2023 Hyundai Santa Fe vs 2023 Lexus GX

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe had a more conservative exterior styling compared to some of Hyundai's recent designs. While it was still an attractive SUV, it didn't have the stand-out looks of other models in the brand's lineup. This was expected to change with the next redesign, likely for the 2024 model year. For 2023, the Santa Fe continued with the same look and feel as the 2022 model, available in five trim levels: SE, SEL, XRT, Limited, and Calligraphy. Our test vehicle was a top-of-the-line Calligraphy AWD trim, featuring Stormy Sea paint and a black-on-black interior, with a total MSRP of $45,845.

The Santa Fe's exterior had a distinctive wide upper and lower grille, a common feature in the Hyundai model family. Thin LED headlights added to its unique look, but the design normalized quickly from the front turn signal lamps to the rears. Inside, the Calligraphy trim had a high-quality black interior with Nappa leather seats, which were both comfortable and attractive. Heated and cooled front seats were standard, and the second row also featured seat heaters. The cabin, while high-quality, was dark and monotone, and a beige or gray interior was recommended for more visual contrast.

The 2023 Lexus GX had a commanding visual presence with its huge spindle grille, 8.1 inches of ground clearance, and a total height of 74.2 inches. The front end looked ready to dominate the road, framed by massive headlights. The GX Black Line Special Edition returned for 2023, limited to 3,000 units and available in three paint colors: Obsidian, Eminent White Pearl, and Nori Green Pearl. Despite its luxury badge, the GX's dimensions seemed to shrink when viewed from the side, with a short 109.8-inch wheelbase and minimal overhangs, making it look engineered for off-road capabilities.

The GX's interior had a disappointing amount of plastic material, which didn't match its luxury badge and price tag. However, it still featured plenty of luxury touches, such as heated and cooled front seats, a power-retracting steering wheel, and impressive leather upholstery. The GX's design leaned sleeker compared to the blocky designs of Toyota's current lineup, making it easier to place in technical driving situations. Despite its age, Lexus continued to improve the GX's driving dynamics, with strong, solid brakes and a Torsen torque-sensing limited-slip differential for better handling in various conditions.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe offered two engine options: a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 191 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque, and a turbocharged version boosting output to 281 hp and 311 pound-feet. The naturally aspirated engine was available in SE, SEL, and XRT trims, while the turbocharged engine was exclusive to the Limited and Calligraphy trims. Both engines were paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, with the turbocharged version using a "wet" dual-clutch automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive was standard, with all-wheel drive available as an option on all trims.

The turbocharged Santa Fe provided a significant performance boost, with immediate acceleration and no discernible turbo lag. The handling was smooth, with only slight body lean during cornering. The Santa Fe's towing capacity was 2,000 pounds for the non-turbo version and 3,500 pounds for the turbo version, with trailer brakes required for maximum capacity. The Santa Fe's performance, ride, and handling rivaled other SUVs at its price point, making it a strong contender in its class.

The 2023 Lexus GX was defined by its 4.6-liter V8 engine, producing 301 horsepower and 329 pound-feet of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. While it didn't win many battles on paper, the V8 provided a satisfying linear power delivery and a distinctive sound. The GX had a towing capacity of 6,500 pounds, making it more capable than most three-row crossovers, but it lagged behind other SUVs in terms of fuel economy, with EPA estimates of 15 mpg city, 19 highway, and 16 combined.

The GX's weight affected its handling, with noticeable roll through corners, but it remained predictable and controllable. The steering was vague off-center, but the brakes were strong and solid. The GX featured a Torsen torque-sensing limited-slip differential, distributing power in a 40:60 front:rear split, adjustable based on wheel slip. This made the GX more user-friendly in various driving conditions, including snow and mud. Despite its age, the GX's driving dynamics continued to improve, offering a solid and predictable driving experience.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe benefited from not having a cramped third row, resulting in more rear-seat legroom and additional cargo space. With 41.7 inches of rear-seat legroom, it was among the leaders in its class. Cargo space behind the second row was a competitive 36.4 cubic feet, expanding to 72.1 cubic feet with the second row folded down. The Santa Fe also featured an underfloor storage compartment in the cargo area. Seat comfort was a strength, with SEL and higher trims offering an eight-way power driver's seat and heated front seats.

