2020 Acura MDX vs 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe

When shopping for a new 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe, buyers chose between SE, SEL, and Limited trim levels. Versions with a “2.0T” in the trim name received a power and performance upgrade courtesy of a turbocharged engine. All-wheel drive (AWD) was an option, allowing the automatic transmission to transfer power from the front wheels to the rear wheels when necessary. Aside from deciding about AWD, a turbocharged engine, and—if you were getting the SEL—an optional Convenience Package, buyers picked a paint color, interior color, and upgrades from a shortlist of dealer-installed accessories. The test vehicle had Limited 2.0T trim and a set of dealer-installed floor mats, bringing the price to $39,170.

The Santa Fe's design was bold and experimental, which might not have appealed to everyone. Controversial points included the grille shape, stacked front lighting elements, asymmetrical fender stampings and wheel well shapes, and the oversized rear “skid plate” trim. Inside, the dual-cowl dashboard design swept into door panels containing diamond-textured speaker grilles. Versions with gray or beige interior colors presented a high-contrast visual feast. However, materials quality didn’t quite match Hyundai’s high-style design, with glossy plastic covering the lower half of the interior and fairly stiff leather seat upholstery. Build quality was exceptionally good, and the controls operated with refinement.

The Acura MDX was a good-looking crossover SUV, though its styling was neither groundbreaking nor breathtaking. It fit in well without drawing much attention. Acura’s signature Jewel Eye headlights added function and a rich look to the front of the vehicle, with five LED elements per side arranged horizontally. The headlights flanked a trapezoidal grille with a big Acura logo at the center, anchoring an expressive face. For a three-row SUV, the MDX was pleasantly sleek and low-slung, with chiseled details and a fast roofline. Paint and chrome were flawless, always an Acura strength.

Inside, the MDX had a modern and simple look, without excessive padding and stitching. The center stack was a highlight, featuring twin infotainment screens—a high-mounted 8.0-inch LED screen for the navigation system over an On Demand Multi-Use Display (ODMD) touchscreen and three rows of buttons with a big command wheel at the center. The MDX felt particularly solid and well-built, thanks to high-quality materials and superior fit and finish. Knobs and switches actuated with authority, and materials had a rewarding feel.

The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe had a minimum curb weight of 3,591 pounds and a maximum of 3,946 pounds. The standard 185-horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine was not the preferred choice. Instead, the 2.0T trim installed a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, making 235 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque between 1,450 rpm and 3,500 rpm. These figures represented increases of 50 hp and 82 lb-ft over the standard power plant, with torque available much faster after stepping on the gas pedal. The eight-speed automatic transmission funneled power to the front wheels unless the optional AWD system was chosen. Properly equipped, the Santa Fe had a towing capacity of 3,500 pounds. The EPA estimated a Santa Fe 2.0T front-driver should get 23 mpg in combined driving, and the test model returned 22.1 mpg.

The Santa Fe was quick, compliant, and communicative, with a smooth ride, decent handling, light-effort steering, and brakes that withstood some abuse. Limited trim had laminated windshield and front window glass, making the highway ride nice and quiet. The Santa Fe handled moderate off-roading with ease but lacked driver engagement, making it more of a tool than a toy.

The 2020 MDX came with a choice of two powertrains: a naturally-aspirated 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 290 horsepower and 267 pound-feet of torque, coupled to a nine-speed automatic transmission with a choice of front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. Alternatively, the MDX Sport Hybrid used a 3.0-liter V6 gasoline engine and three electric motors, producing a combined system power of 321 hp and 289 lb-ft of torque, hooked up to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT) and all-wheel drive. The gasoline-only model with Acura’s Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive system (SH-AWD) displayed good straight-line performance, with enthusiastic takeoff and acceleration.

The MDX was surprisingly nimble in corners and curves, especially with SH-AWD, which incorporated torque-vectoring technology. This feature directed power to the outside wheel during a cornering maneuver, sharpening turn-in and improving handling. The MDX’s four-wheel independent suspension soaked up bumps, making it a comfortable companion for long drives.

