2024 Cadillac LYRIQ vs 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ was a striking vehicle with a design that commanded attention. Its exterior styling was reminiscent of a long sedan, with a long hood and low ground clearance, drawing inspiration from the classic Seville Elegante of the early 1980s. The LYRIQ featured vertical light bars with nine LED headlights that performed a light show upon unlocking. The grille, adorned with lighting effects, varied in design across trims, with the Sport trim showcasing a dark triangular motif. The vehicle's wraparound taillights and fender-mounted vertical lights created a bold visual statement, while the interior boasted luxurious details such as leather-wrapped seats, polished window switches, and a sweeping 33-inch OLED display. However, the floating centre console was a design misstep, offering little functionality.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe, available in three trims, presented a chunky, boxy design with a long wheelbase and flat hood. Its pixelated H-shaped LED headlamps and taillights aligned with Hyundai's design aesthetic, though the rear taillights' placement was criticized for visual imbalance. The Santa Fe offered a range of wheel sizes, with the off-road-focused XRT trim featuring chrome and black exterior accents. Inside, the Santa Fe provided ample space for seven passengers, with the Ultimate Calligraphy trim offering captain's chairs in the second row. The interior was well-finished, though some squeaks and rattles were noted. The inclusion of physical dials for HVAC temperature was appreciated, but the fan speed buttons were less user-friendly.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ, despite its sporty appearance, prioritized comfort over sportiness. It excelled on highways, offering a calm and poised ride with a dual-motor powertrain delivering 500 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque for AWD. The standard setup featured a single rear motor with 340 hp and 325 lb-ft. Both powertrains utilized a 102-kilowatt-hour battery pack, with Cadillac claiming a range of 505 kilometres for RWD and 494 km for AWD. However, real-world testing showed a maximum range closer to 420 kilometres. The LYRIQ's handling was hindered by its weight, resulting in understeer and uninspiring steering feel. Regenerative braking was available, but the overall chassis needed improvement.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe came equipped with a 2.5-litre turbocharged engine producing 277 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque, with AWD standard across the lineup. The Santa Fe Hybrid offered a combined 231 hp and 271 lb-ft of torque. The vehicle felt stable in corners, though turbo lag and occasional transmission delays were noted. The gear selector, located on a stalk, required some adjustment. The XRT trim featured 30-inch all-terrain tires and increased ground clearance, enhancing off-road capabilities. While the Santa Fe's off-road geometry was suitable for its class, it wasn't designed for rugged terrain.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ faced challenges with build quality, as misaligned rear fenders and a malfunctioning charging port were observed. The floating console lacked functionality, and the glovebox was inconvenient to access while driving. Despite these issues, the LYRIQ offered generous headroom and legroom, though its cargo space was limited compared to compact SUVs, with 793 litres behind the seats and 1,722 litres when folded.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe excelled in interior space, offering the most third-row legroom in its class. The second-row seats featured adjustable cushion angles, and both the second and third rows could be folded for increased cargo capacity. With all seats occupied, the Santa Fe provided 413 litres of space, expanding to 1,148 litres with the third row folded and 2,267 litres with the second row folded. The widened liftgate facilitated easy loading of bulky items. The Santa Fe's towing capacity varied by trim, with the XRT capable of towing up to 2,040 kilograms.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ featured a 33-inch OLED screen divided into three sections, with touch-enabled controls for lighting and gauge cluster layouts. The infotainment system, running native Google Maps and Google Assistant, offered high-quality graphics and accurate battery charge estimates. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, and the Super Cruise system provided excellent hands-free driving capabilities. The 19-speaker AKG stereo delivered impressive sound quality.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe included a 12.3-inch touchscreen for infotainment and a digital gauge cluster, with navigation available on higher trims. Standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto ensured connectivity, while multiple USB-C ports and a wireless charging pad accommodated device charging. The digital key feature allowed for remote access and sharing with trusted individuals. The Ultimate Calligraphy trim offered additional features like a digital rearview mirror and head-up display. Bluelink app connectivity provided remote vehicle management and monitoring.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ came standard with forward automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and more. Optional features included adaptive cruise control and a 360-degree camera system. The LYRIQ received a poor rating for its headlights from the IIHS and an acceptable mark for its front pedestrian collision avoidance system, but it had not been crash-tested by the NHTSA.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe offered a comprehensive suite of standard safety features, including adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, and forward collision avoidance assist. Additional features like rear parking collision avoidance assist and Highway Drive Assist were available on higher trims. The Santa Fe received a four-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA and a "Good" rating from the IIHS, with "Acceptable" scores for headlights and LATCH categories.