2023 Cadillac Escalade vs 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe

The 2023 Cadillac Escalade stood tall at nearly six-and-a-half feet and required between 18 and 19 feet of length to park. It was a motorized cargo container with three rows of leather seats and more computers than the command center of an actual port. The standard Escalade was already imposing, but the Escalade ESV stretched 15 inches longer, primarily extending the wheelbase. The Escalade, along with its Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban and GMC Yukon/Yukon XL siblings, was designed for show, making it a favorite among pop musicians, overzealous parents, wannabe federal agents, and boaters with big families. Its oversized presence was unmistakable, and Cadillac's tagline, "Never stop arriving," captured its essence perfectly.

Despite its boxy design, the latest Escalade managed to look relatively athletic and trim. Cadillac achieved this by incorporating thin LED taillights, headlights, and running lights that visually narrowed the vehicle's girth. The Sport Platinum trim darkened the chrome bits on the grille, bumpers, windows, and sills, helping to mask the Escalade's mass. The vehicle's side profile featured horizontal leading lines and front-end contours to achieve some semblance of aerodynamics. The Escalade's six trims all came with 22-inch wheels and three-foot-high taillights that played an elaborate lighting sequence when unlocking the vehicle. The interior boasted a rich first-row experience with a 38-inch curved, leather-edged array of screens and seven choices of wood trim. However, the allure faded in the second and third rows, where parts from cheaper GM vehicles were evident.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe, in contrast, had a more conservative exterior design compared to some of Hyundai's recent models. While it was an attractive SUV, it didn't have the standout looks of some of its brand siblings. The 2023 model continued with the same look and feel as the 2022 version, available in five trim levels: SE, SEL, XRT, Limited, and Calligraphy. Front-wheel drive was standard, with all-wheel drive optional on all trims. Our test vehicle was the top-of-the-line Calligraphy AWD trim, featuring Stormy Sea paint and a black-on-black interior, with a base price of $42,600. The Santa Fe's exterior styling was characterized by its wide upper and lower grilles and thin LED headlights, giving it a distinctive look.

Inside, the Calligraphy trim featured a black interior with black leather seats, which, while high-quality, appeared dark and monotone. The Nappa leather seats were both comfortable and attractive, with heated and cooled front seats standard in the Calligraphy trim. The second row also featured seat heaters. The Santa Fe's cabin was well-equipped, with dual-zone climate control, a hands-free smart liftgate, and a host of other comfort and convenience features. The extended panoramic sunroof spanning both rows of seats was a highlight, as was the head-up display. However, the wide center console cut into driver leg and hip space, and raising the driver's seat to its maximum height pushed the driver closer to the steering wheel, potentially causing discomfort.

Driving the 2023 Cadillac Escalade was a pleasant experience, though the standard 6.2-liter gasoline V8 engine didn't deliver the speed its muscle-car sound suggested. The V8 produced 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque, sufficient for towing up to 8,200 pounds on the rear-wheel drive model. However, in passing situations, the Escalade felt as heavy as it was. The 10-speed automatic transmission responded adequately, but in Sport mode, the powertrain seemed to beg for a reprieve. The Cadillac Escalade-V addressed acceleration issues with a supercharged Corvette V8, delivering 682 hp and 653 lb-ft of torque. The optional 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6, with 277 hp and matching torque to the regular V8, offered better fuel economy at a combined 22 mpg with 4WD.

The Escalade's 4WD system was rudimentary compared to conventional SUVs, using a true 4WD with a center differential that locked the engine's torque 50:50 front to rear. The magnetic dampers reduced body roll to almost zero, and the superbly tuned steering tracked accurately with quick turn-in. Combined with an optional air suspension, the Escalade was nimbler and more maneuverable than many big SUVs. However, wind noise was subjectively loud at highway speeds, making the Escalade feel more like an open-bed pickup truck than a luxury SUV.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe offered two engine options: a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 191 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque, and a turbocharged version delivering 281 hp and 311 pound-feet. The turbocharged engine worked with an eight-speed "wet" dual-clutch automatic transmission, providing immediate acceleration with no discernible turbo lag. The Santa Fe's drive-mode selector offered four customizable drive modes: Comfort, Sport, Snow, and Smart. Our test vehicle featured steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters, adding a touch of sportiness.

The turbocharged Santa Fe's performance was impressive, with brisk acceleration and smooth handling. The vehicle's ride was comfortable, with only slight body lean during cornering maneuvers or interstate-speed lane changes. The turbocharged engine's acceleration was quick and clean, without undue engine noise or harshness. The Santa Fe's AWD-lock function and trail capabilities were not tested, but the turbo version could tow up to 3,500 pounds. Overall, the Santa Fe's performance rivaled that of any other SUV at its price point.

The 2023 Cadillac Escalade boasted the most space-efficient interior of any large SUV, with 25 cubic feet behind the third row, 73 cubic feet behind the second row, and 121 cubic feet with both rows down. The Escalade ESV offered even more space, maxing out at 143 cubic feet. The independent rear suspension provided generous headroom and legroom in every row, including the third row. The controls were simple to use, with a smart and fast touchscreen interface. An optional front console refrigerator, power-retractable side steps, and an air suspension that lowered the truck when parked added to the convenience. However, the second-row seats were not powered like the third row.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe, with its two-row configuration, offered 41.7 inches of rear-seat legroom, among the leaders in its class. Cargo space behind the second row was a competitive 36.4 cubic feet, expanding to 72.1 cubic feet with the second row folded down. The Santa Fe's seat comfort was a strength, with the SEL and higher trims featuring an eight-way power driver's seat and heated front seats. The Limited trim added ventilated front seats, an eight-way power passenger seat, heated rear seats, and a host of other comfort features. The Calligraphy trim included a head-up display, premium door and seat accent trim, a microfiber headliner, and ambient lighting. However, the wide center console cut into driver leg and hip space, and raising the driver's seat to its maximum height pushed the driver closer to the steering wheel.

The 2023 Cadillac Escalade featured a span of OLED screens across the dash, providing sharp and clear visuals. A front camera displayed a high-res feed of the road across the instrument panel, overlaying directional arrows and street names when navigation was active. Super Cruise, a $2,500 option, was the best hands-free highway driving system available, using infrared eye-tracking cameras to ensure the driver was looking ahead. The Escalade also offered night vision with pedestrian detection, a 36-speaker AKG audio system, and front seats with five different massage settings. The rear-seat entertainment system could stream Hulu and other apps, and the LED headlights were very bright.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe excelled in in-vehicle technology, with a standard 4.2-inch color LCD multi-information display in SE, SEL, and XRT trims, and a larger 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster in Limited and Calligraphy trims. The base SE trim featured an 8-inch display audio system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while higher trims had a 10.25-inch touchscreen with navigation, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, satellite radio, voice recognition, wireless device charging, and a 12-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio system. The Santa Fe's infotainment system was logically arranged, with customizable settings and a thorough voice-recognition system, though it struggled with certain commands.

The 2023 Cadillac Escalade earned four out of five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), with a lower four-star rating for front-passenger protection in a frontal crash test and a three-star rating for rollover resistance. Standard safety features included forward automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, a Safety Alert seat, rear parking sensors, and a rear seat reminder. Optional features included reverse emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and Super Cruise.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe came with a plethora of standard safety-related ADAS, including forward-collision warning with pedestrian, cyclist, and junction-turning detection, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-centering assist, driver monitoring, a safe-exit system, and a rear-seat reminder system. Highway Driving Assist was standard on SEL and above. The Santa Fe received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA and a "Top Safety Pick+" rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).