2025 Hyundai Santa Fe vs 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport was designed to project a sportier image within the Range Rover family. Its tall stance was complemented by a shorter wheelbase and a chopped top, giving it a more athletic appearance compared to the traditional Range Rover. The large front air intakes and fake vents on the hood and fenders added to its sporty look, although from certain angles, it appeared a bit too tall and narrow. The SV Edition Two trim, which we tested, featured 23-inch carbon-fibre wheels and a carbon-fibre hood with an exposed patch, enhancing its performance-oriented aesthetic. Inside, the SV Edition Two boasted red leather upholstery, sport seats with illuminated inserts, and a minimalist dashboard interrupted only by a touchscreen and a few controls.

In contrast, the 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe presented a chunky, boxy design with a long wheelbase and a flat hood. Its pixelated H-shaped LED headlamps and taillights aligned with Hyundai's design language, offering a modern look. The Santa Fe was available in vibrant colours like Terracotta Orange and Atlantis Blue, providing a refreshing alternative to the typical greyscale SUV palette. However, the rear design suffered from mismatched proportions, with taillights positioned lower than ideal. Inside, the Santa Fe offered a spacious cabin with room for seven, except in the top Ultimate Calligraphy trim, which featured captain's chairs. The interior was well-finished, though some squeaks and rattles were noted during testing.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport offered a range of powertrain options, all paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard four-wheel drive. The base Dynamic SE model featured a 3.0-litre turbocharged inline-six engine producing 395 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque. A plug-in hybrid variant based on the same engine delivered 454 hp and 487 lb-ft. The Autobiography trim offered a more powerful plug-in hybrid with 543 hp and 590 lb-ft. Additionally, a BMW-sourced twin-turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 engine was available, producing 523 hp and 553 lb-ft. The SV Edition Two, the most powerful model, used the same V8 but with 626 hp, achieving 0-100 km/h in 3.8 seconds and a top speed of 290 km/h. The Range Rover Sport excelled in both on-road performance and off-road capability, thanks to its sport-tuned air suspension, four-wheel steering, and Terrain Response system.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe, on the other hand, came with a standard 2.5-litre turbocharged engine producing 277 hp and 311 lb-ft of torque, paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive. A hybrid model combined a 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine with an electric motor, delivering 231 hp and 271 lb-ft. The Santa Fe offered stable handling and responsive steering, though turbo lag and occasional transmission delays were noted. The XRT trim featured 30-inch all-terrain tires and increased ground clearance, enhancing its off-road capabilities. However, the Santa Fe was not designed for rugged off-roading, performing best on graded dirt roads.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport positioned itself between the Range Rover Velar and the full-size Range Rover, offering a midsize two-row, five-seater configuration. Front-seat occupants enjoyed similar headroom to other midsize luxury SUVs, while rear-seat headroom was only slightly less than competitors like the BMW X5 and Mercedes-Benz GLE. The Sport provided 835 litres of cargo space behind the second row and 1,860 litres with the seats folded. It had a maximum towing capacity of 3,500 kilograms for turbo-six and V8 models, with plug-in hybrids rated at 3,000 kilograms.

The 2025 Hyundai 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 to expand cargo space. With the third row folded, the Santa Fe offered 1,148 litres of space, increasing to 2,267 litres with the second row folded. The rear opening was widened to 127.5 cm, making it easier to load large items. The Santa Fe's towing capacity ranged from 1,587 kilograms to 2,040 kilograms, depending on the trim.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport featured a 13.7-inch digital instrument cluster and a 13.1-inch touchscreen for infotainment, with standard wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa integration. The minimalist design, while visually appealing, limited physical controls, making some functions less intuitive. The Pivi Pro infotainment system was responsive, and the SV Edition Two offered "Body and Soul Seats" with embedded transducers for a unique audio experience.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe came with a 12.3-inch touchscreen and digital gauge cluster, except for the base hybrid trim. The infotainment system was user-friendly, with standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Ultimate Calligraphy trim offered additional features like a digital rearview mirror and head-up display. Standard Bluelink app connectivity allowed for remote vehicle management, and over-the-air updates ensured the latest software.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport included standard driver-assist features such as automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, and blind-spot monitoring. A 360-degree camera system and digital rearview mirror aided parking, though parking sensors were overly sensitive. Safety ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA were not available at the time of writing.

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. Higher trims added features like rear parking collision avoidance assist and Highway Drive Assist. The NHTSA awarded the Santa Fe a four-star overall safety rating, while the IIHS rated it "Good" in most categories.