2024 Lexus RX vs 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe had a more conservative exterior design compared to some of Hyundai's recent models. Despite its understated appearance, it remained an attractive SUV. The 2023 model continued with the same look and feel as the 2022 version, available in five trim levels: SE, SEL, XRT, Limited, and Calligraphy. The Calligraphy AWD trim, tested in Stormy Sea paint with a black-on-black interior, had a base price of $42,600, with additional features bringing the total MSRP to $45,845. The Santa Fe's wide upper and lower grilles and thin LED headlights were its most distinctive exterior elements.

Inside, the Calligraphy trim featured a high-quality, albeit dark and monotone, black interior with Nappa leather seats. The seats were both comfortable and attractive, with heated and cooled front seats and heated second-row seats. The cabin's overall look and feel were premium, though the black interior could benefit from a lighter color option for visual contrast. The Santa Fe's interior was well-appointed, with features like a head-up display and a panoramic sunroof enhancing the driving experience.

The 2024 Lexus RX, following a full redesign, presented a mixed bag in terms of styling. The front end was dominated by an oversized trapezoidal grille and large air inlets, creating a bulky appearance. The hood's large bump added to the awkward look, especially in lighter colors. The sides featured bulging body panels and a swooping chrome accent strip, while the rear end had a more cohesive design with a single light strip connecting the taillights.

Inside, the RX's top Luxury trim offered a more conventional and inviting layout. Faux suede inserts in the seats, doors, and roof pillars added a softer touch, while a large 14-inch infotainment touchscreen and neatly organized climate controls provided ease of use. The wide center console featured a simulated woodgrain that felt and looked like plastic, contrasting with the genuine wood inlays on the steering wheel. Despite this, the cabin was covered in premium leather and well-grained plastics, ensuring a sturdy construction.

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 delivering 281 hp and 311 pound-feet. The naturally aspirated engine was paired with a conventional eight-speed automatic transmission, while the turbocharged engine used an eight-speed "wet" dual-clutch automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive was standard, with all-wheel drive available as an option on all trims. The Santa Fe also featured a drive-mode selector with four customizable modes: Comfort, Sport, Snow, and Smart.

The turbocharged Santa Fe provided a significant performance boost, with immediate acceleration and no discernible turbo lag. The handling was smooth, with minimal body lean during cornering. The turbocharged version could tow up to 3,500 pounds, while the non-turbo model had a towing capacity of 2,000 pounds. Overall, the Santa Fe's performance was impressive for its price point, offering a balance of power, ride comfort, and handling.

The 2024 Lexus RX was available in four models, starting with the base RX 350, powered by a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine producing 275 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque. The RX 350h hybrid version had a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 246 hp and 233 pound-feet of torque, paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and standard AWD. The RX 500h F Sport Performance combined a turbo 2.4-liter engine with a hybrid powertrain, producing 366 hp and 406 pound-feet of torque, and featured a six-speed automatic transmission and AWD.

The new RX 450h+ plug-in hybrid offered 304 hp and an estimated 37 miles of electric-only range. The RX 350 and RX 350h felt underpowered compared to other luxury SUVs, with the hybrid's CVT keeping engine revs high. The RX 450h+ was quicker, reaching 60 mph in an estimated 6.2 seconds, and provided a more responsive driving experience. The RX's suspension was tuned for comfort, resulting in noticeable body roll during cornering. The F Sport Handling trim offered sharper performance, but the RX's primary focus remained on comfort.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe's decision to forgo a cramped third row resulted in more rear-seat legroom and additional cargo space. With 41.7 inches of rear-seat legroom and 36.4 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row, the Santa Fe was among the leaders in its class. Folding down the second row expanded the cargo space to 72.1 cubic feet, with an underfloor storage compartment adding to its practicality.

The Santa Fe's interior comfort was a highlight, with SEL and higher trims featuring an eight-way power driver's seat and heated front seats. The Limited trim added ventilated front seats, a power driver seat cushion extension, and heated rear seats. The Calligraphy trim included a head-up display, premium door and seat accent trim, and ambient lighting. The panoramic sunroof and head-up display were standout features, though the driver's seat height adjustment could be problematic for some.

The 2024 Lexus RX's front seats offered ample room and power adjustments, with heating standard on all models and ventilation included on all but the base trim. The wireless charging pad, wireless Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto were convenient features, while the cupholders and double-hinged armrest lid provided practical storage solutions. The rear seats were spacious, with good legroom and headroom, and standard rear climate controls and USB charge ports.

The RX's cargo space was 29.6 cubic feet behind the rear seats, expanding to 46.2 cubic feet with the second row folded. The load floor was slightly taller than competitors, requiring more effort when loading heavier items. The top Luxury trim featured one-touch power-folding buttons for the rear seats, and all trims came with a power liftgate, with hands-free operation available as an option.

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

The Santa Fe's infotainment system was user-friendly, with clearly marked home screen icons and extensive customization options. The voice-recognition system had mixed results, handling navigation commands well but struggling with music and climate control requests. Despite some challenges, the system's overall capability was impressive for a mass-market brand.

The 2024 Lexus RX's redesigned infotainment system featured a touchscreen interface, with a 9.8-inch display in lower trims and a 14-inch display in higher trims. The system's menus were logical, with sharp graphics and quick responses. Natural speech commands allowed for easy adjustments to climate control and navigation, though it wasn't as feature-rich as some competitors.

The RX's steering wheel had multi-function pads for phone, music, and cruise control settings, with a head-up display providing additional information. The cloud-based navigation system was prone to connectivity issues and required a subscription after a two-year trial. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were reliable alternatives, and the available 21-speaker Mark Levinson surround sound system offered excellent audio quality.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe came with a comprehensive suite of standard safety-related ADAS, including forward-collision warning, 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 trims. The Santa Fe received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA and a "Top Safety Pick+" rating from the IIHS.

The 2024 Lexus RX earned five stars in overall and side collision protection from the NHTSA, with four stars in frontal and rollover tests. The FWD RX 350 received four stars for overall protection. The IIHS awarded the RX its highest score of "Good" in most crashworthiness evaluations, except for the new moderate frontal overlap test, where it was rated "Poor." Despite this, the RX was named a Top Safety Pick.

All RX models came standard with the Lexus Safety System+ 3.0 suite, including adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and a rear passenger safe-exit system. The Premium trim added parking proximity sensors, while the Luxury trim included a head-up display. Additional features included a digital rearview mirror, a surround-view camera system, a semi-automated parking system, and a highway driving assist system.