2025 Hyundai Santa Fe vs 2026 Lexus TX

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe, available in Canada in XRT, Luxury, and Ultimate Calligraphy trims, showcased a robust and boxy design with a long wheelbase and a flat hood. Its H-shaped LED headlamps were pixelated, aligning with Hyundai's design language seen in models like the Ioniq 5. The SUV offered vibrant colours such as 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 overall visual balance. Each trim featured distinct wheel sizes, ranging from 18 to 21 inches, and the XRT trim added off-road elements like chrome and black trim, along with black roof rails.

Inside, the Santa Fe accommodated seven passengers, except for the Ultimate Calligraphy trim, which featured second-row captain's chairs. Upholstery options varied from leatherette to Nappa leather, depending on the trim. While the interior fit and finish appeared commendable, some squeaks and rattles were noted during testing. The inclusion of physical HVAC dials was appreciated, though the fan speed buttons were less intuitive. Overall, the Santa Fe's design and interior offered a mix of practicality and style, albeit with some room for improvement in certain areas.

The 2026 Lexus TX, available with various packages depending on the powertrain, retained a large grille reminiscent of the older spindle grille design, complemented by sharp bi-LED headlights. The rear featured LED lighting spanning the vehicle's width, topped with a small roof spoiler. Roof rails were optional for additional storage needs. Interior colour options included standard grey, Birch, and Peppercorn, with ambient lighting adding warmth to the cabin. However, the material quality fell short of luxury standards, with basic plastics present. Redesigned door handles, which reacted to pressure rather than pulling out, were a notable change, though some might have preferred more attention to cabin detail over this innovation.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe was equipped with a standard 2.5-litre turbocharged engine, delivering 277 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque, with AWD standard across the lineup. An eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission managed the shifting. 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 standard AWD. The Santa Fe demonstrated stability in corners, with firm brakes and responsive steering, though turbo lag was noticeable during acceleration. The gear selector, located on a stalk on the steering column, required some getting used to, as selecting gears involved twisting the stalk's end.

The XRT trim featured 30-inch all-terrain tires and 21.2 centimetres of ground clearance, enhancing its off-road capabilities. The approach, departure, and breakover angles were 19.3, 21.8, and 19.1 degrees, respectively, suitable for graded dirt roads but not for rugged rock crawling. The Santa Fe's performance was adequate for its class, though larger SUVs like the Lexus GX were better suited for more challenging terrains.

The 2026 Lexus TX 350 came with a 275-horsepower 2.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, while the TX 500h hybrid increased output to 366 hp. The gas model featured an eight-speed automatic transmission, and the hybrid used a six-speed automatic, preferred by some over the typical CVT in electrified powertrains. The TX 350 had standard electronically controlled full-time AWD, while the TX 500h utilized Lexus's Direct4 AWD system, distributing torque to each axle on demand. Drive modes included Normal, Eco, and Sport, with Sport mode enhancing throttle sensitivity for a more immediate response. The 500h offered adaptive suspension and rear steering for improved handling.

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 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, with adjustable second-row seat cushions. Cargo space was generous, with 1,148 litres available when the third row was folded, expanding to 2,267 litres with the second row down. With all seats in use, 413 litres of space remained. 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 increased towing capacity to 2,040 kilograms.

The 2026 Lexus TX featured three-zone automatic climate control, heated and cooled front seats, heated second-row seats, and a heated steering wheel. Ventilated second-row seats were standard on the TX 500h. The second row offered captain's chairs with a removable centre console, though some packages included a bench seat. The third row was spacious, with a recline function and ample headroom, accommodating full-sized adults comfortably. Each seat had its own cupholder and USB-C port. A one-touch button on the second-row seat facilitated access to the third row, though folding the second row flat required flipping several levers in a specific order. The front seats were roomy but lacked thigh support, and the cupholders were versatile, accommodating various bottle sizes. The TX offered excellent cargo space, with 572 litres available with all seats in place, expanding to 1,625 litres with the third row flat and 2,747 litres with all rear seats folded. All TX models could tow up to 2,268 kilograms when properly equipped.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe featured a 12.3-inch touchscreen for infotainment and a digital gauge cluster of the same size, except for the base Preferred trim, which was hybrid-only in Canada. The infotainment system was user-friendly, with clear graphics and quick response times. Navigation was built-in only on the Luxury and Ultimate Calligraphy trims, but wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard. Multiple 27-watt USB-C ports and a wireless charging pad, capable of charging two phones in the Ultimate Calligraphy trim, ensured devices stayed powered. The digital key feature allowed unlocking and starting the car via a smartphone or Apple Watch, with the option to share the key with up to three trusted individuals. 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 kept the vehicle software current.

The 2026 Lexus TX's tech was a mixed bag. The 14-inch colour touchscreen was user-friendly and responsive, but some features lacked refinement. Manually inputting satellite radio stations was not possible, requiring scanning through channels. Steering wheel buttons controlled adaptive cruise control and volume, but their multi-functional nature and lack of labels made them confusing. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard but occasionally conflicted with the native audio system. A subscription was needed for in-dash navigation, voice assistant, digital key, and remote start/lock/unlock features, with some packages offering a three-year trial. The back-up camera was clear, with an available bird’s-eye view for obstacle detection. The Advanced Park system could handle parking duties in both parallel and perpendicular spaces. The rear-camera mirror provided an unobstructed view. With seven USB ports and wireless charging, devices remained charged, and the second row had an available 120-volt/1,500-watt outlet for larger items.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe offered a comprehensive suite of standard 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 with pedestrian, cyclist, and junction turning detection, 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 required an upgrade. The Highway Drive Assist feature, combining adaptive cruise control and lane following assist, was generally smooth but occasionally abrupt in heavy traffic. The top trim included a blind spot avoidance feature and the Blind View Monitor, displaying a video feed of the blind spot in the gauge cluster. The NHTSA awarded the Santa Fe a four-out-of-five-star overall safety rating, while the IIHS rated it "Good" in most sections, with "Acceptable" scores in the headlight and LATCH categories.

The 2026 Lexus TX came standard with Safety System+ 3.0, featuring forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, lane tracing assist, lane departure warning with steering assist, traffic sign recognition, and Proactive Driving Assist. The latter applied brakes or steering if the vehicle approached another car, pedestrian, or cyclist too closely, though it was often turned off due to random activations. Adaptive cruise control, once set up through the confusing steering wheel controls, worked well, though it braked hard when cut off in traffic and was slow to resume speed. The NHTSA rated both the TX 350 and TX 500h five out of five stars for crash safety. The IIHS gave the TX an "Acceptable" score in the small overlap front crash test on the driver’s side and a "Good" score for the passenger’s side, with "Good" ratings for driver and passenger injury measures.