A proper head-to-head in South Africa — we cover price, performance,
petrol economy, safety and what it'll actually cost you to own each one long term.
Includes a historical vehicle
Current, upcoming and historical vehicles can be compared side by side. Historical records keep their verified specifications, while price labels show last-listed context rather than current new-car availability.
Historical Hyundai Santa Fe hero image.Historical Hyundai Santa Fe exterior view 1.Historical Hyundai Santa Fe exterior view 2.
View 8 more Santa Fe images
Historical Hyundai Santa Fe exterior view 3.Historical Hyundai Santa Fe exterior view 4.Historical Hyundai Santa Fe exterior view 5.Historical Hyundai Santa Fe interior view 1.Historical Hyundai Santa Fe interior view 2.Historical Hyundai Santa Fe interior view 3.Historical Hyundai Santa Fe interior view 4.Historical Hyundai Santa Fe interior view 5.
Best suited to:Published EfficiencyPublished Practicality
Which One's Right for You?
C9
Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
Santa Fe
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
Open a category, then swipe sideways to compare every column
Archived cars use verified historical spec records. Rows remain comparable; unavailable historical values are shown plainly rather than estimated.
Spec
C9
Santa Fe
Model Introduced Year
2024
2001
Generation
Current South Africa C9 range
Fifth generation Santa Fe on Hyundai's i-GMP platform; 'Sensuous Sportiness' design with distinctive parametric LED lighting signature
Facelift History
Current South Africa version listed by official source
Fifth generation launched in SA in 2022; significant styling and interior quality upgrade; distinctive boxy design language with vertical lighting
Facelift Launched Since
2024
2022
Facelift Version Ending
Current
Not confirmed
Body Style
SUV
Not confirmed
Model Year
2026
Not confirmed
Production Status
active
Not confirmed
Segment
SUV
Not confirmed
Tare Mass Kg
Not Available
1980 kg
Vehicle Type
SUV
Not confirmed
Spec
C9
Santa Fe
Length
4775 mm
4830 mm
Width
1920 mm
1900 mm
Height
1671 mm
1750 mm
Wheelbase
2800 mm
2815 mm
Ground Clearance (Default)
165 mm
188 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load)
143 mm
Not confirmed
Fuel Tank Capacity
65 l
67 l
Boot/Cargo Space
660 l
703 l
Kerb Weight
1872 kg
1980 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW)
2281 kg
Not confirmed
Payload Capacity
409 kg
Not confirmed
Towing Capacity
1500 kg
Not confirmed
Seating Capacity
5 seats
7 seats
Number of Rows
2 rows
Not confirmed
Doors
5 doors
5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius
5.8 m
Not confirmed
Front Headroom
1005 mm
Not confirmed
Rear Headroom
970 mm
Not confirmed
Front Legroom
1070 mm
Not confirmed
Rear Legroom
960 mm
Not confirmed
Spec
C9
Santa Fe
Front Track Width
Not Available
Not confirmed
Rear Track Width
Not Available
Not confirmed
Front Suspension
MacPherson strut
MacPherson Strut
Rear Suspension
Multi-link
Multi-Link
Chassis Type
-
Monocoque
Power Steering
-
Electric
Steering Column
-
Tilt
Front Suspension Type
