Hyundai SANTA FE vs. Lexus RX 350
iSeeCars' unbiased and data-driven comparison of the Hyundai SANTA FE and Lexus RX 350 contrasts the two cars across a broad spectrum of vehicle specifications to determine which car is better. In addition to comparing pricing and specs, iSeeCars uses all the ratings, rankings, and insights from its comprehensive analyses of each vehicle model, including calculations of reliability, safety, depreciation, value retention, and the vehicle's projected lifetime recalls (based on analyzing over 25 billion data points). This in-depth evaluation is used to identify which vehicle represents a better overall choice for shoppers who are considering both the Hyundai SANTA FE and the Lexus RX 350.
When we compare the Hyundai SANTA FE's and the Lexus RX 350's specifications and ratings, the Hyundai SANTA FE has the advantage in the areas of new vehicle base pricing and base engine power. The Lexus RX 350 has the advantage in the areas of reliability, resale value and overall quality score. Based on this comparison of the Hyundai SANTA FE's and the Lexus RX 350's specifications and ratings, the Lexus RX 350 is a better car than the Hyundai SANTA FE.
Pricing: For a new model, the Hyundai SANTA FE's price is between $37,209 and $51,800, with the Lexus RX 350 priced between $52,529 and $67,035.
Resale/Retained Value: Looking at the 5-year depreciation rate for both models, the Hyundai SANTA FE loses 48.3 percent of its value and the Lexus RX 350 loses 38.9 percent of its value. This means the Lexus RX 350 retains 9.4 percentage points more of its value and has the advantage of higher resale value versus the Hyundai SANTA FE.
Quality Rating: The iSeeCars Overall Quality rating for the Hyundai SANTA FE is 8.1 out of 10 while the Lexus RX 350's quality rating is 8.4 out of 10. This results in the Hyundai SANTA FE being ranked 7 out of 34 Best SUVs with 3 Rows and the Lexus RX 350 being ranked 3 out of 68 Best Luxury Crossover SUVs.
Reliability Rating: iSeeCars’ Reliability Rating for the Hyundai SANTA FE is 7.7 out of 10. For the Lexus RX 350 the reliability rating is 8.4 out of 10. This gives the Lexus RX 350 a slight advantage in reliability compared to the Hyundai SANTA FE.
Engine Power and Fuel Efficiency Comparison: For engine performance, the Hyundai SANTA FE’s base engine makes 277 horsepower, and the Lexus RX 350 base engine makes 275 horsepower.
Safety Ratings: When comparing crash test ratings from NHTSA, the Hyundai SANTA FE has higher safety ratings than the Lexus RX 350, with an average rating of 4.69 out of 5 Stars compared to 4.38 out of 5 Stars.
New Car Pricing
Asking Price:
37209 - 51800
Starting MSRP:
34800
Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Midsize SUVs)
39270
Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Midsize SUVs)
32190 - 44750
New Car Pricing
Asking Price:
52529 - 67035
Starting MSRP:
48975
Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Luxury Midsize SUVs)
75104
Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Luxury Midsize SUVs)
48975 - 136200
Used Car Pricing
Avg Used Car Price:
Price Range:
-
Category Avg Price:
(Midsize SUVs)
51972
Category Avg Price Range:
(Midsize SUVs)
50800 - 55009
# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:
Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:
# Good or Great Deals:
Used Car Pricing
Avg Used Car Price:
56207
Price Range:
50178 - 62847
Category Avg Price:
(Luxury Midsize SUVs)
82207
Category Avg Price Range:
(Luxury Midsize SUVs)
50580 - 145833
# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:
Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:
# Good or Great Deals:
5-year Depreciation
Depreciation $:
17011
Depreciation %:
0.48881264
Resale Value $:
17789
Residual Value %:
0.51118736
Typical Category Depreciation %:
(Midsize SUVs)
0.51651297
Category Depreciation Range:
(Midsize SUVs)
0.36117337 - 0.54113436
5-year Depreciation
Depreciation $:
19058
Depreciation %:
0.38914453
Resale Value $:
29917
Residual Value %:
0.61085547
Typical Category Depreciation %:
(Luxury Midsize SUVs)
0.49798776
Category Depreciation Range:
(Luxury Midsize SUVs)
0.38914453 - 0.60966222
Hyundai SANTA FE Scores & Rankings
Overall Score:
8.1 / 10
Reliability:
7.7 / 10
Retained Value:
7.9 / 10
Safety:
8.7 / 10
Lexus RX 350 Scores & Rankings
Overall Score:
8.4 / 10
Reliability:
8.4 / 10
Retained Value:
8.5 / 10
Safety:
8.4 / 10
iSeeCars Reliability Insights for Hyundai SANTA FE
Avg Life Expectancy (years):
