2023 Hyundai Santa Fe vs 2022 Hyundai Tucson

The 2022 Hyundai Tucson, built on a new platform, was offered in North America as a long-wheelbase model with two rows of seating and an expanded cargo area. Its exterior design featured the new face of Hyundai vehicles, with a parametric grille that cleverly concealed LED daytime running lights, Bi-LED headlights, and LED front turn signals. The unique illumination pattern resembled the wings of the Aztec Spirit Bird. The side profile borrowed design cues from the Hyundai Elantra, with a silver D-pillar creating a floating roof effect. The rear showcased distinctive toothy taillights, illuminated by LEDs in most trims, setting the Tucson apart from other compact SUVs. Depending on the trim, the Tucson rode on either 17- or 19-inch alloy wheels, with high-end models featuring premium fascias, skid plates, and a panoramic sunroof. The interior was well-appointed, with stain- and odour-resistant cloth seats, sport combination seats in the N-Line, and leather-trimmed seats available from the Preferred Trend trim upwards. The dashboard's horizontal lines and uncluttered design contributed to a sense of spaciousness.

In contrast, the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe maintained a more conservative exterior styling compared to some of Hyundai's recent designs. While it didn't boast standout looks, it remained an attractive SUV. The Santa Fe was available in four trim levels in Canada, all featuring standard all-wheel drive. The Ultimate Calligraphy trim, tested in the U.S., featured a black interior with Nappa leather seats, offering a high-quality look and feel. The cabin was dark and monotone, but the beige or grey interior options provided visual contrast. The Nappa leather seats were comfortable and attractive, with heated and cooled front seats standard in the Calligraphy trim. The second row also featured seat heaters, making it suitable for varying weather conditions. The Santa Fe's exterior design included wide upper and lower grilles, thin LED headlights, and a distinctive look that aligned with the Hyundai model family.

The 2022 Hyundai Tucson offered two powertrain options: a 2.5-litre direct-injected four-cylinder engine and a hybrid powertrain with a turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine paired with an electric motor. The ICE engine produced 187 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque, providing adequate but uninspiring performance. The hybrid powertrain, however, delivered 226 combined horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque, making it more powerful and enjoyable to drive. The Tucson Hybrid was notably more fuel-efficient, with a combined fuel consumption rating of 6.4 L/100 km. The Tucson also offered an all-wheel-drive option, which performed well in off-road testing. The upcoming plug-in hybrid version promised even more power, with an estimated 261 horsepower and 224 pound-feet of torque.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe came with a 2.5-litre engine, available in both naturally aspirated and turbocharged versions. The naturally aspirated engine produced 191 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque, while the turbocharged version delivered 281 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque. The turbocharged engine provided a significant performance boost, with immediate acceleration and passing power, especially in Sport mode. The Santa Fe's handling was smooth, with minimal body lean during cornering. The turbocharged version could tow up to 1,587 kg, while the non-turbo version had a towing capacity of 907 kg. The Santa Fe's performance was competitive within its price range, offering a balance of power, ride, and handling.

The 2022 Hyundai Tucson, a budget-friendly compact SUV, offered a well-appointed interior that rivalled its competitors. It featured a six-way power-adjustable driver's seat as standard, with an eight-way version available on higher trims. Heated front seats were standard, with ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, and an eight-way power-adjustable passenger seat available. The Tucson's new platform provided more passenger and cargo space, with rear seats offering 90 millimetres more legroom than the RAV4. The cabin comfortably accommodated a family of four, with a 1,095-litre cargo space comparable to its rivals. The rear featured a 60-40 split-folding bench seat and a dual-level cargo floor.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe, designed as a two-row midsize SUV, offered generous rear-seat legroom and cargo space. With 1,060 millimetres of rear-seat legroom, it was among the leaders in its class. The cargo space behind the second row measured 1,032 litres, expandable to 2,041 litres with the rear seats folded. The Santa Fe featured an underfloor storage compartment in the cargo area. Seat comfort was a highlight, with an eight-way power driver's seat and heated front seats as standard. Higher trims included ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, and a hands-free smart liftgate. The Ultimate Calligraphy trim offered additional features like a head-up display, premium trim, and ambient lighting. Despite its positives, the Santa Fe had minor drawbacks, such as limited driver leg and hip space due to the wide centre console.

The 2022 Hyundai Tucson boasted a strong set of standard tech features, including an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen, a six-speaker audio system, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, HD Radio, Bluetooth, and two USB ports. The Preferred trim added satellite radio, Blue Link mobile app compatibility, additional USB outlets, rear air conditioning vents, and dual-zone automatic climate control. Higher trims offered a fully digital instrument cluster and a 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen with navigation. The touchscreen was embedded within a larger head unit, which included climate control and media functionality. While the touchpoints were responsive, the lack of physical buttons made it challenging to operate while driving.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe excelled in in-vehicle technology, offering a comprehensive infotainment system and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). The Preferred and Urban trims featured a 4.2-inch colour LCD multi-information display, while the Luxury and Ultimate Calligraphy trims had a larger 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. All trims included a 10.25-inch touchscreen with navigation, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, SiriusXM satellite radio, BlueLink connected services, and dual USB ports. Wireless device charging was available on higher trims, along with a 12-speaker Harman Kardon audio system. The infotainment system was user-friendly, with clearly marked icons and customizable settings. However, the voice-recognition capabilities had mixed results, particularly with music and temperature commands.

The 2022 Hyundai Tucson featured the Hyundai SmartSense Safety Feature suite, which included standard and available driver-assist and safety technologies. Standard features included forward collision-avoidance assist, lane-keeping assist, automatic high beams, a driver attention monitor, and rear occupant alert. Additional safety features, such as blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, and a surround-view camera system, were available on higher trims. The Tucson had not been tested by the IIHS or NHTSA at the time of writing.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe came equipped with a comprehensive set of standard safety-related ADAS, including forward-collision avoidance, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and more. The Ultimate Calligraphy trim featured Highway Driving Assist, which combined adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability. 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.