Verdict
The RM44,641 premium for the Hyundai Santa Fe buys a very different job description: seven seats, a 628-litre boot and a 1.6-litre turbo hybrid system rated at 177 hp and 265 Nm, against the Mazda 6 Sedan’s five seats, 489 litres and 2.0-litre 163 hp/213 Nm petrol engine. The Mazda is 35 mm longer and has a 15 mm longer wheelbase, but the Santa Fe is 270 mm taller and 60 mm wider. For a Malaysian family, the Santa Fe’s third row, rear blower controls and 360-degree monitor justify the stretch. The Mazda makes more sense for five occupants, with 5.7 L/100 km rated consumption and RM379 annual road tax versus RM120 for the hybrid SUV.
Pick the Hyundai Santa Fe if you need seven seats, 628 litres of boot space and active safety including autonomous braking and steering lane-keeping assistance.
Pick the Mazda 6 Sedan if five seats are enough and you want to save RM44,641 while getting a 5.7 L/100 km rated petrol sedan.
Key differences
- Price: Hyundai Santa Fe RM225,000; Mazda 6 Sedan RM180,359.
- Seating and boot space: Hyundai Santa Fe 7 seats and 628 litres; Mazda 6 Sedan 5 seats and 489 litres.
- Powertrain output: Hyundai Santa Fe 177 hp and 265 Nm from a 1.6-litre turbo hybrid; Mazda 6 Sedan 163 hp and 213 Nm from a 2.
- Dimensions: Hyundai Santa Fe 4,830 mm long, 1,900 mm wide and 1,720 mm tall; Mazda 6 Sedan 4,865 mm long, 1,840 mm wide and 1,450 mm tall.
- Driver assistance: Hyundai Santa Fe has autonomous braking, collision warning and steering lane-keeping assist; Mazda 6 Sedan has none of these.
- Warranty: Hyundai Santa Fe 8 years/160,000 km; Mazda 6 Sedan 5 years/100,000 km with free service.
Santa Fe
- Seven seats and a 628-litre boot
- 177 hp/265 Nm turbo hybrid powertrain
- Autonomous braking, lane-keeping assist and 360-degree monitor
- Costs RM44,641 more
- No rated fuel-consumption figure
- Tyre repair kit instead of a spare tyre
6 Sedan
- RM180,359 price and 5.7 L/100 km rated economy
- 35 mm longer body and 15 mm longer wheelbase
- Five-year/100,000-km free service
- Only five seats and a 489-litre boot
- No autonomous braking, collision warning or lane-keeping assist
- Shorter 5-year/100,000-km warranty
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM225,000 | RM180,359✓ |
| Body type | SUV | Sedan |
| Segment | D-Segment | D-Segment |
| Assembly | CBU | CBU |
| Powertrain | ||
| Engine Tech | 16-valve DOHC Direct Injection with Turbocharger, Variable Valve Timing with Hybrid Assistance | 16-valve DOHC, direct fuel injection, naturally-aspirated with variable valve timing |
| Capacity | 1,598 cc | 1,998 cc |
| Horsepower | 177 hp✓ | 163 hp |
| Torque | 265 Nm✓ | 213 Nm |
| Fuel | Petrol Hybrid/REV | Petrol |
| Bore | 75.6 mm | 83.5 mm |
| Compression Ratio | 10.5 | 13 |
| 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 Sport mode |
| Gears | 6 | 6 |
| Transmission Manufacturer | — | Mazda |
| Driveline | Front Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive |
| Performance & Efficiency | ||
| 0-100 km/h | — | 10.5 seconds |
| Rated Economy | — | 5.7 L/100 km |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 4,830 mm | 4,865 mm |
| Width | 1,900 mm | 1,840 mm |
| Height | 1,720 mm | 1,450 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,815 mm | 2,830 mm |
| Weight | — | 1,393 kg |
| Fuel Tank | 67 litres | 62 litres |
| Doors | 5 | 4 |
| Seats | 7 | 5 |
| Boot Space | 628 litres✓ | 489 litres |
| Front Tyre | 255/45R20 | 225/55R17 |
| Rear Tyre | 255/45R20 | 225/55R17 |
| Spare Tyre | N/A, Tyre Repair Kit | — |
| Factory Tyres | Kumho Ecsta PS71 | — |
| 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 | 17" Alloy |
| Rear Wheels | 18" 5-arm Alloy Wheels | 17" Alloy |
| Steering | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) |
| Chassis Notes | — | G-Vectoring Control Plus |
| Crash Safety Ratings | ||
| EuroNCAP | — | 5 stars — With 6 airbags and stability control |
