Honda Pilot vs Hyundai Santa Fe
Two three-row SUVs compared on the numbers that matter — maintenance cost, reliability, and insurance.
// VERDICT
Our verdict
Buy the Honda Pilot if its specific features or size suit your needs better.
Buy the Hyundai Santa Fe — lower 5-year cost and better reliability.
// COST HEAD TO HEAD
Maintenance and ownership cost
| Honda Pilot | Hyundai Santa Fe | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual maintenance | $542 | $515winner |
| 5-year total cost | $2,710 | $2,575winner |
| Reliability score | 7 / 10 | 8 / 10winner |
| Major repair risk (5yr) | 13% | 10%winner |
| Cargo space | 111.8 cu ft | — |
| Starting price (new) | $45,400 | $35,050winner |
| Best years to buy | — | 2011, 2018 |
// RELIABILITY
Which is more reliable?
| Honda Pilot | Hyundai Santa Fe | |
|---|---|---|
| RepairPal score | 7 / 10 | 8 / 10winner |
| NHTSA complaints / 100k | 303.7 | 251.5winner |
| Years to avoid | 2010, 2011, 2012 | 2017, 2019, 2023 |
| Value retained · 3 yr | 74.5%winner | 72.5% |
| Value retained · 5 yr | 55.9%winner | 54.4% |
| Value retained · 7 yr | 46%winner | 42% |
// COMMON PROBLEMS
What breaks — and what it costs
| Honda Pilot | Hyundai Santa Fe | |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 32.3%winner | 45.2% |
| Electrical | 14.7% | 5.1%winner |
| ADAS | 11.2% | 8.8%winner |
| Brakes | 3.7%winner | 5.7% |
| Suspension | 1.3% | —winner |
| Steering | 1.7%winner | 4.5% |
| Fuel system | 7.6% | 2.0%winner |
| Tires/Wheels | 1.5%winner | 2.3% |
| Glass/Windows | 2.4%winner | 2.9% |
| Airbags | 3.5% | 2.1%winner |
| Lighting | —winner | 1.2% |
One major repair on either model can run $1,500–4,000. A warranty caps your exposure, especially on known problem years.
// INSURANCE
Which is cheaper to insure?
| Honda Pilot | Hyundai Santa Fe | |
|---|---|---|
| Avg annual premium | $2,147winner | $2,430 |
// FULL MODEL PAGES
// FAQ
Common questions
The Pilot costs $542/year to maintain — $31 below the three-row segment average of $573. Repair frequency of 51% is well above the class average of 40% — the highest in the three-row segment. Reliability score of 7 and major repair probability of 13% both sit at the class average. Below-average cost but the most frequent unscheduled shop visits in the class.
How we calculated this. Maintenance costs and reliability scores from RepairPal. Complaints and recalls from NHTSA. Fuel economy from the EPA. Insurance averages from CarEdge. Pricing from KBB. Depreciation from iSeeCars. Full methodology →