Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid vs Cadillac LYRIQ

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid was reminiscent of a pair of "dad jeans"—practical and offering great value, yet lacking modern flair. Despite a refresh in 2021, its design appeared outdated compared to newer crossovers like the Hyundai Palisade or Kia Sorento. The Santa Fe's exterior featured a squared-up grille with flush-mounted headlights, but its silhouette was criticized for being too soft and lacking the chiseled look of contemporary SUVs. The vehicle's dimensions placed it awkwardly between compact and three-row crossovers, resulting in a two-row midsize SUV with a spacious trunk but a somewhat frumpy appearance. Inside, the Santa Fe Hybrid prioritized functionality over style, with a centre console filled with physical buttons and knobs, making it easy to use but not particularly stylish.

In contrast, the 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ boasted striking exterior styling with a long hood and low ground clearance, giving it the appearance of a sleek sedan rather than a traditional SUV. Its design drew inspiration from the classic Seville, featuring a long wheelbase, short tail, and unique style. The front end showcased vertical light bars and a solid grille with lighting effects, while the rear was adorned with wraparound taillights. Inside, the LYRIQ paid meticulous attention to detail, with leather-wrapped seats, polished controls, and a sweeping 33-inch OLED display. However, the floating centre console was criticized for its lack of functionality, and some physical components seemed poorly integrated.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid delivered a balanced blend of performance and efficiency with its 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine paired with a 44.2-kW electric motor, producing a combined 226 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. It offered impressive fuel economy, with estimates of 7.1 litres per 100 kilometres in the city, 7.9 on the highway, and 7.4 combined. The hybrid powertrain was managed by a six-speed automatic transmission, and the HTRAC AWD system provided flexibility in power distribution. While not the quickest, the Santa Fe Hybrid excelled in noise insulation and ride quality, offering a quiet and composed driving experience.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ, despite its sporty exterior, prioritized highway comfort over sportiness. Its dual-motor powertrain delivered an impressive 500 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque, with a 102-kilowatt-hour battery pack providing a range of up to 505 kilometres with RWD and 494 km with AWD. However, the LYRIQ's handling was hampered by its substantial weight, resulting in understeer and uninspiring steering feel. While braking was strong, the vehicle's weight raised concerns about brake durability during hard use. Regenerative braking options helped alleviate some stress on the friction brakes.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid featured a shift-by-wire, push-button transmission, freeing up space below the centre stack. However, the stack itself remained large with limited storage. Rear passengers enjoyed a panoramic sunroof and ample legroom, while the cargo area offered 1,032 litres behind the second row, expanding to 2,041 litres when folded. Up front, the Santa Fe Hybrid came equipped with heated and ventilated front seats and an eight-way power driver's seat.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ faced challenges with build quality, as misaligned rear fenders and a malfunctioning charging port were noted. Functionality issues included a glovebox that couldn't be easily accessed while driving and a small centre cubby. Despite these drawbacks, the LYRIQ offered generous headroom and legroom, with a spacious back seat. However, its cargo space was smaller than most compact SUVs, with 793 litres behind the seats and 1,722 litres when folded.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid came equipped with a 10.25-inch touchscreen featuring onboard navigation, Bluetooth, OTA map updates, and dynamic voice recognition. It supported Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, though both required a wired connection. A 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster provided essential driving information.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ showcased a 33-inch OLED screen with three sections, offering touch-enabled controls for lighting and trip odometer. The infotainment system ran native Google Maps and Google Assistant, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard. The available Super Cruise system provided hands-free driving capabilities, while the 19-speaker AKG stereo delivered impressive sound quality.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid prioritized safety with features like adaptive cruise control, forward collision avoidance, lane keep assist, and blind-spot collision avoidance. It received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ designation from the IIHS.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ included standard safety features such as forward automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, and blind-spot monitoring. However, it received a poor rating for its headlights from the IIHS and an acceptable mark for its front pedestrian collision avoidance system.