Compare the2025 Buick EnvistaVS 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe

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

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Buick Envista 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 post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Buick Envista is safer than the Hyundai Santa Fe:

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

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Envista is 1.9% to 3% less likely to roll over than the Santa Fe.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Buick vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Buick third in reliability, above the industry average. With 49 more problems per 100 vehicles, Hyundai is ranked 13th.

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

The Envista 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 Envista stops shorter than the Santa Fe:

The Envista 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 Envista Sport Touring handles at .82 G’s, while the Santa Fe Calligraphy AWD pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Buick Envista may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 1200 to 1350 pounds less than the Hyundai Santa Fe.

The Envista is 7.6 inches shorter than the Santa Fe, making the Envista easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Envista uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Santa Fe doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Envista has a much larger cargo volume than the Santa Fe with its rear seat up (20.7 vs. 14.6 cubic feet).

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

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Buick service is better than Hyundai. J.D. Power ranks Buick 9th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 48% lower rating, Hyundai is ranked 30th.

The Envista’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 Envista’s front and rear power windows all lower with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Santa Fe’s standard power windows’ passenger windows don’t open automatically.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Envista’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 Envista Avenir’s standard rear view mirror and optional side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Santa Fe offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

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