2025 Hyundai Santa Fe vs 2025 Mazda CX-5

The 2025 Mazda CX-5 was often praised for its elegant design, which stood out in the small SUV class. Its graceful curves and lack of sharp angles gave it a sophisticated appearance, reminiscent of an entry-level luxury SUV. Despite not having been redesigned since 2017, the CX-5's design remained timeless and appealing. Inside, the CX-5 offered a refined interior with high-quality materials and a layout that balanced traditional and modern elements. While it lacked the large infotainment screens of its competitors, the physical buttons and knobs provided a user-friendly experience. The interior was comparable to those of last-generation Acura or Lexus models, offering a special feel at a competitive price point.

In contrast, the 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe, available in three trims in Canada, showcased a bold and boxy design with a long wheelbase and distinctive H-shaped LED headlamps. The Santa Fe's design was consistent with Hyundai's aesthetic, offering vibrant colour options like Terracotta Orange and Atlantis Blue. However, the rear design was criticized for its mismatched proportions, particularly the placement of the taillights. Each trim featured unique wheels, with the off-road-focused XRT trim adding chrome and black accents. Inside, the Santa Fe provided ample space, with room for seven passengers, except in the top Ultimate Calligraphy trim, which featured captain's chairs. The interior offered a range of upholstery options and a good fit and finish, though some squeaks and rattles were noted during testing.

The 2025 Mazda CX-5 offered two engine options: a base 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine producing 187 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque, and a turbocharged version delivering 256 horsepower and 320 pound-feet of torque. Both engines were paired with a six-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive. The base engine accelerated to 96 km/h in about 8 seconds, while the turbocharged model achieved this in approximately 6 seconds, making it one of the quicker options in its class. The CX-5 was praised for its sporty driving dynamics, with minimal body roll and a firm suspension that provided a confident driving experience. The ride quality was slightly firmer, but the cabin remained quiet, filtering out wind and road noise effectively.

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 and standard all-wheel drive. The Santa Fe Hybrid, a separate model, combined a 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine with an electric motor, producing a total of 231 horsepower and 271 pound-feet of torque. The Santa Fe offered stable handling with responsive steering, though turbo lag and occasional transmission delays were noted. The XRT trim included 30-inch all-terrain tires and increased ground clearance, enhancing its off-road capabilities. However, the Santa Fe was not designed for rugged terrain, performing best on graded dirt roads.

The 2025 Mazda CX-5's interior was praised for its design and refinement, though it fell short in terms of practicality and space compared to some rivals. While rear headroom was adequate, competitors like the Toyota RAV4 and Kia Sportage offered more. The CX-5 excelled in rear legroom compared to the RAV4 but was outdone by the Honda CR-V and Kia Sportage. Cargo space behind the rear seats was 871 litres, expandable to 1,680 litres with the rear seats folded. The CX-5 featured convenient latches for folding the seats and a power liftgate on all trims except the base GX. Interior storage included moderately sized cupholders, door pockets, and a deep centre armrest bin.

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 with a button in the rear cargo area. Folding the third row provided 1,148 litres of space, while folding the second row expanded it to 2,267 litres. With all rows in use, the Santa Fe offered 413 litres of cargo space. 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 most trims capable of towing 1,587 kilograms, while the XRT trim could tow up to 2,040 kilograms.

The 2025 Mazda CX-5 featured a 10.25-inch infotainment display mounted atop the dash, controlled via a dial on the centre console. This setup allowed for easy operation while driving, with logical menus and the ability to control Apple CarPlay and Android Auto via the touchscreen or dial. The midrange Premium Plus trim offered wireless phone integration and a wireless charging pad. While the analog gauges felt dated, a head-up display was standard on higher trims. The base trim included a four-speaker audio system, while the Signature model featured a 10-speaker Bose premium system. Remote vehicle monitoring and control were available through a smartphone app, with a free service period of one year.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe came equipped with a 12.3-inch touchscreen for infotainment and a digital gauge cluster of the same size. The system was user-friendly, 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. Charging options included multiple USB-C ports and a wireless charging pad, with the Ultimate Calligraphy trim accommodating two phones. The digital key feature allowed for unlocking and starting the car via a smartphone or Apple Watch. The Ultimate Calligraphy trim also offered a digital rearview mirror and a head-up display. Bluelink app connectivity was standard, providing features like climate control presets and vehicle monitoring.

The 2025 Mazda CX-5 received high safety ratings, earning five stars in most NHTSA evaluations and performing well in IIHS crash tests. However, its standard collision avoidance system received a Poor rating. All trims included advanced safety features like forward-collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, lane-departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. Higher trims added features like adaptive headlights, a head-up display, and a 360-degree camera. During testing, the safety systems operated smoothly without false alarms.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe offered a comprehensive suite of 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, though it occasionally exhibited abrupt braking in heavy traffic. The top trims included a blind spot avoidance feature and a Blind View Monitor. The Santa Fe received a four-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA and a "Good" rating from the IIHS, with some exceptions in headlight and LATCH categories.