2023 Volvo XC90 vs 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe

The 2023 Volvo XC90 marked a significant departure from the brand's earlier, boxy designs. It presented a purposeful yet understated appearance, with a stout front end and an assertive grille that avoided being overly flashy. The recognizable "Thor’s Hammer" headlights added a modern touch absent in older Volvo models. While the XC90 retained some rectilinear dimensions, it no longer resembled the utilitarian shapes of the past. The Ultimate trim featured 21-inch wheels that added drama to its otherwise stoic presence, and the Platinum Grey paint offered a rich depth. Inside, the XC90 exuded elegance with two-tone leather steering, metal Bowers and Wilkins speaker covers, and luxurious Nappa leather upholstery. The minimalist interior design was complemented by wood deco inlays, creating a clean and natural aesthetic.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe introduced a bold new design that diverged from the sleek, futuristic aesthetics of its Ioniq siblings. It embraced a boxy shape optimized for storage capacity, as explained by Hyundai's design chief, SangYup Lee. Despite its boxy form, the Santa Fe achieved aerodynamic efficiency and an upscale appearance that turned heads. The exterior featured sophisticated colours and anodized-finish badging, with the XRT trim adding dark chrome and black cladding. Inside, the Santa Fe offered premium styling, with the XRT and Ultimate Calligraphy trims showcasing a mix of soft and hard materials. The interior was designed for comfort, with features like a cocooning fabric headliner and ample storage, making it a practical choice for families.

The 2023 Volvo XC90 introduced the B6 engine, replacing the older T5 and T6 engines with a mild-hybrid setup. This powertrain delivered 295 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque, slightly less than its predecessor but with improved fuel efficiency. The mild-hybrid system used a lithium-ion battery to power a 13-volt starter generator, enhancing the vehicle's smooth operation and fuel-saving auto stop-start technology. The XC90 offered a reserved yet enjoyable driving experience, with quick acceleration and a responsive eight-speed automatic transmission. Despite its size, the XC90 handled corners well, and its brakes provided a confident pedal feel. While lacking extensive off-road features, the XC90's simplicity in driving dynamics appealed to those seeking a straightforward driving experience.

In Canada, the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe offered a hybrid powertrain as the entry-level option, featuring a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 231 horsepower and 271 pound-feet of torque. Unlike many hybrids, it used a six-speed automatic transmission. Other models came with a 2.5-litre turbocharged engine, producing 277 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. AWD was standard across all trims. The Santa Fe provided Normal, Sport, and Snow driving modes, with the XRT adding off-road capabilities. Fuel economy varied, with the hybrid achieving 6.8 L/100 km in the city and 6.9 on the highway, while the gas engine consumed more. The XRT trim offered increased towing capacity and off-road prowess, making it suitable for adventurous outings.

The 2023 Volvo XC90 offered a peaceful and pleasant front-seat experience, though its Scandinavian minimalism led to limited storage space. The lack of a dedicated phone space and small centre console bin were notable drawbacks. While the second row was comfortable, accessing the third row was challenging, especially with the standard seven-passenger seating. The XC90 provided 356 litres of cargo space with all seats up, expanding to 1,183 litres with the third row folded and 1,856 litres with all rear seats down. Despite its smaller size compared to typical three-row SUVs, the XC90's driving dynamics made it feel more compact.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe featured a longer wheelbase and body compared to its predecessor, with most of the extra space dedicated to the cargo area. Inspired by the "chabak" concept, the Santa Fe's cargo area was designed for car camping and tailgating, with an extra-wide tailgate and ample storage. While the third row was snug, the first and second rows were spacious and comfortable. The Santa Fe offered various seating options, including stain-resistant cloth, synthetic leather, and plush quilted Nappa leather, depending on the trim. The cargo area provided 413 litres of space, expanding to 1,148 and 2,267 litres with the third and second rows folded, respectively. Additional features included roof rails and a UV sanitization compartment in the glovebox.

The 2023 Volvo XC90 featured a 9-inch vertically positioned touchscreen infotainment display running on Google OS, the first of its kind as a standard system. It integrated Google Maps, Spotify, NPR, and Google Assistant, with natural-language recognition enhancing the user experience. While the system was impressive, some functions were buried within the touchscreen interface, leading to frustration. Keyless entry was standard, and a head-up display was optional.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe boasted a curved panoramic display that elegantly flowed above the centre console, enhancing the cabin's luxurious feel. The touchscreen display offered intuitive controls, crisp graphics, and easy phone pairing with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The system included a 12-speaker Bose stereo, dynamic voice recognition, and multiple USB ports. Higher trims featured wireless charging and Hyundai's BlueLink system for vehicle access and information. The Ultimate Calligraphy and NHL Edition offered additional wireless chargers and advanced features.

The 2023 Volvo XC90 was renowned for its safety, carrying a five-star NHTSA rating and a Top Safety Pick+ designation from the IIHS. It came standard with advanced driver safety tech, including blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, and lane-keeping assist. Volvo's Pilot Assist technology further enhanced safety by maintaining distance from other vehicles and providing gentle lane corrections.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe had not yet been crash-tested by the IIHS or NHTSA, but Hyundai's vehicles typically performed well in safety evaluations. The Santa Fe offered a comprehensive suite of standard safety features, including adaptive cruise control, forward collision-avoidance assist, blind-spot monitors, and lane-keep assist. Higher trims added advanced features like a 360-degree camera system, rain-sensing wipers, and remote automatic parking. The Santa Fe also introduced driver monitoring, combining infrared cameras and capacitive sensors to ensure driver alertness.