Toyota Hiace GD vs Hyundai Santa Fe
A proper head-to-head in Uganda — compare price, performance, fuel economy or electric range, safety and the details that shape long-term ownership.
Toyota Hiace GD
2.8 GD 15-Seater 6MT
Diesel
6-Speed Manual
Current
UGX 225,000,000
ex-showroom
⛽ 12.5 km/l
VS
Hyundai Santa Fe
SANTA FE 2.5L Petrol 4x4 8AT GLS
Petrol
8-Speed Automatic
Current
UGX 210,000,000
ex-showroom
⚡ 143 kW
🔧 246 Nm
⛽ 11.76 km/l
Decision summary
Toyota Hiace GD vs Hyundai Santa Fe: the short answer
Hiace GD and Santa Fe are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.
Santa Fe starts UGX 15,000,000 cheaper
Hiace GD from UGX 225,000,000 · Santa Fe from UGX 210,000,000
Five key differences
Exact selected derivatives| Specification | Hiace GD | Santa Fe |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum Power | Hiace GDNot Officially Disclosed | Santa Fe142.7 kW @ 6100 rpm |
| Maximum Torque | Hiace GDNot Officially Disclosed | Santa Fe246 Nm @ 4000 rpm |
| Engine Size | Hiace GD2755 cc | Santa Fe2497 cc |
| Combined Fuel Economy | Hiace GD12.5 km/l | Santa Fe11.76 km/l |
| Ground Clearance | Hiace GD185 mm | Santa Fe177 mm |
Strongest published figure in that row; no road-test winner is implied.
Source type: Hyundai Uganda / Motorcare quotation catalogue and model specifications
What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)
Hiace GD
Strengths
- Better fuel efficiency
- Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
- Less powerful engine setup
- Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to:
Published Efficiency
Published Practicality
Specification evidence leader
Santa Fe
Strengths
- More powerful engine output
- Stronger listed safety equipment
Weak Spots
- Lower fuel efficiency
- Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to:
Published Performance
Which One's Right for You?
Hiace GD
- Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
- Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures
Santa Fe
- Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
- Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment
Full Specs, Side by Side
| Spec | Hiace GD | Santa Fe |
|---|---|---|
| Model Introduced Year | 2023 | 2023 |
| Generation | Uganda 2.8-litre GD passenger-van family, distinct from the separately listed 2.5-litre Hiace variants. Public 14-seat and supplied 15-seat identities require separate build matching. | Current market generation |
| Facelift History | No local facelift confirmed | Current-generation specification |
| Facelift Launched Since | Original current-generation version | 2023 |
| Facelift Version Ending | Current | Current |
| Body Style | Passenger van | SUV |
| Model Year | 2026 | 2026 |
| Production Status | active | active |
| Segment | Light commercial passenger vehicle | SUV |
| Vehicle Type | Minibus | Passenger SUV |
| Spec | Hiace GD | Santa Fe |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 5915 mm | 4830 mm |
| Width | 1950 mm | 1900 mm |
| Height | 2280 mm | 1770 mm |
| Wheelbase | 3860 mm | 2815 mm |
| Ground Clearance (Default) | 185 mm | 177 mm |
| Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) | 170 mm | 160 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 70 l | 67 l |
| Boot/Cargo Space | 1000 l | Not Officially Disclosed |
| Kerb Weight | 2350 kg | 1970 kg |
| Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) | 3500 kg | Not Officially Disclosed |
| Payload Capacity | 1150 kg | Not Officially Disclosed |
| Towing Capacity | 750 kg | 1500 kg |
| Seating Capacity | 15 seats | 7 seats |
| Number of Rows | Not Officially Disclosed | 3 rows |
| Doors | Not Officially Disclosed | 5 doors |
| Minimum Turning Radius | 7.9 m | 5.5 m |
| Front Headroom | Not Officially Disclosed | 1020 mm |
| Rear Headroom | Not Officially Disclosed | 1007 mm |
| Front Legroom | Not Officially Disclosed | 1052 mm |
| Rear Legroom | Not Officially Disclosed | 1075 mm |
In depth: how these cars differ
This Hiace GD and Santa Fe comparison uses the exact derivatives selected above for Uganda. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.
Performance index: Hiace GD 43 vs Santa Fe 56.
Efficiency index: Hiace GD 54 vs Santa Fe 46.
Safety-equipment index: Hiace GD 44 vs Santa Fe 63.
Practicality index: Hiace GD 81 vs Santa Fe 70.
Ownership-cover index: Hiace GD 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
Hiace GD and Santa Fe image comparison
Open an image for its full canonical file or visit the model page for the complete vehicle record.
Toyota Hiace GD
View 8 more Hiace GD 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 4 points
Hiace GD and Santa Fe are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.
Evidence leader
59
/100
Lead
4
points
Data
71%
source coverage
59
#1
Evidence leader
Santa Fe
Performance
56
Efficiency
46
Safety
63
Practicality
70
Leads by 4 points
55
#2
Hiace GD
Performance
43
Efficiency
54
Safety
44
Practicality
81
Performance 24%
Safety 22%
Practicality 22%
Efficiency 17%
Ownership 15%
Category leaders
What moves the verdict
Performance
Santa Fe +13
Efficiency
Hiace GD +8
Safety
Santa Fe +19
Practicality
Hiace GD +11
Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.
Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader
Santa Fe
Performance
56/100
Efficiency
46/100
Safety
63/100
Practicality
70/100
Hiace GD
Performance
43/100
Efficiency
54/100
Safety
44/100
Practicality
81/100
What the evidence means
In Hagalu's specification evidence index, Santa Fe leads. However, Hiace GD may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in Uganda.
Related comparisons
Continue with closely related Uganda models and comparable body styles.
Hiace GD vs Santa Fe questions
There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the models and available derivatives in Uganda 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.