Compare the2026 Nissan RogueVS 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe

The Nissan Rogue has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Santa Fe doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The Rogue Platinum has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The Santa Fe doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

Both the Rogue and the Santa Fe 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Nissan Rogue is safer than the Hyundai Santa Fe:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Nissan Rogue is safer than the Hyundai Santa Fe:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Nissan pays for scheduled maintenance on the Rogue for 2 years and 24,000 miles. Nissan will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance (up to 3 visits). Hyundai doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Santa Fe.

There are over 25 percent more Nissan dealers than there are Hyundai dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Rogue’s warranty.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Rogue’s reliability 19 points higher than the Santa Fe.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Rogue third among compact suvs in their 2025 Initial Quality Study. The Santa Fe isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are better in initial quality than Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan second in initial quality, above the industry average. With 4 more problems per 100 vehicles, Hyundai is ranked third.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai With 7 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Nissan higher than Hyundai.

On the EPA test cycle the Rogue gets better mileage than the Santa Fe:

The Rogue 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.

The Rogue 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.

The Rogue’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 Rogue stops much shorter than the Santa Fe:

The Rogue has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Santa Fe doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Rogue Platinum handles at .84 G’s, while the Santa Fe Calligraphy HTRAC AWD pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Rogue’s turning circle is 2.5 feet tighter than the Santa Fe’s (35.4 feet vs. 37.9 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Rogue has a 1.2 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Santa Fe (8.2 vs. 7 inches), allowing the Rogue to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Nissan Rogue may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 750 to 850 pounds less than the Hyundai Santa Fe.

The Rogue is 7.2 inches shorter than the Santa Fe, making the Rogue easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Rogue has a much larger cargo volume than the Santa Fe with its rear seat up (36.5 vs. 14.6 cubic feet).

A maintenance reminder system is standard on the Rogue to save the owner time and money by calculating maintenance intervals for oil changes and tire rotation based on odometer mileage. This takes the guesswork out of keeping your vehicle in top condition and helps it last longer. Hyundai doesn’t offer a maintenance reminder on the Santa Fe.

The Rogue’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Santa Fe’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

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 Rogue’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Santa Fe’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

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

The Nissan Rogue outsold the Hyundai Santa Fe by over two to one during 2024.