Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid vs Subaru Forester Hybrid

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 Despite a refresh in 2021, its design appeared outdated compared to newer crossovers like the Hyundai Palisade or Kia Sorento.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 handsome grille and flush-mounted headlights, but its overall silhouette seemed too soft for a modern SUV. The vehicle's dimensions placed it awkwardly between compact and three-row crossovers, resulting in a two-row midsize SUV with a spacious trunk. Inside, the Santa Fe Hybrid prioritized function over style, with a centre console filled with physical buttons and knobs, making it easy to use but not particularly stylish.

In contrast, the 2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid introduced a new look for its sixth-generation model, adopting a more conventional design with less body sculpting and a blockier shape. This redesign gave the Forester a rugged appearance, enhanced by black plastic elements hinting at its off-road potential. Inside, the Forester retained some of its previous character with a beveled dashboard centre section, now dominated by a large vertical infotainment touchscreen. The cabin featured a mix of hard plastics and soft-touch materials, with the front seats offering ample cushioning and support. While some argued the Forester lost some personality, its new design aimed for broader appeal.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid delivered a balanced performance 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 boasted impressive fuel economy 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, enhancing traction in challenging conditions. The Santa Fe Hybrid excelled in noise insulation and ride quality, offering a quiet and composed driving experience.

The 2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid featured a 2.5-litre horizontally opposed flat four-cylinder "boxer" engine, combined with a parallel hybrid system producing 194 horsepower. The hybrid powertrain included two motor/generators and a 1.1-kWh lithium-ion battery pack. The Forester's AWD system, utilizing a traditional driveshaft, promised better traction and consistent reactions off-road. While acceleration was adequate, the hybrid transmission sometimes made it feel slower than it was. The Forester Hybrid's ride quality was firmer than expected, but it excelled in off-road capabilities with its X-Mode drive programming and hill descent control.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid featured a shift-by-wire, push-button transmission, freeing up space below the centre stack. The centre stack itself was massive, filled with well-labeled physical controls for easy access to climate control, drive modes, and heated-seat buttons. Rear passengers enjoyed a panoramic sunroof, manual sunshades, and 1,035 millimetres of legroom. The Santa Fe Hybrid offered 1,032 litres of cargo space behind the second row, expanding to 2,041 litres when folded. Up front, it came equipped with heated and ventilated front seats with leatherette upholstery.

The 2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid impressed with its unimpeded forward view, thanks to thinner front roof pillars. The front seats provided ample space, and the cockpit had an open, airy feel. Rear passengers enjoyed generous legroom and headroom, enhanced by a standard panoramic sunroof. The Forester Hybrid offered a wireless charging pad, cup holders, and USB ports for rear passengers. It provided 779 litres of cargo space, with a hands-free power liftgate and power remote seatback releases for added convenience.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid came 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. However, the 12-speaker Harman Kardon audio system was not available in Canada.

The 2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid featured an 11.6-inch vertical infotainment touchscreen with built-in navigation, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The Starlink infotainment system received praise for its user-friendly interface and large on-screen buttons. The Forester Hybrid also included an 11-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio system. The X-Mode off-road drive menu and external camera views enhanced its off-road capabilities.

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. However, some advanced safety features were exclusive to the gas-powered Ultimate Calligraphy trim.

The 2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid earned five stars in NHTSA crash tests, except for rollover protection, where it received four stars. The non-hybrid model received high marks from the IIHS, earning a Top Safety Pick award. The Forester Hybrid came standard with Subaru's EyeSight suite, including frontal collision warning, adaptive cruise control, and lane-keep assist. Additional features like rear automatic braking and blind spot monitoring were included in the top-trim Forester Hybrid.