2025 Hyundai Santa Fe vs 2025 Jeep Wrangler

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe, available in Canada in XRT, Luxury, and Ultimate Calligraphy trims, maintained its bold design from its 2024 debut. This three-row SUV featured a chunky, boxy aesthetic with a long wheelbase, flat hood, and snub nose. Its H-shaped LED headlamps, reminiscent of the Hyundai Ioniq 5, added a pixelated touch to its overall design. 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 the pixelated taillights positioned lower than ideal, affecting the visual balance. Each trim had distinct 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 boasted leatherette, leather, or Nappa leather upholstery, depending on the trim. Despite a generally good fit and finish, some squeaks and rattles were noted during testing. The inclusion of physical dials for HVAC temperature was appreciated, though the fan speed buttons were less user-friendly.

The 2025 Jeep Wrangler Sport S, encountered during a rental experience, presented a black-on-black-on-black colour scheme that was less than ideal for a tropical climate. Despite this, the Wrangler's design, rooted in its World War II military vehicle heritage, remained fundamentally appealing. In Canada, the Wrangler was available in various trims, including Sport, Sport S, Willys, Sahara, Rubicon, and Rubicon X. The Rubicon 392, with its powerful 470-horsepower 6.4-litre Hemi V8 engine, was discontinued in Canada after 2024. The Wrangler's interior, though lacking sophistication, emphasized functionality. It featured a grey fabric dashboard trim, metallic accents, and a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The Wrangler's design allowed for open-air driving, with removable overhead panels and a liftglass. Despite its uninspired wheel design and all-season tires, the Wrangler's capability to traverse diverse terrains contributed to its popularity. However, its rough ride and disconnected steering feel were notable drawbacks, and the three-star rollover resistance rating from the NHTSA was a concern.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe was equipped with a standard 2.5-litre turbocharged engine, delivering 277 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque. In Canada, all-wheel drive was standard across the lineup, paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The Santa Fe Hybrid, a separate model, combined a 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine with an electric motor, producing a total of 231 hp and 271 lb-ft of torque, also with AWD. The Santa Fe demonstrated stability in corners, with firm brakes and responsive steering. However, noticeable turbo lag and occasional transmission delays were observed during acceleration. The gear selector, located on a stalk on the steering column, required some getting used to. The XRT trim featured 30-inch all-terrain tires and 21.2 centimetres of ground clearance, enhancing its off-road capabilities. Despite these features, the Santa Fe was not designed for rugged rock crawling but performed well on graded dirt roads with minor obstacles.

The 2025 Jeep Wrangler offered a choice between a 3.6-litre V6 engine with a six-speed manual transmission and a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The latter produced 270 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, slightly less horsepower but more torque than the V6. The turbocharged engine was more fuel-efficient, with a Natural Resources Canada rating of 11.0 litres per 100 kilometres in combined driving. During testing, the four-cylinder Wrangler achieved an average fuel economy of 12.3 L/100 km. The Wrangler's standard four-wheel drive, high ground clearance, and generous approach and departure angles contributed to its off-road prowess. However, its slow steering and sloppy handling were noticeable at higher speeds. The Wrangler's ride was rough, with constant jiggles and jolts, and its disconnected steering feel was disconcerting. Despite these drawbacks, the Wrangler's off-road capabilities were impressive, allowing it to tackle challenging terrains with ease.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe XRT trim was well-equipped with heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, a sunroof, and a 115-volt outlet for powering off-road accessories. The Ultimate Calligraphy trim offered additional features like heated second-row seats, ventilated front seats, and a premium audio system. The Santa Fe excelled in interior space, boasting the most third-row legroom in its class. The second-row seats had an adjustable cushion angle, and both the second and third rows could be folded to expand cargo space. With the third row folded, the Santa Fe offered 1,148 litres of space, and folding the second row increased it to 2,267 litres. Even with all three rows occupied, there was still 413 litres of space available. The liftgate width increased to 127.5 cm, and the height was 81 cm, facilitating easy loading of large items. Most trims could tow 1,587 kilograms, while the XRT trim had a towing capacity of 2,040 kilograms.

The 2025 Jeep Wrangler posed challenges for entry and exit due to its high ground clearance, tall door sills, and narrow door openings. Step rails were available but could complicate access and risk dirtying clothing. Once inside, the Wrangler's front seats were comfortable, with cloth upholstery suitable for various climates. The Convenience Group option pack added heated front seats and a heated steering wheel. The Wrangler accommodated five passengers, but four were more comfortable. Rear-seat legroom was adequate, though taller passengers needed to be cautious of plastic hooks on the front seatbacks. Storage space was limited, with small items often ending up in cupholders. Accessing the cargo area required opening the tailgate and lifting the rear window, which could be inconvenient in tight spaces. The four-door model offered 897 litres of cargo space, expandable to 2,050 litres by folding the back seat.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe featured a 12.3-inch touchscreen for infotainment and a digital gauge cluster of the same size in all gas-powered versions. The infotainment system was user-friendly, with clear graphics and quick response times. Navigation was available only in 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 using 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 features like climate control presets and alerts for customized location or speed rules. Over-the-air updates ensured the latest vehicle software.

The 2025 Jeep Wrangler's Uconnect 5 infotainment system was a highlight, featuring a 12.3-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth connectivity, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and SiriusXM satellite radio preparation. An eight-speaker stereo was standard, with a nine-speaker Alpine premium sound system optional. More expensive models offered navigation and Jeep Connect services, including adventure guides and GPS trail logs. The touchscreen remained bright and easy to use, even with the roof panels removed. The Convenience Group pack added a 7-inch digital display between analog gauges, passive entry, and a remote engine starting system. Rear parking sensors were part of the optional Safety Group package, aiding in reversing.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe offered a comprehensive suite of safety features as standard, including adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, 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 a smoother driving experience. 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" ratings for headlights and LATCH.

The 2025 Jeep Wrangler introduced side curtain airbags for front and rear seats as standard. Advanced driver assistance systems were optional, with blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert available on most trims. Forward collision warning with automatic braking was exclusive to the Sahara trim. Other safety features included adaptive cruise control and automatic high-beam headlights. The NHTSA had not conducted new side-impact tests since the addition of side airbags, but the Wrangler received a four-star frontal-impact rating and a three-star rollover resistance rating. The IIHS rated the Wrangler "Good" for side-impact protection and moderate overlap frontal-impact tests, but it received a "Marginal" rating for the small overlap frontal-impact test.