2025 Hyundai Santa Fe vs 2025 Subaru Outback

The 2025 Subaru Outback was a testament to the enduring appeal of wagons in Canada, where it stood out amidst dwindling options. Its design embraced the rugged crossover aesthetic with features like chunky wheel-arch flares and a robust roof rack, signalling its off-road capabilities. While the Crimson Red Pearl paint was exclusive to the U.S., the Outback's earthy tones were more fitting for its adventurous spirit. Subaru's focus on catering to off-road enthusiasts paid off, as the Outback, along with its siblings, the Crosstrek and Forester, became top sellers. The 2025 model retained its core features, offering heated front seats and a heated steering wheel as standard in Canada. The interior was practical, with cloth upholstery on base trims and easy-to-clean StarTex synthetic leather on higher trims. The Premier XT trim boasted Nappa leather and ventilated front seats, enhancing comfort. The Outback's interior design was functional, with minimal use of chrome and glossy black plastic, and featured easy-to-read gauges and a digital display for essential information.

In contrast, the 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe, available in three trims in Canada, maintained its bold design from its 2024 debut. The three-row SUV featured a boxy silhouette with a long wheelbase and distinctive H-shaped LED headlamps. While the front design was cohesive, the rear suffered from mismatched proportions, with taillights positioned lower than ideal. Each trim had unique wheel designs, ranging from 18 to 21 inches, and the off-road-focused XRT trim added chrome and black accents. Inside, the Santa Fe offered seating for seven, except in the Ultimate Calligraphy trim, which featured captain's chairs. The interior was well-finished, though some squeaks and rattles were noted. The inclusion of physical dials for HVAC temperature was appreciated, but the fan speed buttons were less intuitive. Overall, the Santa Fe's design was a mix of practicality and style, with room for improvement in certain areas.

The 2025 Subaru Outback featured Subaru's signature Boxer engine, available in two variants. The standard 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine produced 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque, while the turbocharged 2.4-litre engine delivered 260 hp and 277 lb-ft of torque. Both engines ran on regular unleaded gas and were paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and standard all-wheel drive (AWD). The turbocharged engine provided a more spirited drive, making it a recommended choice for those with the budget. The Outback's 22 centimetres of ground clearance and X-Mode enhanced its off-road capabilities, with the Wilderness model offering even more ground clearance and additional off-road settings. The Outback's ride was smooth and comfortable, with light steering, smooth throttle response, and powerful brakes. However, the stop/start technology and CVT's response during throttle transitions were noted as areas for improvement.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe came equipped with a standard 2.5-litre turbocharged engine, generating 277 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque. AWD was standard across the lineup, and an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission handled shifting duties. The Santa Fe Hybrid, a separate model, combined a 1.6-litre engine with an electric motor for a total of 231 hp and 271 lb-ft of torque. The Santa Fe's handling was stable, with firm brakes and responsive steering, though turbo lag and occasional transmission delays were observed. The gear selector, located on a stalk, required some getting used to. The XRT trim featured 30-inch all-terrain tires and increased ground clearance, enhancing its off-road capabilities. While the Santa Fe's off-road geometry was suitable for its class, it wasn't designed for extreme off-roading.

The 2025 Subaru Outback's wagon shape offered practicality with easy entry and exit, thanks to its lower-slung chassis. The lower roof height made loading the roof rack more convenient, and the flat-four engine design contributed to a low centre of gravity, enhancing agility. The Outback provided ample cargo space, with 923 litres available with the rear seat up and 2,141 litres with the bench folded. While these figures were slightly smaller than some crossovers, the flat floor and square shape maximized usability. The Outback's total passenger volume of 3,044 litres surpassed its crossover competitors, offering more front headroom and legroom. Buyers were advised to test drive different trims, as the driving experience varied between models. The standard towing capacity was 1,225 kilograms, increasing to 1,588 kilograms with the turbocharged engine.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe excelled in interior space, offering the most third-row legroom in its class. The second-row seats featured an adjustable cushion angle, 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 seats occupied, 413 litres of space remained. The Santa Fe's rear opening was wider and taller, facilitating easy loading of large items. Most trims could tow 1,587 kilograms, with the XRT trim capable of towing 2,040 kilograms. The Santa Fe's interior was well-equipped, with features like heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and a sunroof, while the Ultimate Calligraphy trim offered additional luxuries.

The 2025 Subaru Outback's technology package was a mix of strengths and weaknesses. The 11.6-inch touchscreen was bright and featured large icons, but the Starlink infotainment system was slow to respond, especially at startup. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were included, with wireless functionality on most trims. The Harman Kardon audio system performed well, though Starlink disturbances occasionally limited audio output. The dashboard design catered to those who preferred physical controls, though some tasks required using the touchscreen. The Premier XT trim included a CD player and both USB-A and USB-C ports for device connectivity.

In the 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe, every gas-powered version featured 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 higher trims, but wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard. Multiple USB-C ports and a wireless charging pad ensured device connectivity, with the Ultimate Calligraphy trim accommodating two phones. The digital key feature allowed unlocking and starting the car with 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 location alerts. Over-the-air updates kept the vehicle software current.

The 2025 Subaru Outback came equipped with Subaru's EyeSight driver-assist technology, featuring adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, and automatic emergency steering. While the system kept the Outback in its lane, it exhibited more side-to-side movement than desired. Higher trims included blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, which functioned effectively. The DriverFocus system, monitoring for driver distraction, occasionally issued false notifications. The 2024 Outback earned a Top Safety Pick designation from the IIHS and a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA, with the 2025 model expected to perform similarly.

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 its performance varied in traffic conditions. 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-star overall safety rating, while the IIHS rated it "Good" in most categories, with "Acceptable" scores for headlights and LATCH.