MacPherson strut
MacPherson Strut
Rear Suspension Type
Multi-link
Multi-Link
Spec
C9
Santa Fe
Load Bed Length
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Load Bed Width
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Climate Control
Automatic
Tri-Zone Auto Climate
Power Windows
Standard
All
Keyless Entry
Standard
Yes
Push Button Start
Standard
Yes
Wireless Charging
Standard
15W Wireless
Sunroof
Standard
Electric Panoramic Sunroof
Electric Tailgate
Standard
Yes
Rain Sensing Wipers
Standard
No
Boot Space Seats Folded
1783 l
Not confirmed
AC Type
Automatic
Tri-Zone Auto Climate
Loadbox Length Mm
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Loadbox Width Mm
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Auto Dimming Mirror
-
No
Rear Window Defroster
-
Yes
Follow Me Home Headlamps
-
Yes
12V Accessory Socket
-
12V
Boot Opener
-
Inside
Door Ajar Warning
-
Yes
Electric Folding Mirrors
-
Yes
Engine Check Warning
-
Yes
Engine Start Stop
Standard
Yes
Engine Start Stop Button
Standard
Yes
Front Armrest
-
Yes
Front Power Outlet
-
Yes
Fuel Lid Opener
-
Inside
Headlamp Height Adjust
-
Manual
Headlamp Washer
-
No
Power Mirrors
-
Yes
Push Button Start
Standard
Yes
Rear Reading Lamps
-
Yes
Service Reminder
-
Yes
Spare Wheel
Not Available
Steel
Tachometer
-
Yes
Telescopic Steering
-
No
Tilt Steering
-
Yes
Trip Computer
-
Yes
Vanity Mirror
-
Yes
Air Conditioning
Automatic
Tri-Zone Auto Climate
Rim Size
245/50 R20
20-inch Alloy
Sound System
8
8 Meridian Premium
Unlocking
Standard
Yes
Wireless Charger
Standard
15W Wireless
Spec
C9
Santa Fe
Engine
2-litre Turbocharged Petrol
2.2-litre Turbocharged Diesel
Engine Code
SQRF4J20
Not Officially Disclosed
Fuel Type
Petrol
Diesel
Hybrid System
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Engine Displacement
2000 cc
2199 cc
Cylinders
4
4
Cylinder Layout
Inline
Inline
Valves
16
Not Officially Disclosed
Valves per Cylinder
4
Not Officially Disclosed
Aspiration
Turbocharged
Turbocharged
Fuel System
Petrol injection
Common Rail Direct Injection
Compression Ratio
10.2:1
Not Officially Disclosed
Bore
80.5 mm
Not Officially Disclosed
Stroke
98.0 mm
Not Officially Disclosed
Maximum Power
192 kW @ 5500 rpm
147 kW @ 3800 rpm
Maximum Torque
400 Nm
440 Nm @ 1750 rpm
Combined Power
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Combined Torque
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Motor Type
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Number of Motors
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Motor Location
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Drive Type
AWD
AWD
Transmission
8-Speed Automatic
8-Speed Automatic
Top Speed
200 km/h
205 km/h
0-100 km/h
7.8 sec
8.5 sec
Quarter Mile
15.8 sec
Not Officially Disclosed
Drive Modes
Eco, Normal, Sport, Snow, Mud, Sand, Off-Road
Eco, Normal
Launch Control
No
Not Officially Disclosed
Rev Limiter
6500 rpm
Not Officially Disclosed
Power-to-Weight Ratio
102 kW/tonne
74.2 kW/tonne
Torque-to-Weight Ratio
213 Nm/tonne
222.2 Nm/tonne
Battery Capacity
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Usable Battery Capacity
