2021 Lexus RX Hybrid vs 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe

Third-row seats add weight and reduce cargo space, so if you know you don’t need one but still want a roomy, midsize SUV, the 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe is a great choice.

This model year, a new plug-in hybrid version is the big news, but the standard 2022 Santa Fe model lineup gains a new XRT trim level that is, in Hyundai’s words, “designed to convey an outdoor lifestyle.” In plain language, that means it gets a mixture of blacked-out exterior details, unique black alloy wheels, additional lower body cladding, fake front and rear skid plates, nearly useless running boards, and roof-rail crossbars that look like basket handles.

More importantly, Hyundai also expands the availability of blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and Safe Exit Assist to the Santa Fe SE trim level, albeit not until later in the year.