Source type: Isuzu East Africa official Kenya model specification
Isuzu mu-X vs Hyundai SANTA FE
A proper head-to-head in Kenya — compare price, performance, fuel economy or electric range, safety and the details that shape long-term ownership.
VS
Hyundai SANTA FE
SANTA FE Kenya specification
Diesel
Current
KES 9,750,000
ex-showroom
⚡ 142 kW
🔧 440 Nm
Decision summary
Isuzu mu-X vs Hyundai SANTA FE: the short answer
mu-X and SANTA FE are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.
mu-X starts KES 760,000 cheaper
mu-X from KES 8,990,000 · SANTA FE from KES 9,750,000
Five key differences
Exact selected derivatives| Specification | mu-X | SANTA FE |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum Power | mu-X110 kW | SANTA FE142 kW |
| Maximum Torque | mu-X350 Nm @ 1800-2600 rpm | SANTA FE440 Nm |
| Engine Size | mu-X1899 cc | SANTA FENot Officially Disclosed |
| Combined Fuel Economy | mu-XNot Officially Disclosed | SANTA FENot Officially Disclosed |
| Ground Clearance | mu-X235 mm | SANTA FE176 mm |
Strongest published figure in that row; no road-test winner is implied.
Source type: Hyundai Kenya
What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)
mu-X
Strengths
- Nothing stands out clearly here.
Weak Spots
- Less powerful engine setup
- Lower fuel efficiency
- Fewer listed safety features
- Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to:
General Use
Specification evidence leader
SANTA FE
Strengths
- More powerful engine output
- Better fuel efficiency
- Stronger listed safety equipment
- Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
- No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to:
Published Performance
Published Efficiency
Published Practicality
Which One's Right for You?
mu-X
- Buyers who prefer this derivative's confirmed specification mix
SANTA FE
- Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
- Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
- Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment
- Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures
Full Specs, Side by Side
| Spec | mu-X | SANTA FE |
|---|---|---|
| Model Introduced Year | Not Officially Disclosed | Not Officially Disclosed |
| Generation | Current Kenya-market Isuzu East Africa derivative | Not Officially Disclosed |
| Facelift History | Not Officially Disclosed | Not Officially Disclosed |
| Facelift Launched Since | Not Officially Disclosed | Not Officially Disclosed |
| Facelift Version Ending | Not Officially Disclosed | Not Officially Disclosed |
| Body Style | SUV | SUV |
| Model Year | 2026 | Not Officially Disclosed |
| Production Status | active | Active |
| Segment | Seven-seat diesel SUV | Kenya-market SUV |
| Vehicle Type | SUV | SUV |
| Spec | mu-X | SANTA FE |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 4850 mm | 4830 mm |
| Width | 1870 mm | 1900 mm |
| Height | 1820 mm | 1720 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2855 mm | 2815 mm |
| Ground Clearance (Default) | 235 mm | 176 mm |
| Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) | Not Officially Disclosed | 161 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 80 l | 67 l |
| Boot/Cargo Space | Not Officially Disclosed | 634 l |
| Kerb Weight | 2061 kg | 1905 kg |
| Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) | 2800 kg | 2610 kg |
| Payload Capacity | 739 kg | 705 kg |
| Towing Capacity | 2100 kg | 2500 kg |
| Seating Capacity | 7 seats | 7 seats |
| Number of Rows | 3 rows | 3 rows |
| Doors | 5 doors | 5 doors |
| Minimum Turning Radius | 11.4 m | 5.7 m |
| Front Headroom | Not Officially Disclosed | Not Officially Disclosed |
| Rear Headroom | Not Officially Disclosed | Not Officially Disclosed |
| Front Legroom | Not Officially Disclosed | Not Officially Disclosed |
| Rear Legroom | Not Officially Disclosed | Not Officially Disclosed |
In depth: how these cars differ
This mu-X and SANTA FE comparison uses the exact derivatives selected above for Kenya. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.
Performance index: mu-X 62 vs SANTA FE 69.
Efficiency index: mu-X 38 vs SANTA FE 51.
Safety-equipment index: mu-X 86 vs SANTA FE 94.
Practicality index: mu-X 80 vs SANTA FE 83.
Ownership-cover index: mu-X not separately scored vs SANTA FE not separately scored.
These figures are Hagalu catalogue-comparison indicators, not customer ratings, crash-test scores, resale guarantees or a substitute for a road test. Each page shows its weighted source coverage beside the result.
Model imagery
mu-X and SANTA FE image comparison
Open an image for its full canonical file or visit the model page for the complete vehicle record.
Isuzu mu-X
View 8 more mu-X images
Hyundai SANTA FE
View 8 more SANTA FE images
Specification Evidence Index
A transparent comparison of published catalogue fields. This is not a road-test score, owner rating or editorial review rating, and it appears only when every vehicle clears the same comparable-data threshold.
Evidence-index readout
SANTA FE leads by 7 points
mu-X and SANTA FE are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.
Evidence leader
75
/100
Lead
7
points
Data
65%
source coverage
75
#1
Evidence leader
SANTA FE
Performance
69
Efficiency
51
Safety
94
Practicality
83
Leads by 7 points
68
#2
mu-X
Performance
62
Efficiency
38
Safety
86
Practicality
80
Performance 24%
Safety 22%
Practicality 22%
Efficiency 17%
Ownership 15%
Category leaders
What moves the verdict
Performance
SANTA FE +7
Efficiency
SANTA FE +13
Safety
SANTA FE +8
Practicality
SANTA FE +3
Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.
Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader
SANTA FE
Performance
69/100
Efficiency
51/100
Safety
94/100
Practicality
83/100
mu-X
Performance
62/100
Efficiency
38/100
Safety
86/100
Practicality
80/100
What the evidence means
In Hagalu's specification evidence index, SANTA FE leads. However, mu-X may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in Kenya.
Related comparisons
Continue with closely related Kenya models and comparable body styles.
mu-X vs SANTA FE questions
There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the models and available derivatives in Kenya on price, safety equipment, space, powertrain and ownership cover. The category indicators summarise published catalogue data; they are not a road test or customer rating.
Compare the published consumption or mileage rows for the exact derivatives using the same unit and test basis. A catalogue figure is useful for like-for-like comparison, but traffic, speed, load, weather and driving style can change actual fuel use.
Compare only equipment explicitly listed for each derivative, including airbags, stability control and driver-assistance systems. Confirm the exact trim with the manufacturer, and treat any independent crash-test result separately because equipment and ratings can differ by market.
A reliable five-year total cannot be calculated from catalogue data alone. Add the exact purchase and finance cost, fuel or electricity, insurance quotes, scheduled servicing, tyres and expected resale value. Check whether the selected derivative includes a service or maintenance plan.
Use the seating, boot or load-space, ISOFIX and safety rows as a first check. Then test the exact cars with your child seats, passengers and typical luggage, because published dimensions do not show every access or comfort difference.
Compare the published power, torque and 0–100 km/h rows when they are available for both exact derivatives. Vehicle weight, gearing and power delivery also matter, so catalogue outputs alone do not establish real-world overtaking or response.