10.8
Typical Category Life Expectancy:
(Midsize SUVs)
10.0
Category Life Expectancy Range:
(Midsize SUVs)
8.8 - 11.3
Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:
0.145
iSeeCars Reliability Insights for Lexus RX 350
Avg Life Expectancy (years):
16.8
Typical Category Life Expectancy:
(Luxury Midsize SUVs)
13.0
Category Life Expectancy Range:
(Luxury Midsize SUVs)
9.7 - 16.8
Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:
0.335
Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls
Expected Lifetime Recalls:
Typical Category Recalls:
N/A
Category Range for Recalls:
N/A
Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls
Expected Lifetime Recalls:
1.6058349948310648
Typical Category Recalls:
(Luxury Midsize SUVs)
2.7
Category Range for Recalls:
(Luxury Midsize SUVs)
1.4 - 15.4
Hyundai SANTA FE Rankings
Ranking
1 out of / 3Ranking
1 out of / 3Ranking
2 out of / 7Ranking
2 out of / 7Ranking
3 out of / 67Ranking
3 out of / 28Ranking
3 out of / 5Ranking
3 out of / 5Ranking
4 out of / 67Ranking
4 out of / 32Ranking
4 out of / 30Ranking
4 out of / 30Ranking
5 out of / 32Ranking
5 out of / 28Ranking
7 out of / 34Ranking
7 out of / 34Ranking
7 out of / 34Ranking
7 out of / 32Ranking
8 out of / 32Ranking
9 out of / 34Ranking
9 out of / 32Ranking
10 out of / 34Ranking
11 out of / 67Ranking
11 out of / 34Ranking
11 out of / 34Ranking
12 out of / 32Ranking
13 out of / 67Ranking
13 out of / 32Ranking
13 out of / 32Ranking
14 out of / 67Ranking
14 out of / 67Ranking
14 out of / 67Ranking
14 out of / 34Ranking
14 out of / 32Ranking
17 out of / 32Ranking
18 out of / 34Ranking
20 out of / 67Ranking
21 out of / 67Ranking
22 out of / 56Ranking
24 out of / 32Ranking
24 out of / 32Ranking
25 out of / 67Ranking
26 out of / 34Ranking
27 out of / 34Ranking
29 out of / 34Ranking
33 out of / 56Ranking
38 out of / 67Ranking
41 out of / 67Lexus RX 350 Rankings
Ranking
1 out of / 68Ranking
1 out of / 27Ranking
1 out of / 27Ranking
1 out of / 25Ranking
1 out of / 25Ranking
1 out of / 1Ranking
3 out of / 68Ranking
3 out of / 27Ranking
4 out of / 68Ranking
5 out of / 5Ranking
12 out of / 27Ranking
15 out of / 27Ranking
16 out of / 27Ranking
19 out of / 27Ranking
21 out of / 27Ranking
24 out of / 64Ranking
24 out of / 27Ranking
27 out of / 27Ranking
28 out of / 68Ranking
34 out of / 68Ranking
34 out of / 68Ranking
36 out of / 68Ranking
41 out of / 68Ranking
41 out of / 68Ranking
65 out of / 68Available Body Styles
SUV
Available Body Styles
SUV
Available Drivetrain Options
Gasoline
Available Drivetrain Options
Gasoline
Hyundai SANTA FE Trim Levels
Calligraphy, Limited, SE, SEL, XRT
Lexus RX 350 Trim Levels
Base, F SPORT Design, F SPORT Handling, Luxury, Premium, Premium+
Warranty Information
Warranty, Bumper-to-Bumper:
5 years / 60000 miles
Warranty, Powertrain:
10 years / 100000 miles
Warranty, Roadside Assistance:
5 years
Warranty Information
Warranty, Bumper-to-Bumper:
4 years / 50000 miles
Warranty, Powertrain:
6 years / 70000 miles
Warranty, Roadside Assistance:
4 years
Safety Ratings
NHTSA Safety Rating (last 5 year average):
4.69 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Overall Rating:
Not yet available
2025 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:
Not yet available
2025 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:
Not yet available
2025 NHTSA Rollover Rating:
Not yet available
IIHS Safety Rating:
Not yet available
Safety Ratings
NHTSA Safety Rating (last 5 year average):
4.38 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Overall Rating:
4 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:
4 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Rollover Rating:
4 out of 5 Stars
IIHS Safety Rating:
Not yet available
Base Drivetrain Specs
Horsepower:
277 hp @ 5800 rpm
Torque:
311 foot-lbs @ 4000 rpm
Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):
0.064 hp per pound
Towing capacity:
Not yet available
Base Drivetrain Specs
Horsepower:
275 hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque:
317 foot-lbs @ 1700 rpm
Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):
0.066 hp per pound
Towing capacity:
Not yet available
Engine Specifications
Engine Size:
2.5 liters
Engine Configuration:
Inline
Number of Cylinders:
4
Transmission:
Automatic
Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:
FWD / AWD
EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):
Not yet available
Range (city/hwy):
Not yet available
Recommended Fuel Type:
Not yet available