The Santa Fe's comfort and convenience features included dual-zone climate control, a hands-free smart liftgate, and Remote Smart Parking Assist. The Calligraphy trim added a head-up display, premium door and seat accent trim, a microfiber headliner, and ambient lighting. The extended panoramic sunroof was a favorite feature, though adjusting the head-up display height required navigating vehicle-settings menus. Some minor shortcomings included the driver's seat position pushing the driver closer to the steering wheel and the wide center console cutting into leg and hip space.

The 2023 Lexus GX retained plenty of cubby space for small items, with a deep center console bin, a handy space ahead of the shifter for a phone, and conveniently placed cupholders. However, the GX lacked USB-C ports, and the door pockets were small for larger water bottles. The GX's physical controls were a blessing, with hard buttons instead of haptic-touch interfaces, though it took time to get comfortable with all the controls.

The center console lid had sliding mechanisms for adjustable armrests, and the second row was comfortable with captain's chairs or a three-across bench seat. Legroom was sufficient for most passengers, and headroom was excellent. The third row was too tight for regular use, suitable only for emergencies. The GX's side-hinged trunk door required muscle to open and offered limited cargo space, with 11.6 cubic feet behind the third row, 46.7 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 64.7 cubic feet with both rows folded.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe excelled in in-vehicle technology, with a standard 4.2-inch color LCD multi-information display in SE, SEL, and XRT trims, and a larger 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster in Limited and Calligraphy trims. The base SE trim featured an 8-inch display audio system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while higher trims had a 10.25-inch touchscreen with navigation, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, satellite radio, voice recognition, wireless device charging, digital key, and Bluelink connected services. The Limited and Calligraphy trims also included a 12-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio system.

The Santa Fe's infotainment system had clear home screen icons and logical arrangement, with extensive customization options. Voice-recognition capabilities were mixed, handling address and point-of-interest commands well but struggling with music requests and cabin temperature changes. The system had difficulty understanding commands in a quiet environment, requiring shouting into the microphone at times.

The 2023 Lexus GX's infotainment technology, revamped for the 2022 model year, already looked dated. The 10.3-inch touchscreen was an improvement, sitting high on the dash and including Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa. The Lexus Remote Touch Interface was still present but unnecessary due to the improved touchscreen. The GX included three years of Lexus Enform Remote and a 17-speaker Mark Levinson premium stereo with a CD player.

Despite the new touchscreen, the GX's tech offerings lagged behind other Lexus models, with slower response times and less crisp graphics. The GX's strength lay in its off-road capability, with a real 4WD system, a two-speed transfer case, low range, and a locking center differential. Additional off-road features included downhill assist, hill-start assist, traction control, stability control, and the Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System. The Off-Road Package added a multi-terrain monitor, transmission cooler, fuel-tank protection, crawl control, and a multi-terrain select system.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe came with a comprehensive suite of standard safety-related ADAS, including forward-collision warning with pedestrian, cyclist, and junction-turning detection, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-centering assist, driver monitoring, a safe-exit system, and a rear-seat reminder system. Highway Driving Assist was standard on SEL and above, leveraging adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability.

The Santa Fe received the highest-possible five-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the highest rating of "Top Safety Pick+" from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2022 calendar year. The Santa Fe earned Good ratings in all crashworthiness tests, with the Institute favoring the projector-type headlights in the Limited and Calligraphy trims over the reflector-type units in lower trims.

The 2023 Lexus GX had not been crash tested by the NHTSA or IIHS, but it was originally engineered for the 2010 model year, and structural safety improvements have been made since then. Despite this, the GX included advanced driver assistance systems such as automatic emergency braking, lane-departure alert, adaptive cruise control, parking assist, and automatic high beams. While it lacked some top-end features like lane-tracing assist and road-sign recognition, the GX's safety features were significantly newer than its body design.