2025 Hyundai Santa Fe vs 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe presented a bold departure from the sleek, futuristic designs of its Ioniq siblings, opting instead for a boxy aesthetic that emphasized storage capacity. This design choice, as explained by Hyundai’s design chief SangYup Lee, aimed to make the box both elegant and premium-looking. Despite its unconventional shape, the Santa Fe managed to turn heads with its upscale appearance, aided by a sophisticated palette of exterior colours and anodized-finish badging. The interior was equally impressive, offering premium styling with a mix of soft and decadent materials, particularly in the XRT and Ultimate Calligraphy trims.

In contrast, the 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe maintained the chunky, boxy design introduced in the previous year, with no significant design revisions. The three-row SUV featured a long wheelbase, flat hood, and pixelated H-shaped LED headlamps that aligned with Hyundai’s design aesthetic. While the front design was well-received, the rear proportions were criticized for being mismatched. The interior offered ample space, with the Ultimate Calligraphy trim providing luxurious features like heated second-row seats and a premium audio system. However, some squeaks and rattles were noted during the test drive, slightly detracting from the overall experience.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe in Canada offered a hybrid powertrain as the entry-level option, featuring a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder hybrid engine with 231 horsepower and 271 pound-feet of torque. This was paired with a six-speed automatic transmission, deviating from the typical CVT found in hybrids. The gas-only models came with a 2.5-litre turbocharged engine, delivering 277 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque, coupled with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. All-wheel drive was standard across all models, and the Santa Fe offered various driving modes, including Normal, Sport, and Snow. The XRT trim added off-road capabilities with increased ground clearance and all-terrain tires, enhancing its towing capacity to 2,040 kilograms.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe continued with the same powertrain options, offering a 2.5-litre turbocharged engine with 277 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque, and a hybrid model with 231 horsepower. The eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission was standard, and all-wheel drive was included across the lineup. While the Santa Fe felt stable in corners with responsive steering, there was noticeable turbo lag during acceleration, and the gear selector required some getting used to. The XRT trim featured enhanced off-road capabilities with increased ground clearance and improved off-road geometry, making it suitable for light off-road adventures.

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. This design was inspired by the concept of "chabak," emphasizing car camping and tailgating. The interior offered spacious first and second rows, with options for bench or captain’s chairs 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. The Santa Fe also included a UV sanitization compartment in the glovebox, a feature conceived during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe offered similar interior space, with the most third-row legroom in its class. The second and third rows could be folded with the press of a button, providing 1,148 litres of space with the third row down and 2,267 litres with both rows folded. The rear opening was widened to 127.5 cm, facilitating the loading of large items. The XRT trim offered a higher towing capacity of 2,040 kilograms, making it suitable for hauling larger loads.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe featured a curved panoramic display that elegantly integrated digital real estate without being overwhelming. The infotainment system was intuitive, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto standard across the lineup. The Ultimate Calligraphy trim offered additional features like wireless charging and a 12-speaker Bose stereo. Hyundai’s BlueLink system provided vehicle access and information, with upgraded functionality in trims above the base model.

In the 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe, all gas-powered versions came with a 12.3-inch touchscreen for infotainment and a digital gauge cluster. The system was user-friendly, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto included. The Ultimate Calligraphy trim offered additional features like a digital rearview mirror and head-up display. The Bluelink app connectivity allowed for remote vehicle access and monitoring, with over-the-air updates ensuring the latest software.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe had not yet been crash-tested by major safety organizations, but it came equipped with a comprehensive suite of safety features. These included adaptive cruise control, forward collision-avoidance assist, blind-spot monitors, and a driver monitoring system. Higher trims added features like a 360-degree camera system and remote automatic parking.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe received a four-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA and a "Good" rating from the IIHS, except in the headlight and LATCH categories. Standard safety features included adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, and forward collision avoidance assist. Higher trims offered additional features like Highway Drive Assist and Blind View Monitor.