2023 Hyundai Santa Fe vs 2022 Genesis GV70

The 2022 Genesis GV70 stood out with its distinctive styling, a hallmark of Korean automotive brands. It diverged from the rest of the Genesis lineup with unique design elements, such as the brand’s two-line lighting signature that created an illusion of a contiguous circle around the vehicle. The GV70 offered six grades in Canada, with the Sport and Sport Plus grades featuring a sculpted hood and dark chrome finishes, emphasizing its sporty intent. The interior boasted a variety of colour combinations, with premium materials like quilted leather and carbon fibre inserts, creating a luxurious cabin environment.

In contrast, the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe presented a more conservative exterior design, maintaining the same look as the 2022 model. It featured a wide grille and thin LED headlights, providing a distinctive yet understated appearance. The interior of the Ultimate Calligraphy trim was high-quality but dark, with Nappa leather seats offering comfort and style. The Santa Fe excelled in providing a spacious cabin with ample rear-seat legroom and cargo space, thanks to its two-row configuration. The panoramic sunroof and head-up display added to the vehicle's appeal, although some ergonomic issues were noted, such as the driver's seat height adjustment.

The 2022 Genesis GV70 offered two engine options, with the 3.5-litre twin-turbocharged V6 producing 375 horsepower and 391 lb-ft of torque. This engine positioned the GV70 against mid-level performance competitors, boasting higher power figures than several German counterparts. The GV70 featured an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive in Canada, with a rear-axle torque bias. The Sport Plus grade included an electronic limited-slip differential, enhancing its performance capabilities. The GV70's drive modes, including Sport+, delivered aggressive throttle response and tenacious gear holding, while the electronically controlled suspension balanced comfort and road feedback.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe came with a 2.5-litre engine, available in naturally aspirated and turbocharged versions. The turbocharged engine in the Urban and Ultimate Calligraphy trims produced 281 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque, offering a significant performance boost over the non-turbo version. The Santa Fe featured a drive-mode selector with Comfort, Sport, Snow, and Smart modes, and the turbocharged model provided brisk acceleration without undue noise. The handling was smooth, with minimal body lean, and the dual-clutch transmission operated seamlessly. The Santa Fe's towing capacity varied between 907 kg for the non-turbo and 1,587 kg for the turbo version.

The 2022 Genesis GV70 prioritized driver-centric design, with a tall centre console and intuitive controls within easy reach. The cabin featured standard heated front seats and a heated steering wheel, with ventilated front and rear seats available on higher trims. The rear space was enhanced by a panoramic sunroof and manual sunshades, although storage was limited. The GV70 offered 819 litres of cargo space behind the second row, expandable to 1,610 litres with the seats folded.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe, with its two-row configuration, provided generous rear-seat legroom and cargo space, with 1,032 litres behind the second row and 2,041 litres with the seats folded. The Santa Fe featured standard dual-zone climate control and rear window sunshades, with higher trims offering additional comfort features like ventilated front seats and heated rear seats. The Ultimate Calligraphy trim included advanced features like Remote Smart Parking Assist and a head-up display, although some ergonomic issues were noted, such as the driver's seat height adjustment.

The 2022 Genesis GV70 impressed with its technology offerings, including a 14.5-inch high-definition LCD infotainment screen with split-screen capability and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. The premium Sport Plus grade featured a 3D digital instrument cluster and a fingerprint recognition system for keyless start. The GV70 also offered a premium 18-speaker Lexicon surround sound system on top grades.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe excelled in in-vehicle technology, with a 10.25-inch touchscreen featuring navigation, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a 12-speaker Harman Kardon audio system on higher trims. The Santa Fe's infotainment system was user-friendly, with customizable settings and voice recognition capabilities, although some commands required specific terminology. The Ultimate Calligraphy trim included wireless device charging and a larger digital instrument cluster.

The 2022 Genesis GV70 came equipped with ten standard safety features, including blind spot collision avoidance, rear cross-traffic alert, and lane-keeping assist. The Highway Driving Assist system provided lane centring and automatic lane changing functions, although it required the driver's hands on the wheel. The GV70 also featured a new rear occupant alert system using radar to detect movement in the second row.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe offered a comprehensive suite of standard safety-related ADAS, including forward-collision avoidance, blind-spot monitoring, and lane-keeping assist. The Ultimate Calligraphy trim featured Highway Driving Assist with adaptive cruise control. The Santa Fe received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA and a "Top Safety Pick+" rating from the IIHS, with high marks in crashworthiness tests.