Passport's own years, its best bet is 2023; no year to avoid; the newest year rated a good buy is 2024.
Hyundai Santa Fe
SUV · 2010–2027
- Best bet 2020
- Newest good buy 2024
- Avoid none
- Be careful 2017, 2025
Honda Passport
SUV · 2019–2027
- Best bet 2023
- Newest good buy 2024
- Avoid none
- Be careful 2019, 2025
How to read this: each model's verdicts compare that model's own years with each other (serious owner complaints per car on the road against that model's usual year, using New York registrations). They are not a reliability ranking of one model against the other, so a good-buy Santa Fe year says nothing about whether it beats a Passport. (How we judge.)
Year by year, side by side
| Year | Hyundai Santa Fe | Honda Passport | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | Not rated | Not rated | Side by side |
| 2026 | TOO NEWOnly 1.1 years of owner reports | TOO NEWOnly 1.1 years of owner reports | Side by side |
| 2025 | CAREFULSerious complaints 1.7× usual, mostly engine and power train | CAREFULSerious complaints 1.7× usual, mostly engine and power train | Side by side |
| 2024 | GOOD BUYSerious complaints 1.3× usual, mostly power train and engine | GOOD BUYSerious complaints 0.5× usual | Side by side |
| 2023 | GOOD BUYSerious complaints 0.7× usual | BEST BUYSerious complaints 0.4× usual | Side by side |
| 2022 | GOOD BUYSerious complaints 1.0× usual | GOOD BUYSerious complaints 0.6× usual | Side by side |
| 2021 | GOOD BUYSerious complaints 1.1× usual | GOOD BUYSerious complaints 1.0× usual | Side by side |
| 2020 | BEST BUYSerious complaints 0.5× usual | GOOD BUYSerious complaints 1.1× usual | Side by side |
| 2019 | GOOD BUYSerious complaints 0.6× usual | CAREFULSerious complaints 1.8× usual, mostly collision avoidance and engine | Side by side |
Each chip rates that year against the same model's other years. Tap a chip for the year's details; "Side by side" compares both models that year, trim by trim.
Compare any year, trim by trim
2027: the newest shared year, at a glance
| 2027 Hyundai Santa Fe | 2027 Honda Passport | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict (vs the model's own years) | Not rated | Not rated |
| Starting price (MSRP range) | $35,300 to $48,950 base price by trim, 9 trims | — |
| Engines and horsepower | 1.6L 4-cyl turbo hybrid 2.5L 4-cyl turbo | — |
| Fuel economy (EPA combined) | 21–36 mpg | — |
| Seats | 6–7 | — |
| Third row | Yes | — |
| Cargo behind last row | 14.6 cu ft | — |
| Max cargo | 79.6 cu ft | — |
| Max towing | 2,000–4,500 lb | — |
| NHTSA crash rating | 5 of 5 stars | 5 of 5 stars |
| Recalls · owner complaints (NHTSA) | 0 · 0 | 0 · 0 |
Sources: OpenSpec and the makers' equipment guides, NHTSA vPIC, EPA and NHTSA ratings. Cargo, towing and bed length rows appear when we have them. "—": not in our data. Compare every 2027 trim →
Key features: base trim vs top trim
| Santa Fe SE lowest price, $35,300 | Santa Fe Hybrid Calligraphy highest price, $48,950 | Passport RT-L first listed | Passport TrailSport Elite Blackout last listed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wireless Apple CarPlay | Standard | Standard | Standard | Standard |
| Adaptive cruise control | Standard | Standard | Standard | Standard |
| Blind-spot warning | Standard | Varies | Standard | Standard |
| Heated front seats | — | Standard | Standard | Standard |
| Ventilated front seats | — | Standard | No | Standard |
| Sunroof or moonroof | — | Standard | No | Standard |
| 360-degree camera | — | Standard | No | No |
| Power liftgate or tailgate | Standard | Standard | Standard | No |
| Remote start | Standard | Standard | Standard | Standard |
"Standard" and "Optional" are for that trim as the 2027 data lists it (a package or option adds an "Optional" item); "—": not verified in our sources, never a guess. The cheapest and most expensive trim of each model; every trim is on the model's 2027 page (Santa Fe, Passport).
Known fixes and extended coverage
Hyundai Santa Fe
43 manufacturer programs on file: 15 extended coverage, 28 repair programs.
- Extended coverage Certain 2012 – 2017 model year Accent, 2012 – 2017 model year Azera, 2013 – 2018 model year Santa Fe Sport, 2013 – 2019 model year Santa Fe, and 2012 – 2017 model year Veloster vehicles may exhibit an intermittent airbag warning light and… (Z01, 2013–2019 models)
- Extended coverage The warranty coverage of certain engines for repairs and replacement has been extended to 15 years or 150,000 miles (15years or 240,000km) from the date of original retail delivery or date of first use, whichever occurs first, and is valid… (HSE25-12-P270, 2013–2019 models)
- Extended coverage Certain Santa Fe / Santa Fe XL (NC) vehicles equipped with 3.3L Lambda II GDI engines may exhibit abnormal engine noise or damage. Hyundai is extending warranty coverage for the engine under this condition to 15 years/150,000 miles from… (25-EM-008H, 2013–2019 models)
- Extended coverage Certain 2013 – 2019 model year Santa Fe/Santa Fe XL vehicles equipped with 3.3L Lambda II GDI engines may experience abnormal engine noise or engine damage. In an effort to meet this commitment, the warranty coverage for certain engine… (TXX8, 2013–2019 models)
Honda Passport
6 manufacturer programs on file: 6 extended coverage, 0 repair programs.
- Extended coverage Warranty Extension - Under certain circumstances, after coming to a stop and the idle stop feature engages, the vehicle may not automatically restart. (ONL6T603102023-4, 2019–2022 models)
- Extended coverage Warranty Extension - Warranty Extension reimbursement form for engine idle stop repairs made before the warranty extension notice date. (ONL6T603102023-2, 2019–2022 models)
- Extended coverage Under certain circumstances, after coming to a stop and engaging idle stop, the vehicle may not restart automatically due to excessive cylinder pressure and/or low cranking torque. Honda is extending the warranty coverage for valve… (A23-009, 2019–2021 models)
- Extended coverage There may also be a Network Loss message and/or display issues. For these vehicles that display any of the above symptoms, American Honda is extending the warranty for the MOST bus network connectors on these vehicles to 5 years or 60,000… (ONLZ9R04052021, 2019–2020 models)
From manufacturer bulletins filed with NHTSA, counted per program. A count is how many programs exist, not how good or bad a model is: a maker that extends coverage is paying for a known problem. A dealer can look up whether a car has had the work done or is still covered.
Which should you buy?
- Buying used, years both are rated a good buy: 2020–2024. In those years, choose on price, size and features.
- Years to skip: neither model has a year we rate avoid.
- Newest year rated a good buy: Santa Fe 2024; Passport 2024.
- Before you buy either: run the VIN for open recalls and ask the dealer whether the extended-coverage repairs above were done.
Rules applied to the data on this page: no overall winner is declared, because our verdicts compare each model with itself.