Hvar confuses first-timers for one reason: the island has more than one ferry port, and they serve different kinds of traffic. Pick the port first and the rest falls into place.
Hvar Town — for foot passengers
The famous town on the island's south-west is served by fast passenger catamarans: Split → Hvar takes about an hour, with several departures a day in season and fares from around €10. Boats also continue to or arrive from Korčula and Dubrovnik. No vehicles — these are catamarans only.
Stari Grad — for cars
The island's car-ferry port sits in a deep bay a few kilometres from Stari Grad town. Jadrolinija's Split → Stari Grad ferry takes about two hours and carries vehicles and foot passengers. From the port it's roughly a 20-minute drive across the island to Hvar Town; local buses and taxis meet the main arrivals.
Sućuraj — the eastern shortcut
Driving down the coast? The short Drvenik → Sućuraj car ferry (about 35 minutes) lands at Hvar's eastern tip — but note it's a long, winding drive from Sućuraj to Hvar Town, so this suits the eastern half of the island best.
Other landings
In summer some catamarans also call at Jelsa on the north coast and Vira near Hvar Town. They're handy if your accommodation is nearby, but schedules are thinner than the main two ports.