2024 Volkswagen Atlas vs 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas underwent a styling refresh that enhanced its original design, dating back to the Volkswagen CrossBlue concept from 2013. This update included new lighting elements, with the most noticeable being the light-up VW logos, similar to those on the ID.4 electric crossover. The front logo illuminated in white, while the rear logo shone red. A front light bar connected to the daytime running lights, which were part of the new LED headlights reminiscent of those on a Ford Expedition. These subtle changes gave the Atlas a new "face," emphasizing American swagger over European influences. At the rear, the taillights blended into a full-width light bar housing the illuminated logo. All trim levels received new wheel designs, with the base Comfortline model featuring 18-inch alloy wheels, the Highline getting 20-inch wheels, and the Execline boasting 21-inch wheels with sportier styling elements. The Atlas Peak Edition joined the lineup, offering a more rugged appearance with black 18-inch wheels, all-terrain tires, and unique exterior colours. Inside, the Atlas featured a revised interior with a freestanding infotainment touchscreen and a minimalist design that contrasted with its truck-like exterior. Volkswagen aimed to make the interior feel more upscale with improved materials, although some areas still felt less premium.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe, available in three trims in Canada—XRT, Luxury, and Ultimate Calligraphy—debuted its fifth generation in 2024, maintaining its chunky, boxy design with a long wheelbase, flat hood, and snub nose. The H-shaped LED headlamps, pixelated to fit Hyundai's design aesthetic, added a distinctive touch. 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 designs, 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 boasted good fit and finish, 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. Overall, the Santa Fe's design and interior offered a mix of practicality and style, with some room for improvement in certain areas.

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas saw a reduction in powertrain options, leaving only a 2.0-litre turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine. This engine produced 269 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque on regular fuel, compared to the previous VR6 engine's 276 hp and 266 lb-ft of torque. The new engine, part of VW's EA888 family, was paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive (AWD) in Canada. The Atlas was quicker than its six-cylinder predecessor, taking approximately 8.5 seconds to reach 100 km/h. Despite the improved performance, the driving experience remained focused on comfort and practicality rather than sportiness. The Atlas maintained its towing capacity of 2,268 kilograms (5,000 pounds), matching most rivals but falling short of the Nissan Pathfinder's 2,720 kilograms (6,000 pounds).

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. AWD was standard across the lineup in Canada. The Santa Fe Hybrid, a separate model, combined a 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine with an electric motor, producing 231 hp and 271 lb-ft of torque. The Santa Fe offered stable handling, firm brakes, and responsive steering, though turbo lag and occasional transmission hesitations were noted. The gear selector, located on a stalk on the steering column, required some adjustment. The XRT trim included 30-inch all-terrain tires and increased ground clearance, enhancing off-road capabilities. However, the Santa Fe was not designed for rugged terrain, performing best on graded dirt roads.

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas offered more standard features for 2024, including heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, ventilated front seats, and a power liftgate. Seating for seven was standard, with a three-seat second-row bench that could split-fold, recline, and slide. The bench could accommodate three child seats and tilt and slide forward with them in place. Optional second-row captain's chairs reduced seating capacity to six. The Atlas provided competitive headroom and legroom across all three rows, with the best third-row legroom in its class. Cargo space varied from 2,735 litres with the second and third rows folded to 583 litres with all seats in place, offering more cargo space than most rivals.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe XRT trim came well-equipped with heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, a sunroof, and a 115-volt outlet. The Ultimate Calligraphy trim added heated second-row seats, ventilated front seats, and a premium audio system. The Santa Fe excelled in third-row legroom, and the second-row seats featured an adjustable cushion angle. Cargo space ranged from 413 litres with all seats occupied to 2,267 litres with the second and third rows folded. The rear opening was widened to 127.5 cm, making it easier to load large items. The Santa Fe's towing capacity varied by trim, with the XRT capable of towing 2,040 kilograms (4,500 pounds).

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas received more standard tech features, including a 12-inch touchscreen, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, wireless phone charging, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Six USB-C ports were standard, with up to eight available. A head-up display was standard on the Execline trim. The premium audio system, now from Harman Kardon, featured 12 speakers on higher trims. The infotainment system was user-friendly, with sharp graphics and a map view in the digital instrument cluster. However, haptic touchpads for certain functions were less intuitive than traditional buttons.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe offered a 12.3-inch touchscreen for infotainment and a digital gauge cluster of the same size on most trims. The system was easy to use, 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 unlocking and starting the car with a phone or Apple watch. The Ultimate Calligraphy trim offered a digital rearview mirror and a head-up display. Bluelink app connectivity was standard, providing remote access and monitoring features.

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA, with five stars in side crash testing and four stars in frontal and rollover tests. The IIHS had not released ratings for the 2024 model, but the 2023 model received high scores in most crash tests. Standard safety features included forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, and adaptive cruise control. The Execline trim added park assist and a surround-view camera system. The Atlas also featured emergency response systems to enhance safety in the event of a crash.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe offered a comprehensive suite of standard safety features, including adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and forward collision avoidance assist. Additional features like rear parking collision avoidance assist and Highway Drive Assist were available on higher trims. The Highway Drive Assist feature combined adaptive cruise control and lane following assist for smoother driving. The top trim included a blind spot avoidance feature and the Blind View Monitor. The NHTSA gave the Santa Fe a four-star overall safety rating, while the IIHS rated it "Good" in most categories.