Hyundai Santa Fe vs Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV

The Hyundai Santa Fe starts from $53,400 before on-road costs, while the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV opens at $58,990. That makes the Hyundai Santa Fe the more affordable entry point by $5,590.

Once you factor in stamp duty, registration, CTP insurance, and dealer delivery, expect to add roughly 8-12% on top of the RRP depending on your state. That puts estimated driveaway prices in the ballpark of $58,740 and $64,889 respectively.

The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV qualifies for FBT exemption as an electric vehicle, which can dramatically reduce the effective cost for novated lease buyers. The Hyundai Santa Fe, as a petrol model, does not qualify.

Over 5 years, the running costs favour the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV by roughly $11,220 in fuel alone.

Both the Hyundai Santa Fe and Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV hold a 5-star ANCAP safety rating. Adult occupant protection scored 84% for the Hyundai Santa Fe and 85% for the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV.

Where the two diverge is in active safety technology. Both models are evenly matched with 6 out of 10 key ADAS systems.

Both include the essentials: autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera. Airbag count is 7 in the Hyundai Santa Fe and 7 in the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV.

The Hyundai Santa Fe features a 12.3-inch touchscreen paired with a 12.3-inch digital dash, while the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV gets a 12.3-inch display and 12.3-inch instruments. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

The Hyundai Santa Fe stands out with BOSE audio that you will not find on the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV counters with Yamaha audio. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

The Hyundai Santa Fe uses a Petrol producing 141kW and 232Nm of torque, sent through a automatic to a FWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 8.2 seconds.

The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV responds with a Petrol making 225kW and 450Nm, paired to a automatic driving all four wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 7 seconds.

The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV has the clear power advantage at 225kW vs 141kW. In the real-world sprint, the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is 1.2s quicker. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

The Hyundai Santa Fe measures 4,830mm long on a 2,815mm wheelbase, 120mm longer than the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV at 4,710mm (2,705mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Hyundai Santa Fe generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 625L in the Hyundai Santa Fe and 478L in the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, giving the Hyundai Santa Fe a 147L advantage. Fold the rears and you get 1949L vs 1500L.

For towing, the Hyundai Santa Fe leads with a 2,000kg braked capacity vs 1,600kg. That 400kg difference matters if you regularly hitch up.

Based on 15,000km of annual driving, fuel costs roughly $2,594/year for the Hyundai Santa Fe and $350/year for the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. That is a $2,244 annual difference in favour of the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV.

Estimated annual total: $2,594 (Hyundai Santa Fe) vs $350 (Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV). The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV saves you roughly $2,244 per year in total ownership costs. Use our Fuel Cost Calculator to estimate based on your driving.

Warranty: 5 years / 999,999km (Hyundai Santa Fe) vs 10 years / 200,000km (Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV). The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV has longer coverage.