2024 Lexus RX vs 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe presented a more conservative exterior design compared to some of Hyundai's more adventurous models. While it maintained an attractive appearance, it didn't stand out as much as other vehicles in the brand's lineup. The SUV continued with the same look and feel as the 2022 model, offering a wide upper and lower grille and thin LED headlights that provided a distinctive front-end appearance. Inside, the Santa Fe's cabin was high-quality but somewhat dark and monotone, especially in the black leather interior of the Ultimate Calligraphy trim. The Nappa leather seats were both comfortable and visually appealing, with standard heated and cooled front seats and heated second-row seats.

In contrast, the 2024 Lexus RX, following a full redesign, featured a more polarizing exterior design. The front end was dominated by an oversized trapezoidal grille and a bulky hood, which gave it a less cohesive look compared to previous RX models. The rear design was more refined, with a tidy layout and a single light strip connecting the taillights. Inside, the RX offered a more conventional and inviting cabin, with faux suede inserts and a large 14-inch infotainment touchscreen in higher trims. The interior was covered in premium leather and well-grained plastics, although the simulated woodgrain on the centre console felt less convincing.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe offered two engine options: a naturally aspirated 2.5-litre 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, available in the Urban and Ultimate Calligraphy trims, provided a significant performance boost, with immediate acceleration and no discernible turbo lag. The Santa Fe's handling was smooth, with minimal body lean during cornering, and the dual-clutch transmission operated without the typical low-speed clunkiness. The turbocharged model could tow up to 1,587 kg, while the non-turbo version had a towing capacity of 907 kg.

The 2024 Lexus RX offered four models, starting with the RX 350, powered by a turbocharged 2.4-litre engine producing 275 hp and 317 pound-feet of torque. The RX 350h hybrid had a 2.5-litre engine with 246 hp and 233 pound-feet, while the RX 500h F Sport Performance combined a turbo 2.4-litre engine with a hybrid powertrain for 366 hp and 406 pound-feet. The plug-in hybrid RX 450h+ delivered 304 hp and could travel up to 60 km on electric power. The RX 350 and RX 350h felt underpowered compared to other luxury SUVs, while the RX 450h+ offered quicker acceleration and a more responsive feel. The RX's suspension was tuned for comfort, resulting in noticeable body roll during cornering.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe, with its two-row configuration, provided ample rear-seat legroom of 1,060 millimetres and a competitive cargo space of 1,032 litres behind the second row. Folding the rear seats expanded the cargo capacity to 2,041 litres. The Santa Fe's interior featured an eight-way power driver's seat, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, and a hands-free smart liftgate in higher trims. The Ultimate Calligraphy trim included advanced features like Remote Smart Parking Assist and a head-up display. However, the wide centre console slightly reduced driver leg and hip space.

The 2024 Lexus RX offered spacious front seats with standard heating and ventilation, along with a rubberized wireless charging pad and multiple USB ports. The rear seats provided ample legroom and headroom, with standard rear climate controls and USB charge ports. The RX's cargo space was 838 litres behind the rear seats, expanding to 1,308 litres with the rear seatbacks folded. The load floor was slightly taller than competitors, requiring more effort when loading heavier items. The RX also featured a power liftgate with available hands-free functionality.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe excelled in in-vehicle technology, featuring a 10.25-inch touchscreen with navigation, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a 12-speaker Harman Kardon audio system in higher trims. The infotainment system offered clear graphics and logical home screen icons, with extensive customization options. Voice recognition capabilities were mixed, handling navigation commands well but struggling with music requests and climate control adjustments.

The 2024 Lexus RX, following its redesign, replaced the trackpad controller with a more conventional touchscreen system. Lower trims had a 9.8-inch display, while higher-end models featured a 14-inch screen. The system accepted natural speech commands and offered cloud-based navigation, although connectivity issues were noted. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were available, and the optional 21-speaker Mark Levinson audio system provided excellent sound quality.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe came equipped with a comprehensive suite of standard safety features, including forward-collision avoidance, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assist, and a rear-seat reminder system. The Ultimate Calligraphy trim added Highway Driving Assist. The Santa Fe received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA and a "Top Safety Pick+" designation from the IIHS.

The 2024 Lexus RX earned five stars in overall and side collision protection from the NHTSA, with four stars in frontal and rollover tests. The IIHS awarded it a "Good" rating in most crashworthiness evaluations, except for a "Poor" rating in the moderate frontal overlap test. The RX included the Lexus Safety System+ 3.0 suite, with features like adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, and blind-spot monitoring. Some features were overly sensitive, resulting in unnecessary warnings.