2023 Jeep Compass vs 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe

From a styling standpoint, the 2023 Jeep Compass reflected a refined rather than rugged Jeep design ethos. The iconic round headlights and square taillights were phased out in favor of a more grown-up, upscale look akin to the Cherokee, Grand Cherokee, and Wagoneer families. This year, the Compass Sport and Latitude models received a new 17-inch wheel design, with the Compass Trailhawk sporting wheels painted in gloss black. Additionally, the Compass Red editions were available in black or silver paint, complementing the classic red.

Jeep offered the 2023 Compass in five core trim levels: Sport, Latitude, Latitude Lux, Limited, and Trailhawk. Special-edition models included Altitude, Red, and High Altitude. Base prices ranged from just under $32,000 to over $40,000, making it a costly option in the small SUV segment, and that was before adding any options.

The Limited trim of our test vehicle featured extra-cost paint, the Elite Group, the Sun and Sound Group, and the Driver Assist Group, leading to an MSRP of $45,800, including the $1,595 destination charge from its Toluca, Mexico manufacturing facility. With Granite Crystal paint and optional multi-spoke 19-inch wheels, the Compass Limited bore a strong resemblance to a scaled-down Grand Cherokee. Inside, the two-tone black and gray cabin with caramel accents felt premium, aided by sophisticated digital displays, metallic trim, and low-gloss plastics.

In contrast, the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe broke away from the gradual aesthetic evolution of the Hyundai brand and took a novel approach. Its design embraced an unconventional boxy silhouette aimed at optimizing storage capacity while maintaining elegance. Hyundai’s design chief SangYup Lee mentioned the goal was to make this box both elegant and premium-looking.

The sophisticated exterior palette included several matte options and a new anodized-finish badging inspired by the Ioniq 6, resulting in an upscale, head-turning vehicle. The XRT trim level featured dark chrome and black cladding and trim, with the Limited and Hybrid Calligraphy versions sporting 20-inch wheels and the gas-only Calligraphy getting 21-inch wheels.

Inside, the Santa Fe offered premium styling in both the XRT and Calligraphy trims tested. Despite some hard materials in less prominent areas, the cabin was designed for comfort, with plenty of padded surfaces and a cocooning fabric headliner that added a touch of luxury.

The 2023 Jeep Compass introduced a new powertrain that significantly improved its performance. The standard turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine produced 200 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque, with peak torque available between 1,750 and 4,250 rpm and maximum horsepower at 5,000 rpm. Paired with a new eight-speed automatic transmission and standard Jeep Active Drive all-wheel-drive (AWD) system, the Compass demonstrated a considerable performance leap from its previous iterations.

The Trailhawk variant came equipped with a Jeep Active Drive Low AWD system with a low range, a 20:1 crawl ratio, hill descent control, more aggressive tires, skid plates, and recovery hooks. Its lifted suspension provided 8.6 inches of ground clearance, enhancing its off-roading capabilities. However, on paved roads, the new powertrain made the Compass more confident and less of a chore to drive, though its narrow and stubby design led to noticeable body motions on uneven surfaces.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe also showcased improvements with its 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, producing 277 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. While front-wheel drive (FWD) was standard, all-wheel drive (AWD) was an option, and the XRT trim came with AWD as standard. The Santa Fe offered Normal, Sport, and Snow driving modes, with the XRT adding off-road modes.

Projected fuel economy for the Santa Fe in FWD configuration was 20 mpg city, 29 mpg highway, and 24 mpg combined. AWD models rated slightly lower, with the XRT achieving 19/26/22 mpg due to its increased ground clearance and robust tires. Moreover, it had a towing capacity of 4,500 pounds for the XRT trim due to its enhanced cooling system.

On the road, the Santa Fe Calligraphy provided a smooth and stable driving experience, although it exhibited notable body roll through turns. The off-road-capable XRT performed admirably on rougher terrain, thanks to its ground clearance and robust tires, making it suitable for trips to remote campsites.

Inside the 2023 Jeep Compass, adults were accommodated comfortably in both rows of seats, despite the vehicle's narrow design, which aided maneuverability. Standard features included an air filtration system and available amenities like a humidity-sensing dual-zone automatic climate control system and a dual-pane sunroof. Cloth upholstery was standard in Sport and Latitude models, while higher trims offered leather seats and an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat.

The Compass provided 27.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seat, expandable to 59.8 cubic feet with the rear seat folded. The adjustable load floor offered either maximum volume or underfloor storage space. Models with a manually adjustable front passenger seat could fold it to carry long items inside.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe, on the other hand, significantly improved interior space by extending the wheelbase and overall dimensions, primarily benefiting the cargo area. With emphasis on the “chabak” concept, the Santa Fe featured an extra-wide tailgate and ample storage to facilitate car camping and tailgating.

Though the third-row seats were snug, the first and second rows offered excellent comfort. The second row featured options for either a bench seat or reclining captain’s chairs, depending on trim. The cargo area provided 14.6 cubic feet of space, expanding to 40.5 and 79.6 cubic feet with the third and second rows folded, respectively. Limited and Calligraphy trims introduced an innovative UV sanitization compartment within the glovebox, adding a touch of practicality and luxury.

Every 2023 Jeep Compass featured a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system integrated with Uconnect 5 technology, supporting wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and Alexa Skill. Over-the-air updates kept the system up to date. Higher trims added a 10.25-inch digital instrumentation panel, embedded navigation, and a nine-speaker Alpine premium sound system.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe took technology a step further with its curved panoramic display that blended seamlessly above the center console. This innovative feature was exclusive to the XRT, Limited, and Calligraphy trims. The touchscreen system included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 12-speaker Bose stereo, dynamic voice recognition, and a Wi-Fi hot spot, among others. SE and SEL trims featured a simpler 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment display. Additionally, Hyundai’s BlueLink system allowed vehicle access via an app, replacing the need for a physical key fob in SEL and higher trims.

For 2023, the Jeep Compass introduced a standard drowsy driver detection system and a rear-seat reminder system, with automatic high-beam headlights available for all trims except the base Sport. Standard safety features included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. Optional features included adaptive cruise control and a traffic sign recognition system. Highway Assist was available on Trailhawk, Limited, and High Altitude trims, offering semi-autonomous driving on highways.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe came equipped with an extensive list of standard safety features, including a reversing camera, adaptive cruise control, forward collision-avoidance assist, blind-spot monitors, and rear cross-traffic alert. Higher trims added features like a 360-degree camera system, blind-spot view monitor, rain-sensing windshield wipers, and a head-up display. Notably, the Santa Fe included a driver monitoring system across all trims, enhancing safety by tracking driver alertness.