2020 Jeep Wrangler vs 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe

When shopping for a new 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe, buyers had the choice 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 elements 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. 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. Overall, the Hyundai Santa Fe looked different, inside and out, appealing to those who appreciated daring design.

Jeeps were unmistakable on the road, especially Wranglers, with their circular headlights, seven-slat grille, and boxy styling. The Wrangler Unlimited looked more like a fully enclosed “recreational utility vehicle” than a commuter car, thanks to features like the fold-down windshield, removable doors, and exposed hinges and bolts. Inside, Jeep invested effort to keep the cabin fresh, opting for a retro look with circular climate vents and gauges. The result was an SUV that made the most of its ergonomic shortcomings by going straight for brutish utility with a dash of style.

Trims for the Wrangler Unlimited included Sport, Sport S, Sahara, and Rubicon. The Sport had a USB port, a 5-inch touchscreen system, and eight speakers, with manual windows and locks. The Sport S added power windows and locks, air conditioning, and remote keyless entry. The Sahara was the most upscale trim, featuring body-color fender flares, 18-inch alloy wheels, and bigger brakes. The Rubicon was the king of the mountain, with a slightly taller ride height, big mud-terrain tires, and a lifted off-road suspension. Special editions like the Willys, Black and Tan, Sport Altitude, Freedom, Sahara Altitude, North Edition, and Rubicon Recon added unique features and styling.

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 ideal for this weight. Instead, the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, making 235 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque, was the better choice. This engine provided a significant performance boost, with torque available quickly 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 would get 23 mpg in combined driving, and the test model returned 22.1 mpg.

Driving the turbocharged Hyundai Santa Fe was pleasant, with a smooth ride, decent handling, light-effort steering, and effective brakes. The Limited trim had laminated windshield and front window glass, making the highway ride quiet. The Santa Fe handled moderate off-roading with ease but lacked driver engagement, making it more of a tool than a toy.

The base engine in the Wrangler Unlimited was a 3.6-liter V6 making 285 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, with a 6-speed manual standard. An 8-speed automatic was available with the V6 and was the only transmission option for other engines. The turbocharged 4-cylinder engine made 270 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. The new-for-2020 3.0-liter V6 turbodiesel made 260 hp and an impressive 442 lb-ft of torque, providing excellent performance at lower speeds and for overtaking on the highway.

The Wrangler Unlimited had a rough ride compared to car-based SUVs like the Honda CR-V or Toyota RAV4. It was at home on the trail, navigating rocks and ruts with ease. The diesel engine allowed for precise hill climbing and rock crawling. The locking front and rear differentials and disconnecting front sway bar enhanced off-road performance. The diesel engine returned fuel economy of 22 mpg city, 29 highway, and 25 combined. The most efficient gas-powered version, the 4-cylinder turbo with the 8-speed automatic, returned 21 mpg city, 22 highway, and 21 combined.

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 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. Legroom and thigh support made it a good place to spend time, and the rear seats reclined for added comfort. Cargo space was 35.9 cubic feet behind the rear seat and a maximum of 71.3 cubic feet, with large storage compartments under the cargo floor. The hands-free “smart” liftgate was a convenient feature, sensing the key fob in proximity to the rear of the vehicle and opening the tailgate automatically.

The Wrangler was available in two basic forms: the standard two-door Wrangler and the four-door Wrangler Unlimited. The four-door Unlimited was a sales success for Jeep. The doors came off, and the windshield folded down, with a small tool kit provided for removing hex bolts or brackets. The most popular feature was the droppable and removable roof, with options for a base soft top, a tan soft top, and a black three-piece hardtop. The Sky One-Touch roof was a hardtop with a retractable piece of cloth that accordioned back without requiring any work.

With the top on and the rear bench lowered flat, the Wrangler Unlimited had about 72 cubic feet of cargo space, less than significantly less-capable SUVs like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. The Wrangler offered unique features and capabilities, but comfort and cargo space were sacrificed for off-road performance.

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, and a programmable button. Every Santa Fe had Bluetooth connectivity and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration. The SEL trim added SiriusXM satellite radio 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 Sport and Sport S trims of the Wrangler came with a basic 5-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth and USB connectivity. The Rubicon and Sahara had a 7-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Sahara and Rubicon were available with an 8.4-inch Uconnect infotainment system, adding navigation, HD Radio, real-time traffic and weather updates, a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, and automatic high beams. The 8.4 Uconnect package also added an Alpine premium audio system with a large subwoofer.

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). Standard safety features included 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. The Limited trim included a Blind-Spot View Monitor.

The Wrangler’s standard safety equipment included airbags, electronic roll mitigation, and a backup camera located on the hub of the external spare tire. The base safety package added rear parking sensors, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-path detection. The Advanced Safety Group added adaptive cruise control and full-speed forward-collision warning. The test model also had automatic high beams.