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Battery Type
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Battery Voltage
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Electric Range
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
AC Charging Power
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
DC Charging Power
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
AC Charging Time
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
DC Charging Time
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Regenerative Braking
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Spec
C9
Santa Fe
Gearbox
8 AT
8-speed Automatic
Drivetrain Layout
AWD
HTRAC AWD
LSD Available
Not Applicable
Yes
Transfer Case
Not Applicable
Not confirmed
Differential Lock
Not Applicable
Not confirmed
Paddle Shifters
Standard
Yes
Final Drive Ratio
Not Applicable
Not confirmed
Number of Gears
8
Not confirmed
Transmission Type
Automatic
Automatic
Clutch Type
Automatic clutch
Not confirmed
Gear Shift Indicator
Standard
Yes
Gear Shift Type
Electric
Not confirmed
Drivetrain
AWD
Not confirmed
4WD Engagement
Intelligent electronically controlled on-demand AWD with automatic front/rear torque distribution
Not confirmed
4WD Hi Range
Not Applicable
Not confirmed
4WD Lo Range
Not Applicable
Not confirmed
4WD Selector
Not Applicable
Not confirmed
Automatic Shift Paddles
Standard
Not confirmed
Front Differential Lock
Not Applicable
Not confirmed
Gearbox Type
8 AT
Automatic
Low Range Ratio
Not Applicable
Not confirmed
Low Range
Not Applicable
Not confirmed
Axle Layout
AWD
Not confirmed
Rear Differential Lock
Not Applicable
Not confirmed
Transmission Speeds
8
Not confirmed
Engine Position
-
Front
Spec
C9
Santa Fe
Claimed Mileage
11.8 km/l
13.8 km/l
City Mileage
9.5 km/l
11.0 km/l
Highway Mileage
13.9 km/l
17.5 km/l
Fuel Tank Capacity
65 l
67 l
Emission Standard
Euro VIb
Euro 6
AdBlue Tank Capacity
Not Applicable
Not confirmed
Auto Start Stop
Standard
Not confirmed
Real-world Mileage
11.8 km/l
13.8 km/l
Charging Port Type
Not Applicable
Not confirmed
Charging Type
Not Applicable
Not confirmed
Fuel Tank Litres
65
67
Combined Driving Range
Not Applicable
Not confirmed
Electric Consumption
Not Applicable
Not confirmed
Range Real World Highway
Not Applicable
Not confirmed
Range Real World Mixed
Not Applicable
Not confirmed
Distance To Empty
-
Yes
Low Fuel Warning
-
Yes
Spec
C9
Santa Fe
Airbags
Multiple airbags
7
ABS
Standard
Yes
Electronic Stability Control
Standard
Yes
Traction Control
Standard
Yes
Hill Descent Control
Standard
Not Available
Hill Start Assist
Standard
Yes
Child Safety Lock
Standard
Yes
ISOFIX Mounts
Standard
Yes
Brake Assist
Standard
Yes
Tyre Pressure Monitor
Standard
Yes
Engine Immobiliser
Standard
Yes
Seatbelt Warning All Seats
Standard
Yes
Front Parking Sensors
Standard
Not confirmed
AEB
Standard
Yes
BA
Standard
Yes
Brake Override System
Standard
Not confirmed
Curtain Airbags
Standard
Not confirmed
Driver Airbag
Standard
Yes
EBD
Standard
Yes
Engine Immobiliser
Standard
Yes
Hill Hold
Standard
Yes
Passenger Airbag
Standard
Yes
