2020 Hyundai Santa Fe vs 2020 Land Rover Range Rover Velar

The 2020 Land Rover Range Rover Velar was a stylish SUV that struck a balance between the sleek Evoque and the boxy Range Rover. Its low roof and steeply-raked windshield gave it a unique profile, distinct from the traditional upright Range Rover. The Velar maintained an intimidating presence with its broad front end, while its short overhangs improved off-road capabilities. The SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition added sportier touches, including larger air intakes and quad exhaust tips, enhancing its aggressive look. Inside, the Velar featured high-quality leather and metal trim, creating a luxurious, cockpit-like feel.

In contrast, the 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe offered a bold and experimental design that was not universally appealing. Its grille shape, stacked lighting elements, and asymmetrical fender stampings were points of contention. However, the interior was dramatic, with a dual-cowl dashboard and diamond-textured speaker grilles. The materials used were not as high-quality as the design suggested, but the build quality was excellent. The Santa Fe's daring design was a standout feature, appealing to those who appreciated a unique aesthetic.

The 2020 Land Rover Range Rover Velar introduced a significant performance upgrade with the SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition, featuring a 5.0-liter supercharged V8 engine producing 550 horsepower and 502 pound-feet of torque. This engine allowed the Velar to accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds, with a top speed of 177 mph. Despite these impressive figures, it was not the fastest in its class. The Velar's aluminum platform provided a solid and refined driving experience, but it felt large on tight roads. The rest of the Velar's powertrain lineup included a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four with 247 hp and a 3.0-liter supercharged V6 with up to 380 hp. Off-road capabilities were supported by Land Rover's Terrain Response system, although the Velar lacked a low range for serious off-roading.

The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe offered a choice between a standard 185-horsepower 2.4-liter engine and a more powerful 2.0-liter turbocharged engine with 235 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. The turbocharged engine provided better performance, especially at altitude, and was paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The Santa Fe's towing capacity was 3,500 pounds when properly equipped. Fuel economy for the 2.0T model was rated at 23 mpg combined, with our test model achieving 22.1 mpg. The Santa Fe delivered a smooth ride, decent handling, and a quiet highway experience, making it a competent daily driver.

The 2020 Land Rover Range Rover Velar was positioned between small and midsize luxury SUVs, offering competitive but not class-leading interior space. It had 15.7 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up and 48.9 cubic feet with them folded. The Velar's avant-garde styling limited headroom and visibility, creating a somewhat claustrophobic interior. The cockpit-like front seating area was cramped, but the Velar had a respectable towing capacity of up to 5,511 pounds.

The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe excelled in interior comfort and practicality. It featured eight-way power-adjustable front seats with heating and ventilation, a heated steering wheel, and a dual-zone climate control system with a Clean Air ionizer. The back seat was comfortable for adults, with air conditioning vents, sunshades, and heated cushions. Cargo space was 35.9 cubic feet behind the rear seat and 71.3 cubic feet with the seats folded. The Santa Fe also offered a hands-free smart liftgate for added convenience.

The 2020 Land Rover Range Rover Velar featured the InControl Touch Pro Duo infotainment system with dual 10.0-inch touchscreens, a WiFi hotspot, Bluetooth, and smartphone integration. The upper screen handled media and navigation, while the lower screen managed vehicle settings and climate control. The system had high-quality graphics but suffered from slow responses. Additional tech included a digital instrument cluster, head-up display, and capacitive steering-wheel controls.

The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe's infotainment system was user-friendly, with stereo control knobs, main menu shortcut buttons, and a programmable button. It included Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The SEL trim added SiriusXM, Blue Link connected services, and more. Limited trim featured a larger display, navigation, surround-view camera, and premium sound system. The Santa Fe also had a head-up display and sophisticated voice recognition.

The 2020 Land Rover Range Rover Velar lacked safety ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA. Standard safety features included automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, and parking aids. Adaptive cruise control and blind-spot monitoring were available as options. Land Rover's driver-assist tech was less sophisticated compared to competitors.

The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe received a five-star overall crash-test rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS. It came with adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and a driver monitoring system. The SEL trim added blind-spot warning and rear cross-traffic warning. Limited trim included a Blind-Spot View Monitor for enhanced safety.