2021 Mazda CX-5 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 didn't always appeal 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 couldn'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.

Mazda took a different approach with the 2021 CX-5, opting for a smooth, sleek design that looked slippery even when standing still. The base CX-5 Sport came with automatic on/off LED headlights, 17-inch gray metallic aluminum alloy wheels, a rear roof spoiler, and rain-sensing windshield wipers. The higher-tier Touring added rear privacy glass, leatherette seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, keyless entry, two rear USB ports, a six-speaker audio system, and auto-leveling LED headlights. The Touring Preferred SV Package added a 10-speaker Bose sound system, leather seats, a power liftgate, power moonroof, auto-dimming rearview mirror with Homelink, and power-adjustable seats.

The CX-5 Carbon Edition combined features of the Touring grade with the Touring Preferred SV Package, plus a Polymetal Gray paint job, gloss black door mirrors, and 19-inch black metallic aluminum alloy wheels. The interior had red leather seats and black honeycomb interior trim. The Grand Touring added dual heated mirrors, leatherette-trimmed upholstery, 19-inch brilliant silver aluminum alloy wheels, LED taillights, LED fog lights, and LED daytime running lights. The Grand Touring Reserve added ventilated seats, heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel, automatic folding door mirrors, and windshield wiper de-icer. The top-tier Signature model featured Caturra Brown Nappa leather seats, genuine wood trim, a frameless auto-dimming rearview mirror with Homelink, ambient lighting, a black headliner, and 19-inch silver aluminum alloy wheels. The materials of the interior felt good in hand and were above what you'd typically find in a compact crossover.

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. This engine provided significant increases over the standard power plant, and the torque was available much faster. An 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 would get 23 mpg in combined driving, and the test model returned 22.1 mpg.

The 2021 Mazda CX-5 offered two engine options. The CX-5 Sport had a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 187 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. FWD was standard, and AWD was available. The CX-5 Touring also had the base engine, while the Carbon Edition offered a choice between the 2.5-liter unit and a 250-hp turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder delivering 320 lb-ft of torque. The Grand Touring Reserve and Signature trims came with the turbo-four and standard AWD. The most fuel-efficient version was the FWD non-turbo engine, earning 25 mpg in the city, 31 mpg on the highway, and 28 mpg combined. Models with the turbocharged engine were slightly less fuel-efficient. The turbo engine delivered plenty of power, combining with the CX-5’s engaging driving style for a fun time behind the wheel. However, the SUV’s stiff suspension was a noticeable downside.

The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe featured 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. However, the Santa Fe fell short in cargo space, 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 2021 Mazda CX-5’s design execution allowed it to fulfill most family functions in comfort and style. The seating position, distance to the center stack, and comfort level of the seats were typical of an SUV of its size. Headroom was good in both rows, but legroom suffered for back seat passengers. The CX-5 had two full LATCH connections on the rear outboard seats and a tether connector on the middle rear seat. The climate controls were straightforward and easy to use. However, the larger shifter took up a fair amount of passenger space, and the infotainment system controls were not in the most intuitive position. The CX-5 had 30.9 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row and 59.6 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, which was below average for the segment. A power liftgate was available.

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. A 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.

Every 2021 Mazda CX-5 came standard with a 10.25-inch infotainment touch screen. While the size was marvelous, Mazda’s operating system was not. The information presented on the screen was not in keeping with modern design and proved troublesome to use via the knob in the center console. There were no knobs for quickly tuning the stereo or scrolling through favorites, though the volume could be easily adjusted via a switch on the steering wheel or a knob in the center console. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto came standard, allowing users to bypass some of the system’s shortcomings.

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 owner’s Blue Link smartphone app. The Limited trim included a Blind-Spot View Monitor, showing a live video feed of the blind spots.

The 2021 Mazda CX-5 had a long list of standard safety features, including adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, forward collision warning, rear cross-traffic alert, forward automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, lane keep assist, and a rearview camera. Additional features included a head-up display, reverse automatic emergency braking, driver attention monitoring, a surround-view camera system, front and rear parking sensors, and traffic sign recognition. The CX-5 earned a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS and a five-star rating from the NHTSA. Mazda backed the CX-5 with a three-year/36,000-mile basic warranty and a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty.