2025 Hyundai Santa Fe vs 2024 MINI Countryman

The 2024 MINI Countryman was a vehicle that embraced its playful nature, showcasing classic MINI styling with an erect wraparound windshield and a floating roof reminiscent of a bimini top. It proudly displayed its British heritage with Union Jack taillights. Buyers had the option to customize their Countryman with various paint treatments for the body, roof, and mirror caps, along with multiple wheel designs. In Canada, the Countryman ALL4 lineup included Cooper, Cooper S, Cooper SE, and John Cooper Works models, each with distinct drivetrains. The Cooper models featured a turbocharged three-cylinder engine, while the Cooper S and John Cooper Works boasted a turbocharged four-cylinder engine in different states of tune. The Cooper SE was a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle offering 29 kilometres of electric driving range before switching to gas-electric hybrid operation, achieving 8.0 L/100 km in combined driving. Special editions like the Untamed Edition added unique features and styling elements to the Cooper S and SE ALL4 variants.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe, available in Canada in XRT, Luxury, and Ultimate Calligraphy trims, was a three-row SUV with a chunky, boxy design, a long wheelbase, flat hood, and snub nose. Its H-shaped LED headlamps and pixelated design elements aligned with Hyundai's overall aesthetic. The Santa Fe offered vibrant colours like Terracotta Orange and Atlantis Blue, breaking away from the typical greyscale of many SUVs. However, the rear design suffered from mismatched proportions, with pixelated H-shaped LED taillights positioned lower than ideal. Each trim had specific wheel sizes, ranging from 18 inches on the XRT to 21 inches on the Ultimate Calligraphy. Inside, the Santa Fe accommodated seven passengers, except for the Ultimate Calligraphy trim, which featured captain's chairs in the second row. The interior offered a choice of leatherette, leather, or Nappa leather upholstery, depending on the trim. While the fit and finish were generally good, some squeaks and rattles were noticeable during testing.

The 2024 MINI Countryman offered a range of performance options, with the John Cooper Works (JCW) model standing out as the most powerful. It featured a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine producing 301 horsepower and 331 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed sport automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. MINI claimed the JCW could accelerate to 100 km/h in approximately 5 seconds. The Cooper S, with its turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, delivered 189 horsepower and 206 pound-feet of torque, providing a zippy and athletic driving experience. It reached 100 km/h in about 7.3 seconds. The Countryman excelled in daily driving scenarios, offering a comfortable and engaging ride. However, it wasn't designed for off-road adventures, and its adaptive damping suspension didn't make it a canyon carver. Fuel economy was rated at 9.1 litres per 100 kilometres in combined driving, though real-world testing averaged 9.3 L/100 km.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe featured a standard 2.5-litre turbocharged engine with 277 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. The Santa Fe Hybrid, a separate model, combined a 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine with an electric motor, producing 231 horsepower and 271 pound-feet of torque. The Santa Fe felt stable in corners, with responsive steering and firm brake feel. However, turbo lag was noticeable during acceleration, and the transmission occasionally delayed downshifts. The gear selector, located on a stalk on the steering column, required some adjustment. The XRT trim, with 30-inch all-terrain tires and increased ground clearance, offered improved off-road capabilities, though it wasn't designed for rugged rock crawling. The Santa Fe's off-road geometry was suitable for graded dirt roads with small obstacles.

The 2024 MINI Countryman provided seating for four adults, with enough luggage space for a week-long road trip. The front seats were small but supportive, and the steering wheel was a pleasure to grip. While the Countryman had seatbelts for five, four passengers were more comfortable. Rear legroom and foot space were adequate, but squeezing in a fifth person was challenging unless they were children. Outward visibility was excellent, and the compact dimensions made parking easy. However, the absence of a surround-view camera and rear cross-traffic alert was notable. Interior storage was reasonable, though the smartphone charging pad blocked access to the tray beneath it. Cargo capacity was limited, with 498 litres of space behind the rear seats and 1,348 litres with the seats folded down. The Cooper SE PHEV model had slightly smaller cargo measurements.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe offered ample interior space, with heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, a sunroof, and a 115-volt outlet in the XRT trim. The Ultimate Calligraphy trim added heated second-row seats, ventilated front seats, and a premium audio system. The Santa Fe boasted the most third-row legroom in its class, and the second-row seats had an adjustable cushion angle. Folding the third row provided 1,148 litres of cargo space, while folding the second row expanded it to 2,267 litres. With all three rows occupied, there was still 413 litres of space. The rear opening was wider and taller, making it easier to load large items. The Santa Fe's towing capacity varied by trim, with most trims capable of towing 1,587 kilograms, while the XRT trim could tow 2,040 kilograms.

The 2024 MINI Countryman featured a small digital instrumentation display and a head-up display (HUD) projecting information on a small screen. The 8.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, housed in a round casing reminiscent of classic MINI speedometers, used BMW's iDrive technology. It offered five interaction methods: touchscreen, volume and tuning controls, steering wheel controls, a control knob and buttons on the centre console, and voice recognition. While the system lacked Android Auto, it supported Apple CarPlay. The available 12-speaker Harman Kardon premium sound system provided excellent audio quality.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe came equipped with a 12.3-inch touchscreen for infotainment and a digital gauge cluster of the same size. The infotainment system was user-friendly, with clear graphics and quick response times. Navigation was available on the Luxury and Ultimate Calligraphy trims, but wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard. Multiple USB-C ports and a wireless charging pad were included, with the Ultimate Calligraphy trim accommodating two phones. The digital key feature allowed users to unlock and start the car with their phone or Apple Watch. The Ultimate Calligraphy trim offered a digital rearview mirror and a head-up display. Bluelink app connectivity was standard, providing features like climate control presets and alerts for customized location or speed rules. Over-the-air updates ensured the latest software was always available.

The 2024 MINI Countryman offered limited advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). It included Active Driving Assistant, which provided forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and automatic high-beam headlights. Rear parking sensors and an emergency SOS call button were standard, with adaptive cruise control available as an option. However, the Countryman lacked blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keeping assist, lane-centring assist, and a surround-view camera system. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) rated the Countryman as "Good" in crashworthiness evaluations.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe offered a comprehensive suite of safety features, including adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors, forward collision avoidance assist, lane keeping and lane following assist, a driver attention monitor, and safe exit assist. Additional features like rear parking collision avoidance assist, side park distance warning, and Highway Drive Assist were available. The Highway Drive Assist feature combined adaptive cruise control and lane following assist for a smoother driving experience. The top trim included a blind spot avoidance feature and the Blind View Monitor. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) awarded the Santa Fe a four-out-of-five-star overall safety rating, while the IIHS rated it as "Good" in most categories.