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2026 Ford Explorer vs. 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe Comparison

See how the 2026 Ford Explorer and 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe performed in our rigorous, independent road tests. Our experts evaluate hundreds of vehicles annually at our 327-acre testing facility, putting each model through over 50 data-driven assessments—including braking, emergency handling, fuel economy, and cabin noise. Review our side-by-side comparison of tested specifications, real-world fuel efficiency, and crash-test safety ratings to see which is the best for reliability, performance, and more.

Comparing 2 Models

Explorer 2026

Midsized SUVs 3-row

2026 Ford Explorer

$38,465 - $56,905

All Test Results

Santa Fe 2026

Midsized SUVs 3-row

2026 Hyundai Santa Fe

$35,050 - $49,400

All Test Results
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About
About
The Explorer has a spacious cabin and is relatively agile among three-row midsized SUVs, but the driving experience is marred by a rather clunky transmission, noisy standard engine, and stiff-edged ride. Most versions use the base 2.3-liter turbochar...
 
The midsized Santa Fe features a striking interior with a small third-row seat. For the 2026 model year, the standard 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder is mated to a conventional eight-speed automatic, bringing a notably smoother low-speed experie...
Highs
Highs
Green Checkmark Icon Agility
Green Checkmark Icon Controls
Green Checkmark Icon Interior room
Green Checkmark Icon BlueCruise
 
Green Checkmark Icon Comfortable ride
Green Checkmark Icon Short stopping distances
Green Checkmark Icon Mostly user-friendly controls
Green Checkmark Icon Roomy second-row seat
Green Checkmark Icon Generous cargo area
Lows
Lows
Red 'X' Icon Ride
Red 'X' Icon Low-speed transmission shifts
 
Red 'X' Icon Tight third-row seat
Red 'X' Icon Unintuitive gear selector
Road Test Score
Road Test Score
/ 100
 
/ 100
Reliability
Reliability
/ 100
 
/ 100
Owner Satisfaction
Owner Satisfaction
/ 100
 
/ 100

Overview

Body Styles
Body Styles

4-door SUV

 

4-door SUV

Trim Lines
Trim Lines

ST, Tremor, Platinum, ST-Line, Active

 

Limited, SE, XRT, Calligraphy, SEL

Base Price Range
Base Price Range

$38,465 - $56,905

 

$35,050 - $49,400

Drive Wheels
Drive Wheels

AWD, RWD

 

AWD, FWD

Seating Capacity
Seating Capacity

2 Front, 3 Rear, 2 Third

 

2 Front, 3 Rear, 2 Third

Engines/Motors
Engines/Motors

3-liter V6 turbo (400 hp); 2.3-liter 4 turbo (300 hp)

 

2.5-liter 4 turbo (277 hp)

Transmissions Available
Transmissions Available

10-speed Automatic

 

8-speed Automatic

Performance

Comfort & Convenience

Fuel Economy & Range

Vehicle Safety

Specification

Warranty

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Auto Test Center

Precision testing comes standard at our 327-acre auto test center.

TESTING LIKE NOBODY ELSE

50+

tests are conducted on every car we buy.

PERFORMANCE TESTING

6

miles of track for testing acceleration, ride, handling, braking, and advanced driver assist systems.

TIRE TESTING

400

tires tested a year for all-weather grip and rolling resistance.