2021 Hyundai Santa Fe vs 2020 Honda CR-V

The 2020 Honda CR-V, part of Honda’s fifth generation of compact crossovers, had a design that was both familiar and fun. Its exterior featured curvy, car-like lines with a family resemblance to Honda’s sedan lineup, giving it a station wagon-like appearance rather than a traditional SUV look. Inside, the CR-V’s interior was a mix of textures and materials, with upscale touches like wood-look trim and leather upholstery in higher trims clashing with some low-quality plastics. This contrast reminded drivers that even the pricier CR-V models were still upgrades of a commodity car rather than truly premium products.

The 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe, on the other hand, offered a more luxurious feel for its price. The Santa Fe’s interior featured new colors, patterns, and textures that moved it upmarket, with the Calligraphy trim boasting premium Nappa leather and a suede-like headliner. The exterior had a redesigned front end with new running lights, a reworked grille, and a new bumper, giving each trim level a unique character. The Calligraphy trim, in particular, exuded quality with its fit, finish, and refined controls, making it feel like a steal at its price point.

For the 2020 model year, the Honda CR-V simplified its lineup by replacing the previous base engine with a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine, producing 190 horsepower and 179 pound-feet of torque. This engine, paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), provided a well-matched powertrain for the CR-V. Despite some CVTs’ reputation for sluggish response, Honda’s engineers managed to make the CR-V’s transmission feel quick, especially in Sport mode. The CR-V’s car-like road manners, nimble handling, and low curb weight of 3,337 pounds for the FWD LX model contributed to its excellent performance and fuel economy, with FWD models rated at 30 mpg combined and AWD models at 29 mpg.

The 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe offered three new powertrains. The SE and SEL trims came with a 191-horsepower 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and an eight-speed automatic transmission. The Santa Fe Hybrids featured a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, a starter/generator, an electric drive motor, and a six-speed automatic transmission, producing a total system output of 226 hp. The higher-level Limited and Calligraphy trims had a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, generating 281 hp and 311 lb-ft of torque, paired with an eight-speed wet-plate dual-clutch transmission. The Santa Fe’s driving modes included Normal, Sport, and Smart, with the turbocharged engine providing impressive performance and fuel efficiency, with an EPA rating of 24 mpg combined for AWD models.

The 2020 Honda CR-V excelled in interior space and clever storage solutions. Its cabin was roomy, with good head- and legroom for both the driver and passengers. The CR-V’s excellent seating position and low cowl provided great front visibility. The cargo compartment was spacious, offering 75.8 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded. The CR-V also featured a smart two-position load floor and large door pockets, making it easy to store and access items.

The 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe, designed for those who didn’t need a third-row seat, offered added passenger room and comfort. All trims included dual-zone automatic climate control, with stain-resistant fabric seats in lower trims and leather in higher trims. The Calligraphy trim featured premium Nappa leather and a suede-like headliner. The Santa Fe’s rear seat was spacious and comfortable, with air-conditioning vents, quick-charge USB ports, a power outlet, and rear side-window sunshades. The cargo space was 36.4 cubic feet with the rear seats up and 72.1 cubic feet with the seats folded, providing ample room for a family of four on a long road trip.

The 2020 Honda CR-V showed its age in terms of infotainment. The base LX trim came with a 5-inch screen, while higher trims had a 7-inch touchscreen, both of which were small compared to competitors. The system lacked hard buttons, making it challenging to operate, and even Apple CarPlay and Android Auto felt tacked on. However, the CR-V did offer plenty of USB ports in the EX trim and above, with two in the front and two high-powered ports in the backseat. The Touring trim also included a wireless phone charger.

The 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy was loaded with technology. It featured a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a surround-view camera system, and an 8.5-inch color head-up display. The basic 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system came with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while the new 10.25-inch touchscreen offered wired versions, upgraded voice-recognition technology, and enhanced Blue Link connected services. The Santa Fe also included a 12-speaker Harman Kardon surround-sound system and Blue Link’s connected services platform, which provided a range of features, including remote engine start and climate control adjustment.

The 2020 Honda CR-V came standard with the “Honda Sensing” system, which included forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, road-departure mitigation, and adaptive cruise control with lane-keeping assist. EX trims and above also had blind-spot monitoring and cross-traffic monitoring. The CR-V earned five stars in NHTSA crash tests and a Top Safety Pick designation from the IIHS, with the Touring trim’s LED headlights improving nighttime visibility.

The 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe offered an impressive list of safety features, especially in the Calligraphy trim. It included forward-collision warning with pedestrian, cyclist, and junction turning assistance, Safe Exit Assist, and a rear-occupant alert system. The Santa Fe also featured a Blind-Spot View Monitor, Highway Driving Assist, and earned a Top Safety Pick designation from the IIHS when equipped with LED projector headlights.