2023 Ford Escape vs 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe

The 2023 Ford Escape presented a departure from its earlier, more rugged design, embracing a European-inspired aesthetic. This model featured a refreshed front end with a traditional grille and a stylish LED light bar, giving it a more upscale appearance. Despite its sleek design, the Escape maintained a compact size, making it one of the smallest vehicles in Ford's SUV lineup. The ST-Line Elite trim we tested boasted 19-inch wheels and body-colour accents, enhancing its sophisticated look. Inside, the Escape offered diamond-stitched leather upholstery, though it felt somewhat hard and plasticky. The interior was comfortable for long drives, with a 10-way power adjustable driver's seat, but was dominated by plastic materials that felt cost-cutting.

In contrast, the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe embraced a bold, boxy design that stood out from its predecessors. This new aesthetic was both elegant and premium, drawing attention wherever it went. The Santa Fe's exterior featured sophisticated colour options and anodized-finish badging, with the XRT trim adding dark chrome and black cladding. Inside, the Santa Fe offered a luxurious experience, particularly in the Ultimate Calligraphy trim, with soft, padded surfaces and a cocooning fabric headliner. While some hard materials were present, they were well-integrated, ensuring a premium feel throughout the cabin.

The 2023 Ford Escape offered a range of powertrain options, including a 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine producing 180 horsepower and 199 pound-feet of torque. This engine could be paired with either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, providing competitive performance within its segment. For those seeking more power, the ST-Line Select, Platinum, and ST-Line Elite trims featured a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, delivering 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, exclusively with all-wheel drive. While the Escape's suspension was soft and compliant, making it comfortable for everyday driving, it lacked the precision of a performance crossover. The brakes offered predictable stopping power, and the steering was well-weighted, avoiding the twitchiness found in some competitors.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe, on the other hand, prioritized hybrid powertrains for its entry-level models in Canada. The Preferred trim featured a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder hybrid engine, producing 231 horsepower and 271 pound-feet of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. Higher trims offered a 2.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 277 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque, mated to an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. All-wheel drive was standard across the lineup. The Santa Fe provided a smooth and stable driving experience, with notable body roll through turns. The XRT trim excelled in off-road conditions, thanks to its increased ground clearance and robust tires, making it suitable for remote adventures.

The 2023 Ford Escape offered a comfortable interior with supportive seats and excellent ergonomics. The steering wheel felt great to hold, and the armrests were well-positioned. However, the Escape fell short in cargo space, with 1,061 litres behind the second row and 1,851 litres with the seats folded, lagging behind competitors like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. Rear-seat legroom was slightly less than rivals, but headroom was impressive, and the front-seat backs were designed to maximize space for taller passengers.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe, with its longer wheelbase and body, focused on maximizing cargo space. The design was inspired by the concept of "chabak," creating a comfortable area for car camping and tailgating. The Santa Fe offered 413 litres of cargo space, expanding to 1,148 and 2,267 litres with the third and second rows folded, respectively. While the third row was snug, the first and second rows were spacious and comfortable, with options for reclining captain's chairs. The interior featured stain-resistant cloth, synthetic leather, or plush quilted Nappa leather, depending on the trim. Heated front seats were standard, with ventilation available on higher trims.

The 2023 Ford Escape impressed with its Sync 4 infotainment system, featuring an 8-inch touchscreen on lower trims and a 13.2-inch screen on higher trims. The larger screen enhanced the cabin's look and offered intuitive navigation, music, and Bluetooth pairing. While Sync 4 was generally easy to use, it was occasionally slow to respond, and the volume knob's placement was inconvenient. A six-speaker sound system was standard, with a Bang & Olufsen system available on higher trims.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe boasted a curved panoramic display, a first in its segment, providing a luxurious feel. The touchscreen was intuitive, with crisp graphics and easy phone pairing for wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A 12-speaker Bose stereo, dynamic voice recognition, and multiple USB ports were standard. Higher trims offered wireless charging and Hyundai's BlueLink system for vehicle access and information. The system allowed for keyless entry and remote access, enhancing convenience.

The 2023 Ford Escape received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA, with top scores in frontal and side-crash tests. However, it did not earn a Top Safety Pick from the IIHS due to a Marginal score in the side-impact test. The Escape came standard with Ford's Co-Pilot360 suite, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and blind-spot monitoring. Co-Pilot360 2.0 added adaptive cruise control and a surround-view camera.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe had not yet been crash-tested by the IIHS or NHTSA, but Hyundai vehicles typically performed well in safety evaluations. The Santa Fe offered a comprehensive suite of safety features, including adaptive cruise control, forward collision-avoidance assist, blind-spot monitors, and lane-keep assist. Higher trims added a 360-degree camera system, rain-sensing wipers, and remote automatic parking. The Santa Fe was the first Hyundai with driver monitoring, enhancing safety by tracking alertness and issuing warnings if needed.