Rear Cross Traffic Alert
Standard
Yes
Seatbelt Pretensioners
Standard
Yes
Seatbelt Reminder
Standard
Not confirmed
Side Airbags
Standard
Not confirmed
Stability Control
Standard
Yes
TCS
Standard
Yes
Knee Airbag
Not Available
Not confirmed
ABS EBD
Standard
Yes
Central Locking
-
Yes
Speed Alert System
-
Yes
Safety Rating
-
Not Rated (SA)
Spec
C9
Santa Fe
Cruise Control
Standard
Yes
Adaptive Cruise Control
Standard
Yes
Lane Keep Assist
Standard
Yes
Lane Departure Warning
Standard
Yes
Blind Spot Monitoring
Standard
Yes
Rear Cross Traffic Alert
Standard
Yes
Parking Sensors
Standard
Front & Rear
Rear View Camera
Standard
Yes
360 Degree Camera
Standard
Yes
Autonomous Emergency Braking
Standard
Yes
Driver Fatigue Alert
Standard
Yes
Traffic Sign Recognition
Not Available
No
Auto Highbeam
Standard
Not confirmed
Auto Wipers
Standard
No
Rear Parking Sensors
Standard
Not confirmed
Reverse Camera
Standard
Yes
Adaptive Cruise Control
Standard
Yes
Park Assist
Not Available
Not confirmed
Around View Monitor
Standard
Yes
Blind Spot Warning
Standard
Yes
Forward Collision Warning
Standard
Not confirmed
Auto Lights
-
Yes
Eco Mode
-
Yes
EV Mode
-
No
Sport Mode
-
No
Spec
C9
Santa Fe
Seat Material
Leatherette / leather
Leather
Heated Seats
Standard
Front & 2nd Row
Ventilated Seats
Standard
Front
Ambient Lighting
Standard
64-Colour Ambient
Front Shoulder Room
Not Available
Not confirmed
Rear Shoulder Room
Not Available
Not confirmed
Steering Wheel Material
Leather
Leather
60 40 Split Seat
Standard
Yes
Driver Seat Adjustment
Power
Not confirmed
Passenger Seat Adjustment
Power
Not confirmed
Seat Trim
Leatherette / leather
Not confirmed
Seat Adjustment
-
Power 8-way
Steering Type
-
Electric
Steering Adjustment
-
Tilt & Telescopic
Folding Rear Seats
-
3rd Row Fold Flat
Front Armrest
-
Yes
Rear Armrest
-
No
Cup Holders
-
4
Instrument Cluster Type
-
Analogue + MID
Door Map Pockets
-
Yes
Adjustable Driver Seat
-
Manual
Adjustable Front Seat
-
Manual
Cooled Seats
-
No
Fabric Seats
-
Yes
Front Headrest
-
Yes
Leather Seats
-
No
Memory Seats
-
No
Rear Headrest
-
Yes
Spec
C9
Santa Fe
Infotainment System
Touchscreen infotainment
12.3-inch Touchscreen
Apple CarPlay
Standard
Yes
Android Auto
Standard
Yes
Bluetooth Connectivity
Standard
Yes
Number of Speakers
8
8 Meridian Premium
Digital Instrument Cluster
Standard
12.3-inch Digital Cluster
USB Ports
Front and rear USB where listed
2 USB-A + 2 USB-C
Infotainment Screen
10.25-inch or larger by trim
Not confirmed
Touchscreen
10.25-inch or larger by trim
Not confirmed
Navigation System
-
Yes
Wireless Apple CarPlay
Standard
Yes
Wireless Android Auto
Standard
Yes
FM Radio
-
Yes
Steering Wheel Audio Controls
-
Yes
Voice Recognition
-
Yes
AUX Input
-
Yes
Audio Controls On Steering
-
Yes
Infotainment Display
-
Touchscreen
Rear Usb
-
Yes
Audio Speakers
8
8 Meridian Premium
Spec
C9
Santa Fe
LED Headlamps
Standard
Full LED Parametric
Daytime Running Lamps
Standard
LED
Fog Lamps
Standard
LED
Roof Rails
Standard
Yes
Exterior Colour Options
Khaki white, carbon crystal black, moonlight silver, grey and other official Omoda market colours where listed.
