Hyundai Santa Fe and Nissan Pathfinder Face Off in Family SUV Test
Finding an affordable large family vehicle has grown harder as prices balloon across the automotive market, making three-row sport utility vehicles like the Hyundai Santa Fe and Nissan Pathfinder appealing budget-friendly alternatives.
Pathfinder offers more interior room than Santa Fe
The Hyundai Santa Fe is physically smaller than most three-row crossover SUVs on the market, but its boxy exterior styling yields surprising third-row headroom and cargo space behind the rearmost seats. Even so, it offers less overall room than the Nissan Pathfinder, which provides an extra 1.5 inches of middle-row shoulder room to accommodate three adults across or fit bulky child safety seats. The Pathfinder holds 45 cubic feet of cargo space behind its second-row seating, compared to the Santa Fe’s 40.5 cubes. Nissan designed its cabin specifically for buyers prioritizing a roomy interior where bigger kids or adults fit comfortably in the third row, according to Edmunds.
Performance Figures and Fuel Economy Ratings
Under the hood, the Nissan Pathfinder relies on a V6 engine generating 284 horsepower, pushing the SUV from zero to 60 mph in 7.6 seconds during track testing. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates the Pathfinder achieves up to 23 mpg in combined city and highway driving, though testers noted its transmission can hesitate to downshift on inclines. The Hyundai Santa Fe features a turbocharged four-cylinder engine making 271 horsepower that reaches 60 mph in 7.2 seconds with a more responsive transmission, returning an EPA-estimated 24 mpg combined. Hyundai also offers a hybrid powertrain variant for the Santa Fe that generates 231 horsepower and achieves an EPA-estimated 36 mpg combined, whereas Nissan currently builds no hybrid version of the Pathfinder.
Santa Fe costs less than the Nissan Pathfinder
Pricing for the Nissan Pathfinder starts at just over $41,500 including the destination charge, while the Hyundai Santa Fe starts just under $37,000, rising to just over $38,000 for the hybrid model. Nissan includes standard features like three-zone climate control and heated power front seats on its base trim, but adding equivalent options to the Hyundai via its midgrade SEL trim keeps the total price well below the Pathfinder. This price gap persists across higher trim levels, including off-road packages like the Santa Fe XRT and Pathfinder Rock Creek. Hyundai backs its vehicle with a five-year bumper-to-bumper warranty, outpacing Nissan's three-year coverage.
Santa Fe leads in technology and driver assistance
Technology features heavily favor the Hyundai Santa Fe, which Edmunds identifies as a class leader for device integration and ease of use. The Santa Fe pairs its intuitive infotainment interface with a comprehensive suite of driver assistance technologies that performed reliably in testing. The Nissan Pathfinder features a useful cooled wireless charging pad to prevent phones from overheating, but its driver assistance software falls short. Edmunds testers observed that the Pathfinder’s lane-keeping system occasionally struggles to maintain a steady path, and its adaptive cruise control operates less smoothly than the system in the Santa Fe.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Santa Fe and Pathfinder
Which SUV is better for regular third-row use?
The Nissan Pathfinder is the better choice for routine third-row passengers because it provides more legroom and space to accommodate bigger kids or adults comfortably.
How much cargo space does each vehicle provide behind the second row?
The Nissan Pathfinder offers 45 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second-row seating, whereas the Hyundai Santa Fe provides 40.5 cubic feet.
What is the fuel economy difference between the standard and hybrid Santa Fe?
The standard gasoline Santa Fe achieves an EPA-estimated 24 mpg combined, while the hybrid powertrain variant reaches an EPA-estimated 36 mpg combined.
Worth a look