2023 Hyundai Santa Fe vs 2022 Honda Odyssey

The 2022 Honda Odyssey was a minivan that catered to families with its practical design and thoughtful features. Its sliding side doors made it easy to load children into car seats, even in tight parking spaces. The Odyssey offered a comfortable third-row seat, accommodating additional passengers like grandparents or carpoolers with ease. Its cargo space was impressive, with the ability to fold down seats for maximum storage, rivaling that of a Chevrolet Suburban. Despite its utilitarian nature, the Odyssey maintained a sense of style, with kinked sliding doors and dark gray 19-inch aluminum alloy wheels on the Touring trim.

In contrast, the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe presented a more conservative exterior design compared to some of Hyundai's other models. It retained the same look as the 2022 model, with a wide grille and thin LED headlights as its distinctive features. The Santa Fe was available in four trims in Canada, all with standard all-wheel drive. The Ultimate Calligraphy trim, tested in the U.S., featured a dark blue Stormy Sea paint and a black interior with Nappa leather seats. The cabin was high-quality but dark, with options for beige or gray interiors to add visual contrast. The Santa Fe's seats were comfortable, with heated and cooled options in the front and heated seats in the second row.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey was powered by a 3.5-litre V6 engine, delivering 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. It featured a front-wheel-drive system and a 10-speed automatic transmission with pushbutton controls. Unlike some competitors, the Odyssey did not offer all-wheel drive or an electrified powertrain. Its fuel consumption was estimated at 10.6 litres per 100 kilometres in combined driving. The Odyssey was enjoyable to drive, with quick acceleration and responsive handling, but its brakes tended to heat up on downhill grades, leading to pedal vibration and noise.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe offered two engine options: a naturally aspirated 2.5-litre engine with 191 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque, and a turbocharged version with 281 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque. The turbocharged engine, available in the Urban and Ultimate Calligraphy trims, provided immediate acceleration and passing power, especially in Sport mode. The Santa Fe featured a drive-mode selector with four modes and steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters. The turbocharged version could tow up to 1,587 kilograms with trailer brakes. The Santa Fe's performance was smooth, with minimal body lean during cornering and no clunkiness from the dual-clutch transmission.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey offered easy access with wide-opening doors and a low ride height. Inside, it featured quality leather seats with power adjustment, heating, and ventilation. The Odyssey's storage space was impressive, with numerous compartments and a centre console tray. The second-row seats were comfortable and versatile, with the Magic Slide feature allowing for easy configuration. The third-row seat was spacious enough for adults, and the cargo space behind it was 929 litres, doubling that of a typical midsize crossover. Folding the third-row seat increased cargo space to 2,452 litres, and removing the second-row seats provided a massive 3,984 litres of storage.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe, with its two-row configuration, offered ample rear-seat legroom of 1,060 millimetres and a competitive cargo space of 1,032 litres behind the second row. Folding the second row expanded storage to 2,041 litres, with an underfloor compartment for additional storage. The Santa Fe's seats were comfortable, with standard heated front seats and an eight-way power driver's seat. Higher trims included features like a hands-free smart liftgate, ventilated front seats, and a head-up display. The panoramic sunroof and ambient lighting added to the cabin's appeal, though the wide centre console limited driver leg space.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey Touring was equipped with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, satellite radio, Bluetooth, and smartphone connectivity. It included CabinWatch and CabinTalk technologies for monitoring and communicating with rear passengers. The rear entertainment system featured a 10.2-inch screen with media inputs, but it was considered outdated. The Odyssey's infotainment system lacked a tuning knob and required specific voice commands for navigation, making it less user-friendly compared to rivals.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe excelled in technology, with a 10.25-inch touchscreen, navigation, and wired smartphone connectivity. The Luxury and Ultimate Calligraphy trims featured a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 12-speaker Harman Kardon audio system. The infotainment system offered extensive customization options, though voice recognition had mixed results. The Santa Fe's technology package was comprehensive, with features like wireless charging and a head-up display on higher trims.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey came with Honda Sensing, a suite of safety features including adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, and lane-keeping assist. It also had automatic high-beam headlights and a rear-seat reminder system. However, Honda Sensing lacked refinement, with occasional false warnings and abrupt responses. The Odyssey earned a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ from the IIHS.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe offered a wide range of standard safety features, including forward-collision avoidance, blind-spot monitoring, and lane-keeping assist. The Ultimate Calligraphy trim included Highway Driving Assist for easier driving. The Santa Fe received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ from the IIHS, with high marks for crashworthiness and headlight performance.