Not confirmed
Headlights
Standard
Full LED Parametric
Panoramic Sunroof
Standard
Not confirmed
Alloy Wheel Design
-
20-inch Alloy
Rear Spoiler
-
Yes
Wing Mirror Type
-
Power Adjustable
Rear Wiper
-
Yes
Door Handle Finish
-
Body Coloured
Body Type
-
SUV
DRL
Standard
LED
Fog Lights
-
Yes
Front Fog Lights
-
Yes
Led Headlights
Standard
Full LED Parametric
Daytime Running Lights
Standard
LED
Exterior Mirror Electric
-
Yes
Front Fog Lamps
Standard
LED
Headlamps
Standard
Full LED Parametric
Headlight Type
Standard
Full LED Parametric
Spec
C9
Santa Fe
Approach Angle
Not Available
Not confirmed
Departure Angle
Not Available
Not confirmed
Wading Depth
Not Available
Not confirmed
Terrain Modes
Standard
Not Available
Locking Differential
Not Applicable
No
4WD System Type
AWD / 4WD as listed
Not confirmed
Breakover Angle
Not Available
Not confirmed
Ground Clearance Max
165 mm
188 mm
Ground Clearance Min
165 mm
188 mm
Ramp Breakover Angle
-
20 deg
Hill Descent Control
Standard
Not Available
Spec
C9
Santa Fe
Tyre Size
245/50 R20
255/45 R20
Front Brake Type
Ventilated Disc
Disc
Rear Brake Type
Ventilated Disc
Disc
Spare Wheel Type
Not Available
Steel
Wheel Rim Size
245/50 R20
20-inch Alloy
Handbrake Type
Electronic parking brake
Not confirmed
Wheel Type
-
20-inch Alloy
Parking Brake Type
-
Manual
Tyre Load Index
-
91
Tyre Speed Rating
-
H
Brake Type Front
-
Disc (Ventilated)
Brake Type Rear
-
Disc
Spare Tyre
Not Available
Steel
Tyre Type
-
Tubeless Radial
Wheel Diameter
245/50 R20
20-inch Alloy
Wheels
-
20-inch Alloy
Spec
C9
Santa Fe
CO2 Emissions
197 g/km
188 g/km
Fuel Octane Requirement
Petrol
Diesel
Start Stop System
-
No
Variable Valve Timing
-
Yes
Fuel Evaporation Control
-
Yes
Spec
C9
Santa Fe
Service Plan
5 Years / 75 000 km
4
Service Interval
-
15000 km / 12 months
Maintenance Plan
-
3 Years / 45000 km
First Service At
-
15000
Service Plan Duration
5 Years / 75 000 km
4
Service Plan Distance
5 Years / 75 000 km
4
Alternator
-
120A
Service Intervals
-
15000 km / 12 months
Accessory Battery Type
-
Lead-acid
Spec
C9
Santa Fe
Ownership Role
flagship or capability-focused
Not confirmed
Price Zar
885900 ZAR
Not confirmed
Pricing Role
flagship or capability-focused
Not confirmed
Starting Price
885900
Not confirmed
Starting Price Zar
885900
Not confirmed
Spec
C9
Santa Fe
Warranty
7 Years / 200 000 km
5
Warranty Years
7 Years / 200 000 km
5
Warranty Kilometers
7 Years / 200 000 km
5
Roadside Assistance
-
5 Years
Anti-Corrosion Warranty
-
5 Years
Basic Warranty
7 Years / 200 000 km
5
Roadside Assistance
-
5 Years
In depth: how these cars differ
This C9 and Santa Fe comparison uses the exact South African derivatives selected above. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.
Performance index: C9 81 vs Santa Fe 74.
Efficiency index: C9 46 vs Santa Fe 55.
Safety-equipment index: C9 94 vs Santa Fe 98.
Practicality index: C9 68 vs Santa Fe 89.
Ownership-cover index: C9 not separately scored vs Santa Fe 65.
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.
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 / 100
Evidence-index readout
Santa Fe leads by 4 points
C9 and Santa Fe are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.
Performance
C9 +7
Efficiency
Santa Fe +9
Safety
Santa Fe +4
Practicality
Santa Fe +21
Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.
Why this scoreView full breakdown
Evidence-index leader
Santa Fe
Performance
74/100
Efficiency
55/100
Safety
98/100
Practicality
89/100
Ownership
65/100
C9
Performance
81/100
Efficiency
46/100
Safety
94/100
Practicality
68/100
What the evidence means
Evidence indexHyundai Santa Fe
leads the specification evidence index with 78 pts
vs 74 pts for C9
In Hagalu's specification evidence index, Santa Fe leads. However, C9 may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.
Related comparisons
Continue with closely related South African models and comparable body styles.
There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the exact South African derivatives 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.
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