Small SUVs · Hybrid · model year 2026
Ford Escape Hybrid vs Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid
For model year 2026, the Ford Escape Hybrid gets 39 MPG combined and the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid 36: a 3 MPG lead, or 8% on the lower figure.
Side by side
| Measure | Ford Escape Hybrid | Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid |
|---|---|---|
| Combined fuel economy (best version) | 39 MPG | 36 MPG |
| City | 42 MPG | 37 MPG |
| Highway | 36 MPG | 36 MPG |
| Annual fuel cost | $1,700 | $1,850 |
| Tailpipe CO2 | 225 g/mile | 244 g/mile |
| Lowest rated version | 39 MPG | 34 MPG |
| Rated versions | 1 | 2 |
| Rank in class (best combined rating) | 33rd of 113 | 37th of 113 |
| Class | Small SUVs | Small SUVs |
| Powertrain | Hybrid | Hybrid |
Better figure in bold; each model's most efficient version.
Fuel economy and cost
Under the file's assumptions the Ford Escape Hybrid costs about $1,700 a year to fuel and the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid about $1,850: $150 a year apart on 15,000 miles.
Where each one ranks
Within their class the Ford Escape Hybrid is 33rd of 113 small SUVs, in the upper half, ahead of 71% of the others. The Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid is tied for 37th of 113 small SUVs, in the upper half.
The Ford Escape Hybrid has 1 rated version, from 39 to 39 MPG. The Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid has 2, from 34 to 36 MPG. For the most efficient versions, the Ford Escape Hybrid is rated 6 higher in the city (42 against 36), while the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid is rated 1 higher in the city (37 against 36).
The two versions closest in rating are Escape AWD HEV: 2.5 L, 4 cyl hybrid, Automatic (variable gear ratios), part-time 4WD at 39 MPG and Santa Fe Hybrid FWD: 1.6 L, 4 cyl hybrid, Automatic (AM-S6), FWD at 36, 3 MPG apart.
Ratings by model year
Both models are in the data for 6 model years, 2021 to 2026. The Ford Escape Hybrid has the higher best rating in 6 of them and the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid in 0. The widest gap, 7 MPG, was in 2022, when the Ford Escape Hybrid led.
| Model year | Ford Escape Hybrid | Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 39 | 36 | +3 |
| 2025 | 39 | 36 | +3 |
| 2024 | 39 | 36 | +3 |
| 2023 | 39 | 34 | +5 |
| 2022 | 41 | 34 | +7 |
| 2021 | 41 | 34 | +7 |
| 2020 | 41 | not in data | n/a |