Verdict
The Santa Fe has a 63% bigger boot, the CX-9 is 22% more powerful, while the Santa Fe is about 20% cheaper. Weigh that against the equipment each side gives you in the table below.
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM225,000✓ | RM281,450 |
| Body type | SUV | SUV |
| Segment | D-Segment | D-Segment |
| Assembly | CBU | CBU |
| Ownership | ||
| Road tax / year | RM120✓ | RM830 |
| Powertrain | ||
| Engine Tech | 16-valve DOHC Direct Injection with Turbocharger, Variable Valve Timing with Hybrid Assistance | 16-valve DOHC, naturally-aspirated, turbocharged |
| Capacity | 1,598 cc | 2,488 cc |
| Horsepower | 177 hp at 5,500 rpm | 228 hp at 5,000 rpm✓ |
| Torque | 265 Nm at 1,500 rpm | 420 Nm at 2,000 rpm✓ |
| Cylinder Arrangement | Inline 4 | Inline 4 |
| Fuel | Petrol Hybrid/REV | Petrol |
| Bore × Stroke | 75.6 mm × 89 mm | 89 mm × 100 mm |
| Compression Ratio | 10.5 | 10.5 |
| Number of Motors | 1 | — |
| Motor Horsepower | 64 hp✓ | — |
| Motor Torque | 264 Nm✓ | — |
| Battery Capacity | 1.49 kWh | — |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Transmission | Conventional Automatic | Conventional Automatic |
| Transmission Name | 6-speed Automatic | SkyActiv-Drive with Manual Shift mode |
| Gears | 6 | 6 |
| Driveline | Front Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive |
| Performance & Efficiency | ||
| Rated Economy | — | 8.98 L/100 km |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 4,830 mm | 5,075 mm |
| Width | 1,900 mm | 1,969 mm |
| Height | 1,720 mm | 1,747 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,815 mm | 2,930 mm |
| Weight | — | 1,854 kg |
| Fuel Tank | 67 litres | 72 litres |
| Doors | 5 | 4 |
| Seats | 7 | 7 |
| Boot Space | 628 litres✓ | 230 litres |
| Front Tyre | 255/45R20 | 255/50R20 |
| Rear Tyre | 255/45R20 | 255/50R20 |
| Spare Tyre | N/A, Tyre Repair Kit | Space Saver |
| Factory Tyres | Kumho Ecsta PS71 | Falken Ziex CT50 A/S |
| Chassis | ||
| Assembly | Korea (CBU) | Japan (CBU) |
| Front Suspension | MacPherson Struts | MacPherson Strut |
| Rear Suspension | Multi-link | Multi-Link |
| Front Wheels | 18" 5-arm Alloy Wheels | 20" Alloy |
| Rear Wheels | 18" 5-arm Alloy Wheels | 20" Alloy |
| Steering | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) |
| Chassis Notes | — | G-Vectoring Control |
| Crash Safety Ratings | ||
| ANCAP | — | 5 stars |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | 10 (Driver & Front Passenger, Front Side and Rear Curtain Airbags, Front Centre Airbag and Driver's Knee Airbag) | 6 (Driver and Passenger, Front Side, Front and Rear Curtain) |
| ABS/EBD | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stability Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Alarm | — | ✓ |
| Immobilizer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Airbag Disable Function | ✓ | — |
| Child Safety Lock | Manual for Rear Doors | — |
| Seat Belts | 7 Three-point | 7 Three-point |
| Blind Spot Info System | ✓ | ✓ |
| ISOFIX | Available for 2nd & 3rd Row Seats | Available for second row seats |
| Autonomous Braking System | Yes | Yes, Smart City Brake Support (SCBS) - Front and Rear |
| Lane-keeping Assist | Steering Correction | Steering Correction |
| Collision Warning | ✓ | — |
| Seatbelt Reminder | All Seats | Front Seats Only |
| Safety Notes | — | Driver Attention Alert (DAA), Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) |
| Lighting | ||
| Headlamps | LED Reflectors | LED Projector |
| Taillamps | Full LED | LED Combination |
| LED Daytime Running Lights | ✓ | ✓ |
| Front Foglamps | — | ✓ |
| Rear Foglamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wing Mirror Turn Indicators | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cabin | ||
| Front Seats | Powered Front Seats with Driver's Side Memory | Power Adjustable Front Seats with Memory Function for Driver |
| Rear Seats | 60:40 Split-folding Middle Row with One-touch Tumble, Manual Recline, 50:50 Split-folding Last Row | 60:40 Split-folding Middle Row, 50:50 Split-folding Last Row |
| Front Air-con | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control System |
| Rear Air-con | Rear AC Vents & Blower Controls | Single-zone Automatic Climate Control System |
| Sunroof | — | Front, Tilt and Slide |
| Power Sockets | 1 Front, 1 Wireless Charger Front, 2 USB-C Front, 2 USB-C Second Row, 2 USB-C Third Row | — |
| Interior Lighting | Map Lights & Ambient Lighting | — |
| Cup Holders | 2 Front, 4 Second Row, 2 Third Row | — |
| Sun Shade | Rear Window Shades | — |
| Audio | 12.3" Touchscreen with Apple CarPlay & Android Auto, 6-speaker Sound System | — |
| Convenience | ||
| Power Windows | Four Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti Pinch | Four Windows, Driver's Side Auto Up and Down with Anti-Pinch |
| Engine Start | Keyless Entry (Push Button Start) | Keyless Push Button |
| Locks | Keyless Operation | Keyless Operation |
| Auto Headlamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Wipers | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cruise Control | Adaptive Cruise Control | Passive Cruise Control |
| Paddle Shift | ✓ | — |
| Steering Audio Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Tilt | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Telescopic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Boot Operation | Contactless Opening, Powered Boot | Powered boot |
| Parking Sensor Front | 6 Sensors | 4 Sensors |
| Parking Sensor Rear | 6 Sensors | 4 Sensors |
| Reverse Camera | Yes, 360-degree Monitor | Yes |
| Folding Wing Mirrors | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | ✓ | ✓ |
| Navigation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Head-up Display | — | ✓ |
| Hill Start Assist | ✓ | ✓ |
| Instrument Cluster | Full LCD Monitor | Digital/Analogue |
| Parking Brake | Electronic | Electronic |
| Convenience Notes | — | 2 USB charging ports in rear centre armrest |
| Warranty | ||
| Warranty Mileage Manufacturer | 160,000 km✓ | 100,000 km |
| Warranty Manufacturer | 8 years✓ | 5 years |
| Warranty Notes | — | 3-year/60,000 km free service |
Specs shown for the selected variant of each car. ✓ marks the better figure where lower/higher is objectively better. Road tax: West Malaysia, private registration.
