2025 Chevrolet Traverse vs 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe, available in Canada in XRT, Luxury, and Ultimate Calligraphy trims, maintained its bold, boxy design from its 2024 debut. Its long wheelbase, flat hood, and pixelated H-shaped LED headlamps contributed to its distinctive appearance, reminiscent of Hyundai's Ioniq 5. The SUV offered vibrant colour options like Terracotta Orange and Atlantis Blue, breaking away from the typical greyscale palette. However, the rear design suffered from mismatched proportions, with taillights positioned lower than ideal, detracting from an otherwise strong design. Each trim featured unique wheels, ranging from 18 to 21 inches, and the XRT trim added off-road enhancements like chrome and black trim, black roof rails, and all-terrain tires. 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, though some squeaks and rattles were noted during testing. The inclusion of physical HVAC dials was appreciated, but the fan speed controls were less intuitive.

The 2025 Chevrolet Traverse impressed with its exterior styling, consistent with Chevrolet's SUV lineup. The interior design followed suit, featuring digital instrumentation and a Google-based infotainment system. However, the quality of materials, particularly the hard, glossy plastic and Evotex artificial leather, fell short of expectations for a vehicle in its price range. Available in LT, Z71, and RS trims, the Traverse's base prices ranged from $54,333 to $70,333 in Canada. The Z71 trim, tested here, was the off-road variant, equipped with Radiant Red paint, a panoramic sunroof, and an Enhanced Driving Package, bringing the MSRP to $68,681. Despite its shortcomings in material quality, the Traverse's design and technology offerings were noteworthy.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe featured a standard 2.5-litre turbocharged engine producing 277 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque, with AWD standard across the lineup. An eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission managed gear shifts. The Santa Fe Hybrid, a separate model, combined a 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine with an electric motor, delivering 231 hp and 271 lb-ft of torque, also with standard AWD. The Santa Fe demonstrated stability in corners, firm braking, and responsive steering, though turbo lag and occasional transmission delays were noted. The gear selector, located on a stalk, required some acclimation. The XRT trim, with 30-inch all-terrain tires and 21.2 cm of ground clearance, offered improved off-road geometry, though it wasn't suited for rugged terrain.

The 2025 Chevrolet Traverse, powered by a 2.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, delivered 328 horsepower and 326 pound-feet of torque. The engine's exhaust note was less than appealing, but it provided ample power, especially with AWD engaged. The Z71 trim, designed for off-road use, featured 19.7 cm of ground clearance, unique 18-inch wheels with all-terrain tires, a skid plate, red tow hooks, and a Twin Clutch AWD system. The Traverse handled trails and rough terrain effectively, with the Terrain mode moderating power application. The Z71's suspension and tires also contributed to a smoother ride on poorly maintained roads. The Traverse offered multiple driving modes, including Tow/Haul, Normal, and Sport, though it felt large and less sporty on narrow roads. The all-terrain tires provided good grip and minimal noise, while the brakes were touchy. The Traverse Z71 achieved a fuel economy of 10.9 L/100 km, slightly better than the official estimate.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe XRT trim came 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 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 space. With the third row folded, the Santa Fe provided 1,148 litres of space, expanding to 2,267 litres with the second row down. Even with all seats occupied, it offered 413 litres of cargo space. The widened liftgate facilitated loading, and most trims could tow up to 1,587 kilograms, with the XRT capable of towing 2,040 kilograms.

The 2025 Chevrolet Traverse boasted significant interior volume, particularly in width. Front seat occupants enjoyed ample space, with an eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat for comfort. Heated front seats and a heated steering wheel were standard in Canada. The Traverse offered eight-passenger seating with a second-row bench or individual captain's chairs. The third-row seats provided adequate comfort, though the view was limited due to window design. The Traverse lacked third-row USB ports, and storage space in the second row was less practical than some competitors. Cargo space was commendable, with 648 litres behind the third row, expanding to 1,603 litres with the third row folded, and 2,764 litres with the second row down. Folding the third row required adjusting the second-row seats, adding complexity to the process.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe featured a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system and a digital gauge cluster of the same size, except for the base hybrid-only Preferred trim. The system was user-friendly, with clear graphics and quick response times. Navigation was available on Luxury and Ultimate Calligraphy trims, but standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compensated for its absence. Multiple USB-C ports and a wireless charging pad, accommodating two phones in the Ultimate Calligraphy trim, ensured connectivity. The digital key feature allowed unlocking and starting the car via phone or Apple Watch. The Ultimate Calligraphy trim offered a digital rearview mirror and a head-up display. Bluelink app connectivity provided remote climate control and monitoring features, while over-the-air updates kept the software current.

The 2025 Chevrolet Traverse impressed with its standard 17.7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, featuring Google Built-in, Google Maps, Google Assistant, and Google Play Store access. OnStar connected services and a Wi-Fi hotspot were included, along with wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and SiriusXM 360L satellite radio. The user interface was intuitive, and Google Assistant responded accurately to voice commands. The lack of a tuning knob was a minor drawback, but steering wheel controls offered station and volume adjustments. Climate controls were accessible via large, rubber-gripped knobs. An 11-inch digital instrumentation panel provided customizable views, and the test vehicle included a digital rearview mirror and a high-definition surround-view camera system for enhanced visibility.

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 system combined adaptive cruise control and lane following assist, though it occasionally exhibited abrupt braking and acceleration in traffic. The top trim included a blind spot avoidance feature and a Blind View Monitor. The NHTSA awarded the Santa Fe a four-star overall safety rating, while the IIHS rated it "Good" in most categories, with "Acceptable" scores for headlights and LATCH.

The 2025 Chevrolet Traverse came equipped with a robust array of standard safety features, including adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keep assist. Additional features included pedestrian and cyclist detection, a Safety Alert Seat, and automatic high-beam headlights. The test vehicle added a surround-view camera system, traffic sign recognition, and rear pedestrian alert. The Enhanced Driving Package offered Super Cruise, a hands-free driving assist system, and remote-parking technology. Super Cruise provided clear communication of its status and operated on more roads than before, though it occasionally disengaged unexpectedly. The NHTSA awarded the Traverse a five-star overall safety rating, and the IIHS named it a "Top Safety Pick."