2023 Toyota RAV4 vs 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe

The 2023 Toyota RAV4 was available in six trim levels, ranging from the budget-friendly RAV4 LE to the more luxurious RAV4 Limited, with off-road-oriented Adventure and TRD Off-Road trims in between. The Adventure trim, which we tested, featured a more aggressive grille, blacked-out wheels, and additional black cladding around the wheel arches. Inside, it had orange accents, including a stripe down the middle of the seats and contrast stitching, adding a touch of flair to an otherwise basic interior. The RAV4 offered a mix of fabric and synthetic leather upholstery, with higher trims providing heated and ventilated seats, dual-zone climate control, and a frameless rearview mirror for a premium feel.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe, on the other hand, presented a radical new design that deviated from Hyundai's recent aesthetic trends. The boxy shape aimed to maximize storage capacity while maintaining an upscale appearance. The Santa Fe's exterior featured sophisticated colors, matte options, and anodized-finish badging. Inside, the Santa Fe offered premium styling with a focus on comfort and functionality. The XRT and Calligraphy trims we tested had a mix of soft and hard materials, with the Calligraphy trim featuring luxurious touches like a fabric-covered headliner. The Santa Fe's interior was designed to be both elegant and practical, with ample storage and a focus on creating a relaxing space.

The 2023 Toyota RAV4 came standard with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 203 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive was standard, with all-wheel drive available as an option. The Adventure and TRD Off-Road trims came with all-wheel drive by default. The RAV4's performance was adequate but not thrilling, with the engine being somewhat noisy. The TRD Off-Road trim offered better off-road capabilities with its 18-inch wheels, Falken All-Terrain tires, and TRD-tuned suspension.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe featured a base 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 277 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque, paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive was standard, with all-wheel drive optional, except for the XRT trim, which had AWD as standard. The Santa Fe offered Normal, Sport, and Snow driving modes, with the XRT trim adding off-road modes. Later in the model year, a hybrid version with a 1.6-liter turbocharged engine and six-speed automatic transmission would be available, producing 231 hp and 271 lb-ft of torque. The Santa Fe's fuel economy varied by trim, with the base FWD model achieving 20 mpg city, 29 mpg highway, and 24 mpg combined. The XRT trim had lower ratings due to its extra ground clearance and all-terrain tires but offered increased towing capacity.

The 2023 Toyota RAV4 was designed to seat five passengers, with front-row headroom of 37.7 inches and rear headroom of 39.5 inches. Legroom measured 41 inches in the front and 37.8 inches in the rear. The RAV4 provided 37.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row, expanding to 69.8 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The interior featured convenient storage options, including a shelf running the length of the glove compartment and generous door pockets.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe, with its boxy design, offered a spacious cargo area inspired by the concept of "chabak" (car camping). The Santa Fe's wheelbase was about two inches longer than the previous generation, with a body that was two inches longer and taller. 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. The interior featured a choice of bench or captain's chairs in the second row, with various upholstery options ranging from stain-resistant cloth to plush quilted Nappa leather. The Santa Fe also introduced a UV sanitization compartment in the glovebox for added convenience.

The 2023 Toyota RAV4 introduced a new infotainment system with an 8.0-inch touchscreen as standard, and a 10.5-inch touchscreen for Limited and TRD Off-Road trims. The system supported over-the-air updates, wireless Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. Our RAV4 Adventure tester had the upgraded multimedia system with an 11-speaker JBL Premium audio system. A 7-inch driver-information display was standard, with a 12.3-inch version available on the Limited trim.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe featured a curved panoramic display in the XRT, Limited, and Calligraphy trims, incorporating a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment display. The system included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 12-speaker Bose stereo, dynamic voice recognition, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. The SE and SEL trims had a simpler 12.3-inch touchscreen display. The Santa Fe also offered Hyundai's BlueLink system for vehicle access and information, with upgraded features on SEL and above trims. Hyundai Pay and a biometric fingerprint scanner were available on higher trims for added convenience and security.

The 2023 Toyota RAV4 came with standard safety features, including lane-departure warning with steering assist, automatic emergency braking, automatic high-beam LED headlights, and a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection. Higher trims added blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. The RAV4 was equipped with Toyota Safety Sense 2.5, which included Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control. The 2023 RAV4 earned a 2023 Top Safety Pick+ award from the IIHS.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe had not yet been crash-tested by the IIHS or NHTSA, but it came with a comprehensive suite of standard safety features. These included adaptive cruise control, forward collision-avoidance assist, pedestrian and cyclist detection, blind-spot monitors, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, and driver-attention monitoring. Higher trims added features like a 360-degree camera system, blind-spot view monitor, rain-sensing windshield wipers, and a sanitizing compartment in the glovebox. The Santa Fe also introduced driver monitoring across the lineup, combining an infrared camera and capacitive sensors to track alertness and detect if the driver is incapacitated.