2025 Hyundai Santa Fe vs 2024 Subaru Outback

The 2024 Subaru Outback maintained its rugged charm with minor updates to the Wilderness trim, featuring a new front fascia and LED fog lights. The dark gray cladding contrasted beautifully with the Autumn Green Metallic color of the Touring XT model, which was described as a “green-tinged dark khaki.” The Outback's exterior varied across trims, with tasteful chrome accents on the Touring trim and different wheel designs, ranging from black 17-inch alloys to matte black on the Wilderness trim. Inside, the top-trim Touring XT impressed with its Java Brown Nappa leather upholstery, offering a luxurious feel uncommon for Subaru. Other trims featured a mix of leather, synthetic leather, and cloth seating, catering to different preferences.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe, in its fifth generation, showcased a bold, boxy design with a long wheelbase and pixelated H-shaped LED headlamps, aligning with Hyundai's design language. The SUV offered vibrant color options like Terracotta Orange and Atlantis Blue, standing out from the typical gray and white shades. However, the rear design suffered from mismatched proportions, with taillights positioned lower than ideal. Each trim had distinct wheel designs, with sizes ranging from 18 to 21 inches. Inside, the Santa Fe accommodated seven passengers, except for the Calligraphy trim, which featured captain’s chairs. The interior offered a range of materials from basic cloth to premium Nappa leather, with some squeaks and rattles noted during testing.

The 2024 Subaru Outback was powered by a 2.5-liter flat-four engine producing 182 horsepower and 176 lb-ft of torque, with XT trims upgraded to a 2.4-liter turbocharged engine delivering 260 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque. This turbo setup increased towing capacity from 2,700 to 3,500 lbs. The Outback featured Subaru’s Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive and a Lineartronic CVT, which mimicked the feel of an eight-speed transmission. The turbo engine provided a better driving experience, managing the vehicle's weight effectively. The Outback offered a comfortable ride, with 8.7 inches of ground clearance, increased to 9.2 inches on the Wilderness trim, which also included all-terrain tires and advanced X-Mode for off-road conditions.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe came with a standard 2.5-liter turbocharged engine producing 277 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque, paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Available in FWD or AWD, the Santa Fe felt stable in corners with responsive steering, though turbo lag was noticeable during acceleration. The gear selector, located on a stalk, required some getting used to. The XRT trim featured 30-inch all-terrain tires and 8.3 inches of ground clearance, enhancing its off-road capabilities. However, the Santa Fe was not designed for rugged terrain, performing best on graded dirt roads. The towing capacity varied, with most trims capable of towing 3,500 pounds, while the XRT could handle 4,500 pounds.

The 2024 Subaru Outback offered ample interior space despite its sleek design. It provided more front-row headroom than competitors like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4, and competitive rear-seat legroom. The cargo area measured 32.6 cubic feet with all seats in place, expanding to 75.6 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. Feature availability was a highlight, with dual-zone climate control standard on most trims, and heated front seats starting with the Premium trim. The Touring trim offered ventilated front seats and a heated steering wheel, while a hands-free power liftgate and power moonroof were available on higher trims. The Outback also featured raised roof rails with retractable cross bars for added convenience.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe excelled in interior space, offering the most third-row legroom in its class. The second-row seats had an adjustable cushion angle, and both the second and third rows could be folded for increased cargo space, reaching 79.6 cubic feet. With all seats occupied, the cargo space was 14.6 cubic feet. The Santa Fe's rear opening was notably wide, facilitating the loading of large items. The base SE trim included a hands-free liftgate and dual-zone climate control, while higher trims offered features like heated second-row seats, a heated steering wheel, and a premium audio system. The Calligraphy trim provided the most luxurious experience, with ventilated front seats and advanced features.

The 2024 Subaru Outback featured a mix of old-school and modern technology. The Touring trim included a CD player, while most trims offered both USB-C and USB-A ports. The infotainment system featured an 11.6-inch portrait-oriented screen on higher trims, with standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. The climate controls were integrated into the touchscreen, with some hard buttons for essential functions. Wi-Fi capability was available on all but the base trim, and a 12-speaker Harman Kardon audio system was standard on most trims, enhancing the audio experience.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe boasted a 12.3-inch touchscreen for infotainment across all trims, with a digital gauge cluster available on higher trims. The system was user-friendly, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard. Upper trims offered additional features like Amazon Music, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and Hyundai Pay. Charging options included multiple USB-C ports and wireless charging for two phones. The Santa Fe also featured a digital key and an available fingerprint scanner for added security. The Bluelink app provided remote connectivity, allowing users to preset climate controls and receive alerts. Over-the-air updates ensured the system remained up-to-date.

The 2024 Subaru Outback earned a Top Safety Pick award from the IIHS and a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA. It featured the EyeSight suite of driver-assistance technologies, including adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, and automatic emergency steering. Reverse automatic braking became standard on the Onyx trim, and the Touring trim added a wide-angle camera and driver-attention monitor. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were standard on higher trims, enhancing safety.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe offered a comprehensive suite of safety features, with adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and lane-keeping assist as standard. Higher trims included additional features like rear parking collision avoidance assist and Highway Drive Assist. The top trims featured a blind spot avoidance system and Blind-View Monitor. The NHTSA awarded the Santa Fe a four-star overall safety rating, while the IIHS rated it as Good in most categories, with some areas rated as Acceptable.