2024 Hyundai Santa Fe vs 2025 Mazda CX-90

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe presented a bold departure from its predecessors, embracing a boxy design that contrasted sharply with the sleek, futuristic aesthetics of the Ioniq series. This new design direction, as explained by Hyundai's design chief SangYup Lee, aimed to combine optimal storage capacity with an elegant and premium appearance. The Santa Fe's exterior was enhanced by a sophisticated palette of colours and anodized-finish badging, while the interior offered premium styling with a focus on comfort and luxury. Despite some hard materials in less visible areas, the overall impression was one of upscale elegance, with features like a cocooning fabric headliner adding a touch of decadence.

In contrast, the 2025 Mazda CX-90 exuded a luxury SUV vibe with its lustrous paint, polished chrome trim, and intricate 21-inch wheels. The sculptural sheet metal and athletic stance contributed to its premium look, which extended to the interior with polished metallic trim and Nappa leather. However, the design was marred by ergonomic issues, such as a confusing electronic shifter and counterintuitive climate controls. Despite these drawbacks, the CX-90 maintained a sophisticated appearance, offering a compelling blend of style and functionality.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe offered a unique approach in Canada by making the hybrid powertrain the entry-level option. The Preferred models featured a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder hybrid engine, delivering an estimated 231 horsepower and 271 pound-feet of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. Other models came with a 2.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, producing 277 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque, coupled with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. All-wheel drive was standard across the lineup, 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 robust tires. Fuel economy varied, with the hybrid achieving 6.9 L/100 km combined, while the gas powertrain consumed 10.6 L/100 km combined. The Santa Fe's towing capacity reached up to 1,587 kilograms, with the XRT offering an additional 453 kilograms.

The 2025 Mazda CX-90 featured a turbocharged 3.3-litre inline-six engine, available in standard and high-output versions. The standard-output engine produced 280 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque, while the high-output version delivered 319 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. An eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive were standard, with a rear-wheel bias for improved dynamics. The CX-90 offered Normal, Sport, Off-Road, and Towing modes, with a maximum towing capacity of 2,268 kilograms. Fuel economy ratings were 9.3 L/100 km combined for the standard engine and 9.5 L/100 km for the high-output version. The plug-in hybrid variant offered 42 kilometres of electric range and a 9.4 L/100 km combined rating. Despite impressive ride and handling, the CX-90's drivetrain lacked refinement, with unpredictable power delivery and transmission behaviour, particularly when cold.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe's design focused on maximizing cargo space, with a wheelbase and body length increase of about five centimetres each. This extra space was dedicated to the cargo area, inspired by the Korean concept of "chabak," making it ideal for car camping and tailgating. The Santa Fe offered a spacious first and second row, with a snug third row typical of midsize SUVs. Depending on the trim, seating options included stain-resistant cloth, synthetic leather, real leather, and quilted Nappa leather. 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 optional roof rails, a UV sanitization compartment, and a flush grab handle for easier loading.

The 2025 Mazda CX-90's interior featured Nappa leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front and second-row seats, and a heated steering wheel in the Signature trim. However, the three-zone climate control system struggled to maintain a comfortable temperature. The panoramic sunroof and elevated second-row seating added to the cabin's appeal, but limited seat-track travel posed challenges for rear-facing child seats. The CX-90's third row was best suited for children, with limited space for adults. Cargo capacity was 451 litres behind the third row, expanding to 1,155 litres with the third row folded and 2,129 litres with the second row down. Storage options were limited, with a focus on style over practicality.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe boasted a curved panoramic display, a first in its segment, 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. A 12-speaker Bose stereo, dynamic voice recognition, and six USB ports were standard. Higher trims included wireless charging and Hyundai's BlueLink system, allowing vehicle access and control via a smartphone app.

The 2025 Mazda CX-90 featured a more traditional dashboard layout, with a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel and infotainment screen in the Signature trim. The infotainment screen was touch-sensitive only for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with the native Mazda Connect platform requiring a console-mounted knob and buttons. The voice recognition system was subpar, but a 12-speaker Bose audio system provided excellent sound quality. The Active Driving Display offered helpful information, including blind-spot alerts.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe had not yet been crash-tested by the IIHS or NHTSA, but it came equipped with a comprehensive suite of safety features. Standard equipment included adaptive cruise control, forward collision-avoidance assist, blind-spot monitors, and lane-keep assist. Higher trims added a 360-degree camera system, parking sensors, and remote automatic parking. The Santa Fe also introduced driver monitoring, using an infrared camera and capacitive sensors to track alertness and issue warnings if necessary.

The 2025 Mazda CX-90 received a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS and five-star ratings from the NHTSA for the PHEV model. Standard safety features included forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and lane departure warning. Higher trims added advanced systems like steering assist, emergency lane-keeping assist, and a surround-view camera. The CX-90's driver aids generally performed well, though some features, like speed reduction, were less refined.