| ANCAP | — | 5 stars — With 6 airbags and stability control |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | Driver & Front Passenger, Front Side and Rear Curtain Airbags, Front Centre Airbag and Driver's Knee Airbag | 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 | Manual for rear doors |
| Seat Belts | 7 Three-point | 5 three-point |
| Blind Spot Info System | ✓ | ✓ |
| ISOFIX | Available for 2nd & 3rd Row Seats | Available for two outer rear passenger seats |
| Autonomous Braking System | Yes | — |
| Lane-keeping Assist | Steering Correction | No |
| Collision Warning | ✓ | — |
| Seatbelt Reminder | All Seats | For All Seats |
| Lighting | ||
| Headlamps | LED Reflectors | LED Projector |
| Taillamps | Full LED | LED Combination |
| LED Daytime Running Lights | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rear Foglamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wing Mirror Turn Indicators | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cabin | ||
| Front Seats | Powered Front Seats with Driver's Side Memory | Power Adjustable 8-way Driver's Seat with Memory, Power Adjustable Front Passenger Seat |
| Rear Seats | 60:40 Split-folding Middle Row with One-touch Tumble, Manual Recline, 50:50 Split-folding Last Row | 60:40 Split-folding |
| Front Air-con | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control |
| Rear Air-con | Rear AC Vents & Blower Controls | Rear Vents |
| Power Sockets | 1 Front, 1 Wireless Charger Front, 2 USB-C Front, 2 USB-C Second Row, 2 USB-C Third Row | 1 front |
| Interior Lighting | Map Lights & Ambient Lighting | Map Lights |
| Cup Holders | 2 Front, 4 Second Row, 2 Third Row | 2 front, 2 rear |
| Sun Shade | Rear Window Shades | — |
| Audio | 12.3" Touchscreen with Apple CarPlay & Android Auto, 6-speaker Sound System | MZD Connect Touchscreen with Wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Radio, CD, MP3, AUX, USB and Bluetooth, 6 speakers |
| Convenience | ||
| Power Windows | Four Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti Pinch | Four Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti-Pinch |
| Engine Start | Keyless Entry (Push Button Start) | Keyless Push Start |
| Locks | Keyless Operation | Remote Control Activation |
| Auto Start/Stop | — | ✓ |
| Auto Headlamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Wipers | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cruise Control | Adaptive Cruise Control | Passive Cruise Control |
| Tiptronic | — | ✓ |
| Paddle Shift | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Audio Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Tilt | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Telescopic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Boot Operation | Contactless Opening, Powered Boot | Remote Control Activation |
| 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 | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hill Start Assist | ✓ | ✓ |
| Instrument Cluster | Full LCD Monitor | Electroluminescent Analogue |
| Parking Brake | Electronic | Electronic |
| Warranty | ||
| Warranty Mileage Manufacturer | 160,000 km✓ | 100,000 km |
| Warranty Manufacturer | 8 years✓ | 5 years |
| Warranty Notes | — | 5-year/100,000-km Free Service |
| Ownership | ||
| Road tax / year | RM120✓ | RM379 |
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.
Used Santa Fe & 6 Sedan for sale
Santa Fe vs 6 Sedan FAQ
Is the Hyundai Santa Fe or Mazda 6 Sedan better?
The Santa Fe is better for larger families: it has seven seats, a 628-litre boot, autonomous braking and steering lane-keeping assist. The Mazda 6 Sedan is the better lower-cost five-seat choice at RM180,359.
What is the price difference?
The Hyundai Santa Fe costs RM225,000 and the Mazda 6 Sedan costs RM180,359, so the Santa Fe is RM44,641 more expensive.
Which is more practical for family use?
The Hyundai Santa Fe is markedly more practical, with seven seats, 628 litres of boot space, second- and third-row USB-C ports, rear air-con blower controls and ISOFIX for the second and third rows. The Mazda has five seats and a 489-litre boot.