2020 Hyundai Santa Fe vs 2020 Jeep Compass

When shopping for a new 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe, buyers had to choose 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 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. 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. However, build quality was exceptionally good, and the controls operated with refinement.

The 2020 Jeep Compass, like the Grand Cherokee, was a handsome SUV. It came in four core trim levels: Sport, Latitude, Limited, and Trailhawk, with various packages and special edition trim upgrades available. Prices started at $22,280 for a Compass Sport with front-wheel drive (FWD) and a six-speed manual transmission. The High Altitude upgrade for the Compass Limited, priced from $32,645 with all-wheel drive (AWD), was available for those willing to spend more. The test vehicle was a 2020 Compass Limited with AWD, a black-painted roof, every option package except for the Trailer Tow Group and a Graphics Package, a power panoramic sunroof, a navigation system, a premium sound system, and a spare tire, totaling $39,755 including the $1,495 destination charge.

Jeep often offered big discounts on the Compass, and it was a benefit that Jeep provided many appealing upgrades unusual in the small SUV space. The test vehicle had soft-touch surfaces in the locations most likely to be touched, a premium grade of leather, and sophisticated technology. However, for every surprise and delight element, there was a counterbalance in the form of low-rent glossy plastic pieces or flimsy-feeling parts. Despite these drawbacks, the current model was a significant improvement over the original Compass.

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, shared with the Kia Sorento, was not the preferred choice. Instead, the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, making 235 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque between 1,450 rpm and 3,500 rpm, was recommended. This engine provided a significant performance boost, 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. The test vehicle had FWD and suffered from torque steer under hard acceleration, an issue that disappeared with AWD. Properly equipped, the Santa Fe had a towing capacity of 3,500 pounds. The EPA estimated a Santa Fe 2.0T front-driver to get 23 mpg in combined driving, and the test model returned 22.1 mpg.

The Santa Fe offered a smooth ride, decent handling, light-effort steering, and brakes that withstood some abuse while allowing the driver to bring the SUV to a clean stop. The Limited trim had laminated windshield and front window glass, making the highway ride nice and quiet. The Santa Fe handled moderate off-roading with unexpected ease but lacked driver engagement, making it more of a tool than a toy.

The 2020 Jeep Compass featured a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine called Tigershark, producing 180 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and 175 pound-feet of torque at 3,900 rpm. However, it was loud, slow, and thirsty, with sluggish acceleration and nearly non-existent passing power. The test vehicle averaged 23.1 mpg, falling short of the EPA fuel economy rating of 25 mpg in combined driving. The nine-speed automatic transmission often shifted harshly or resisted downshifts, and the automatic engine stop/start system affected air conditioning performance on warm days. The suspension controlled body roll but allowed too much vertical motion and impact harshness. The steering was heavy and vague, and the brake pedal was sensitive until acclimated to it.

The Compass was a decent tool for regular off-roading, especially in Trailhawk trim with added ground clearance, an Active Drive Low AWD system with a 20:1 crawl ratio, and an exclusive Rock driving mode. The test vehicle’s simpler AWD system included a 50:50 Lock mode and the Selec-Terrain traction system with Automatic, Snow, Sand, and Mud choices. The Compass handled a moderately difficult trail without issues.

The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe offered thoughtful attention to detail, 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 test model also included a heated steering wheel. 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 in the Limited trim. Legroom and thigh support made it a good place to spend time, and the rear seats reclined for added comfort. The Santa Fe had 35.9 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seat and a maximum of 71.3 cubic feet, falling short in this regard but still big compared to most compact SUVs. Large storage compartments under the cargo floor were a positive note. The hands-free “smart” liftgate was a convenient feature, sensing the key fob in proximity to the rear of the vehicle and opening automatically.

The 2020 Jeep Compass test vehicle had the new-for-2020 Luxury Seat Group, adding premium leather, ventilated front seats, a power-adjustable front passenger’s seat, and a memory function for the driver’s settings. The back seat was roomy, with air conditioning vents, a USB charging port, and a 115-volt power outlet for rear passengers. The Compass had 27.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seat and a maximum of 59.8 cubic feet with the back seat folded down. The optional spare tire and Alpine subwoofer housing took up some luggage room. Scant storage room inside the cabin and awkwardly positioned cupholders could cause aggravation.

The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe’s touchscreen infotainment system was a shining example of this technology done right. It had stereo control knobs, main menu shortcut buttons, a programmable button, Bluetooth connectivity, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration. The SEL trim added SiriusXM satellite radio with a free three-month subscription and Blue Link connected services with three free years of service. The 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. The voice recognition system was remarkably sophisticated, responding to naturally spoken commands with little trouble.

The 2020 Jeep Compass offered an excellent available Uconnect infotainment system with an 8.4-inch touchscreen display, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity, and 4G LTE WiFi connectivity. It was ready for extra-cost SiriusXM Guardian connected services, which added emergency calling, a vehicle finder, remote engine starting, and more. The test vehicle had a navigation system and an Alpine premium audio system. Uconnect was intuitive and featured appealing graphics, though some features were embedded into menus that should have been more easily accessible buttons. The voice recognition system worked well with naturally spoken requests, but navigation required more specific prompts. Overall, Uconnect impressed.

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 with stop-and-go capability, 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 in with the owner’s Blue Link smartphone app. The Limited trim included a new Blind-Spot View Monitor, showing a live video feed of what was in the Santa Fe’s blind spots.

The 2020 Jeep Compass extended the availability of its driving assistance and collision avoidance technology to the base Sport trim level. This technology was optional and included in both the Safety and Security Group and the Advanced Safety Group. The test vehicle had adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic warning. These systems performed to average expectations, with the adaptive cruise control overreacting to changes in traffic and the lane-keeping assist occasionally being more insistent with corrective action than desired. The Compass earned Good ratings in all IIHS tests except for headlight performance. The NHTSA gave the Compass a mix of three-star, four-star, and five-star ratings.