2025 Hyundai Santa Fe vs 2025 Land Rover Defender

The 2025 Land Rover Defender presented a rugged and customizable design, with the Defender 110 four-door model striking a balance between the stubby 90 and the visually heavy 130. Despite its unconventional appearance, the Defender's appeal lay in its robust aesthetic and extensive customization options. The base price ranged from $58,525 to $120,525, with the new Defender OCTA priced at $153,625. Our test vehicle, a Defender 130 X trim, featured the Extended Black Exterior Pack and upgraded interior materials, bringing the MSRP to $106,092. The Gondwana Stone paint, however, clashed with the orange brake calipers and delicate twin-spoke wheels, suggesting that colors like Pangea Green or Santorini Black might be better choices. Inside, the Defender X boasted premium Windsor hides and Kvadrat fabric, with an industrial-themed cabin that emphasized quality materials over luxury.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe, available in five trims, maintained its chunky, boxy design from its 2024 debut. The SUV featured a long wheelbase, flat hood, and pixelated H-shaped LED headlamps, aligning with Hyundai's design aesthetic. While the front design was cohesive, the rear suffered from mismatched proportions, with taillights positioned too low for visual balance. Each trim offered specific wheel sizes, with the off-road-focused XRT trim adding chrome and black accents. Inside, the Santa Fe accommodated seven passengers, except for the Calligraphy trim with second-row captain's chairs. The interior ranged from basic cloth to luxurious Nappa leather, with some squeaks and rattles noted during testing. The inclusion of physical HVAC dials was appreciated, though the fan speed buttons proved less user-friendly.

The 2025 Land Rover Defender's test vehicle featured a turbocharged 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine, delivering 395 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque. This engine, paired with a mild-hybrid system and an eight-speed automatic transmission, provided robust acceleration and a maximum tow rating of 8,200 pounds. The Defender 130 X accelerated to 60 mph in 6.3 seconds. Equipped with an adaptive air suspension, hill descent control, and Terrain Response 2 driving modes, the Defender excelled off-road, though the 20-inch wheels and Pirelli tires limited its on-road agility. The Defender's ground clearance was 11.4 inches, with approach, breakover, and departure angles of 37.5, 27.9, and 28.8 degrees, respectively. Despite its off-road prowess, the Defender's city driving was occasionally marred by unexpected surges and challenging brake modulation. The observed fuel economy was 16.2 mpg, below the expected 19 mpg.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe's test model came with a 2.5-liter turbocharged engine, producing 277 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque. Available in FWD or AWD, the XRT trim was exclusively AWD, paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The Santa Fe Hybrid offered a combined 231 horsepower. The Santa Fe demonstrated stability in corners, though turbo lag and delayed downshifts were noted. The gear selector, located on a stalk, required some acclimation. 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 better suited for graded dirt roads rather than rugged terrains, with approach, departure, and breakover angles of 19.3, 21.8, and 19.1 degrees, respectively.

The 2025 Land Rover Defender 130 offered three rows of spacious seating, with 12-way power-adjustable front seats featuring heating and ventilation. The panoramic sunroof and large windows created an open and airy feel. However, the square side mirrors seemed undersized, and the side-hinged cargo door was heavy and awkward. The Defender 130 provided 15.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 43.7 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 89 cubic feet with all rear seats down. The third-row seat was heated and comfortable, offering easy accessibility and support.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe's base SE trim included a hands-free liftgate and dual-zone climate control. The XRT trim added heated front seats and a sunroof, while the Calligraphy trim offered heated second-row seats and a premium audio system. The Santa Fe boasted the most third-row legroom in its class, with adjustable second-row cushion angles. Cargo space measured 14.6 cubic feet with all seats occupied, expanding to 40.5 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 79.6 cubic feet with both rear rows down. The widened liftgate facilitated loading, and most trims could tow 3,500 pounds, with the XRT capable of 4,500 pounds.

The 2025 Land Rover Defender featured the Pivi Pro infotainment system with an 11.4-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. The system's response and accuracy had improved, offering a more intuitive user experience. The Defender also included a head-up display, ClearSight digital rearview mirror, and a surround-view camera system. The optional Towing Pack added a hands-free trailer reverse-steering system.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe came with a 12.3-inch touchscreen for infotainment, with the top trims also featuring a digital gauge cluster. The system was user-friendly, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Upper trims offered Amazon Music, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and Hyundai Pay. Charging options included multiple USB-C ports and wireless charging. The Santa Fe also offered a digital key and an available fingerprint scanner for added security. The Bluelink app provided remote connectivity and over-the-air updates.

The 2025 Land Rover Defender included driver aids such as automatic high-beam headlights, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and adaptive cruise control with lane-centering assist. The system operated smoothly, though crash-test ratings were unavailable.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe offered adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and lane-keeping assist as standard. Higher trims added features like rear parking collision avoidance and Highway Drive Assist. The NHTSA awarded the Santa Fe a four-star overall safety rating, while the IIHS rated it as Good in most categories.