The two-row Hyundai Santa Fe was thoughtfully designed with creative storage spaces and stain-resistant fabric in versions with cloth seats. The test vehicle had eight-way power-adjustable, heated, and ventilated front seats, with the driver’s seat including four-way power-adjustable lumbar support and an extending thigh support. The dual-zone automatic climate control system included a Clean Air ionizer, and the air conditioning was effective even with the massive panoramic glass sunroof. The back seat was comfortable for adults, with air conditioning vents, rear side-window sunshades, and heated bottom cushions. However, cargo space was limited, with 35.9 cubic feet behind the rear seat and a maximum of 71.3 cubic feet. Large storage compartments under the cargo floor were a positive note, and the hands-free “smart” liftgate was a convenient feature.

The MDX had sliding and reclining second-row seats, making it easier to access the third row and share legroom between rows. Headroom was good in all three rows. There was room for 15.8 cubic feet of luggage behind the third row, which folded flat to open 43.4 cubic feet of cargo space. The second row also folded flat, leaving a 90.9-cubic-foot cargo hold. Up front, there was a big glove box, a drop-down sunglass pocket, and a flexible center console with two big cupholders and a sliding armrest. Second-row passengers had cupholders on the back of the center console and front-seat back pouches, while third-row passengers had an outboard armrest with a storage bin and cup holder. The MDX featured tri-zone climate control, allowing separate heating/cooling options for the driver, front-seat passenger, and rear cabin positions.

The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe’s touchscreen infotainment system was a shining example of technology done right. It had stereo control knobs, main menu shortcut buttons, and a programmable button for any function. Every Santa Fe had Bluetooth connectivity and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration. The SEL trim added SiriusXM satellite radio, Blue Link connected services with three free years of service, remote engine starting, automatic emergency assistance, a remote car finder function, and the ability to program speed, curfew, and geographic boundary alerts. Limited trim added a larger 8-inch display, a navigation system, a surround-view camera, wireless smartphone charging, and a 12-speaker Infinity surround sound system. The head-up display provided a wealth of data on the windshield within the driver’s line of sight, including blind spot information.

The 2020 Acura MDX came with standard Siri Eyes Free, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, hands-free Bluetooth, SMS/MMS text message and email capability, a CD/MP3 and WMA-compatible compact disc player, five USB ports, SiriusXM satellite radio, and an eight-speaker audio system. The Technology Package added rain-sensing windshield wipers, LED puddle lights, front and rear parking sensors, navigation with Acura Real-Time Traffic and Traffic Rerouting, GPS-linked climate control, remote engine start, and Acura/ELS Studio Premium Audio with 10 speakers. The Advance Package added the Active Damper System suspension, LED fog lights, heated and ventilated front seats, power front lumbar support, heated rear outboard seats, a surround-view camera system, Head-Up Warning, and two third-row USB charge ports. The Entertainment Package added a DVD rear entertainment system with a 110-volt power outlet and wireless headphones.

The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe earned a five-star overall crash-test rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and a Top Safety Pick rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Every Santa Fe was equipped with adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, a driver monitoring system, and a rear-seat reminder system. The SEL trim added blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic warning, and a safe exit assist system. The SEL Convenience Package included an ultrasonic occupant alert system tied to the Blue Link smartphone app. Limited trim included a Blind-Spot View Monitor, showing a live video feed of the blind spots.

The 2020 Acura MDX came with standard AcuraWatch, including adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, and automatic emergency braking. The Technology Package added blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, and the Advance Package added Head-Up Warning. Additional safety equipment included a rearview camera, front airbags, front-side airbags, side curtain airbags with rollover sensor, driver’s knee airbag, stability control, Trailer Stability Assist, tire pressure monitoring, LATCH child-seat mounts, and a theft-deterrent system. The MDX’s “Next-Generation Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) Body Structure” was designed to absorb impact and transfer energy away from occupants. The IIHS rated the MDX as “good” for all crash-test categories, “acceptable” for headlights, “superior” for front crash prevention, and “acceptable” for LATCH ease of use. The NHTSA gave the MDX a five-star overall safety rating.