Engine Specifications
Engine Size:
2.4 liters
Engine Configuration:
Inline
Number of Cylinders:
4
Transmission:
Automatic
Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:
FWD / AWD
EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):
22 / 29 / 25
Range (city/hwy):
392 / 516 miles
Recommended Fuel Type:
Premium Unleaded
Standard/Optional Features
Adaptive Cruise Control:
Standard
Alloy wheels:
Standard
Android Auto:
Standard
Apple CarPlay:
Standard
Bench Seats:
Standard
Bluetooth:
Standard
Keyless Entry:
Standard
Keyless Ignition:
Standard
Navigation System:
Standard
Paddle Shifters:
Standard
Parking Sensors:
Standard
Power Lift Gate:
Standard
Power outlet:
Standard
Roadside assistance:
Standard
Satellite radio:
Standard
Trailer Hitch:
Standard
Voice Recognition:
Standard
Automatic Parking:
Available
Captain's seat:
Available
Cooled/Ventilated Seats:
Available
Heated Seats
Available
Heated Steering Wheel:
Available
Leather Upholstery:
Available
Quad Seats:
Available
Roof Rack:
Available
Sunroof/Moonroof:
Available
Wifi:
Available
Wireless Smartphone Charging:
Available
Air Suspension:
N/A
Front Bench Seats:
N/A
Internet Radio:
N/A
Massage Seats:
N/A
Panoramic Sunroof/Moonroof
N/A
Standard/Optional Features
Adaptive Cruise Control:
Standard
Alloy wheels:
Standard
Android Auto:
Standard
Apple CarPlay:
Standard
Bench Seats:
Standard
Bluetooth:
Standard
Keyless Entry:
Standard
Keyless Ignition:
Standard
Navigation System:
Standard
Paddle Shifters:
Standard
Parking Sensors:
Standard
Power Lift Gate:
Standard
Power outlet:
Standard
Roadside assistance:
Standard
Satellite radio:
Standard
Trailer Hitch:
Available
Voice Recognition:
Standard
Automatic Parking:
Available
Captain's seat:
N/A
Cooled/Ventilated Seats:
Available
Heated Seats
Standard
Heated Steering Wheel:
Available
Leather Upholstery:
Standard
Quad Seats:
N/A
Roof Rack:
Available
Sunroof/Moonroof:
Available
Wifi:
Standard
Wireless Smartphone Charging:
Available
Air Suspension:
N/A
Front Bench Seats:
N/A
Internet Radio:
Standard
Massage Seats:
N/A
Panoramic Sunroof/Moonroof
N/A
Safety Features
Backup camera:
Standard
Blind Spot Monitoring:
Standard
Driver Attention Monitoring:
Standard
Forward Collision Warning:
Standard
Lane Departure Warning:
Standard
Lane Keeping Assist:
Standard
Pedestrian Detection:
Standard
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:
Standard
Rear Seat Reminder:
Standard
360-Degree Camera:
Available
Safety Features
Backup camera:
Standard
Blind Spot Monitoring:
Standard
Driver Attention Monitoring:
N/A
Forward Collision Warning:
Standard
Lane Departure Warning:
Standard
Lane Keeping Assist:
Standard
Pedestrian Detection:
Standard
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:
Standard
Rear Seat Reminder:
Standard
360-Degree Camera:
N/A
Interior Dimensions
Front Head Room:
41.1 inches
Front Leg Room:
44.4 inches
Front Shoulder Room:
59.5 inches
Rear Head Room:
40.6 inches
Rear Leg Room:
42.3 inches
Rear Shoulder Room:
58.1 inches
Cargo Space:
14.6 cubic feet
Cargo Space, 2nd-row seat folded down:
79.6 cubic feet
Overall Interior Volume:
166.6 cubic feet
Interior Dimensions
Front Head Room:
39.5 inches
Front Leg Room:
41.1 inches
Front Shoulder Room:
58.1 inches
Rear Head Room:
38.6 inches
Rear Leg Room:
37.4 inches
Rear Shoulder Room:
56.5 inches
Cargo Space:
29.6 cubic feet
Cargo Space, 2nd-row seat folded down:
46.2 cubic feet
Overall Interior Volume:
Not yet available
Exterior Dimensions
Curb Weight:
4343 lbs
Width:
74.8 inches
Height:
67.7 inches
Length:
190.2 inches
Wheelbase:
110.8 inches
Ground Clearance:
7 inches
Exterior Dimensions
Curb Weight:
4155 lbs
Width:
75.6 inches
Height:
67.3 inches
Length:
192.5 inches
Wheelbase:
112.2 inches
Ground Clearance:
8.2 inches
Standard Wheel/Tire Information
Wheel Size:
18.0 x 7.5 inches
Wheel Type:
painted aluminum alloy
Tire Size:
235/60R18
Standard Wheel/Tire Information
Wheel Size:
19.0 x 8.0 inches
Wheel Type:
aluminum alloy
Tire Size:
235/60R19
Exterior Colors
Black
Phantom Black
Gray
Ecotronic Gray Pearl / Hampton Gray
Silver
Shimmering Silver Metallic
White
Serenity White Pearl
Blue
Not available
Green
Not available
Red
Not available
Exterior Colors
Black
Caviar
Gray
Cloudburst Gray
Silver
Iridium
White
Eminent White Pearl
Blue
Nightfall Mica
Green
Nori Green Pearl
Red
Matador Red Mica
Interior Colors
Black
Black
Gray
Gray
Brown
Not available
Interior Colors
Black
Black w/ Black Cascade Trim
Gray
Not available
Brown
Palamino w/ Black Cascade Trim