Hyundai Santa Fe vs GMC Terrain

The 2022 GMC Terrain received updates to its front styling, wheel designs, taillights, and interior trim. The new AT4 trim level featured a bolder grille design, black 17-inch alloy wheels with sport-terrain tires, and AT4 badges. GMC equipped the Terrain AT4 with a steel skid plate under the front end to protect vital mechanical components, anticipating that some owners might test its off-road capabilities. Our test vehicle came with extra-cost Ebony Twilight metallic paint, a black leather interior, and several packages, bringing the MSRP to $41,810. Despite the high price, the quality of materials and execution of details did not fully meet expectations, with some features like the head-up display and pushbutton transmission controls feeling less refined.

In contrast, the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe's exterior styling was more conservative compared to some of Hyundai's recent designs. The five-passenger SUV continued with the same look and feel as the 2022 model, available in five trim levels: SE, SEL, XRT, Limited, and Calligraphy. Our test vehicle, a top-of-the-line Calligraphy AWD trim, had a base price of $42,600, with the total MSRP reaching $45,845. The Santa Fe's wide upper and lower grilles and thin LED headlights gave it a distinctive look, but the overall design was more subdued. The black-on-black interior of our test vehicle was high-quality but dark and monotone, with Nappa leather seats providing comfort and attractiveness. Heated and cooled front seats were standard in the Calligraphy trim, and the second row also featured seat heaters.

The 2022 GMC Terrain was powered by a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 170 horsepower and 203 pound-feet of torque. The previously available turbocharged 2.0-liter engine, which offered better acceleration and a towing capacity of 3,500 pounds, was no longer available. The 1.5-liter engine could handle a trailer weighing up to 1,500 pounds. The nine-speed automatic transmission did a decent job of keeping the Terrain in the torque band, but the engine's power delivery was not particularly exciting. The Terrain AT4 offered FWD, AWD, Off-Road mode, and Hill Descent Control, but torque steer was an issue in FWD mode. The AT4's 7.9 inches of ground clearance was less than some competitors, and the sport-terrain tires did not offer much grip. The Terrain AT4's powertrain met expectations for fuel economy, with an EPA rating of 26 mpg and an observed 26.2 mpg.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe offered a choice between a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter engine producing 191 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque, and a turbocharged version producing 281 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque. The turbocharged engine worked with an eight-speed "wet" dual-clutch automatic transmission. FWD was standard, with AWD available as an option. The Santa Fe's drive-mode selector offered four customizable modes: Comfort, Sport, Snow, and Smart. The turbocharged Santa Fe provided immediate acceleration with no discernible turbo lag, and passing power was instantaneous, especially in Sport mode. The turbocharged engine's brisk acceleration was not accompanied by undue engine noise or harshness. Handling was smooth, with only slight body lean during cornering. The turbocharged Santa Fe could tow 3,500 pounds, while the non-turbo version could tow 2,000 pounds.

The 2022 GMC Terrain's interior was roomy for a compact crossover, with numerous comfort-enhancing features and storage solutions. Our Terrain AT4 included power-adjustable front seats, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and dual-zone automatic climate control with rear air-conditioning vents. The back seat was spacious, offering proper support and plenty of legroom. Cargo space measured 29.6 cubic feet behind the back seat, expanding to 63.3 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down. The front passenger seat could also be folded down for longer items.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe benefited from not having a cramped third row, resulting in more rear-seat legroom and additional cargo space. The Santa Fe's 41.7 inches of rear-seat legroom was among the best in its class. Cargo space behind the second row was 36.4 cubic feet, expanding to 72.1 cubic feet with the second row folded down. The Santa Fe's interior featured an eight-way power driver's seat and heated front seats in SEL and higher trims. The Limited trim added ventilated front seats, an eight-way power passenger seat, heated rear seats, and a power driver seat cushion extension. The Calligraphy trim included a head-up display, premium door and seat accent trim, a microfiber headliner, and ambient lighting. The extended panoramic sunroof was a highlight, though the wide center console cut into driver leg and hip space.

The 2022 GMC Terrain offered two infotainment systems: a 7-inch touchscreen for SLE trim and an 8-inch touchscreen for SLT, AT4, and Denali trims. Both systems included Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and GMC Connected Services through OnStar. Our test vehicle had the larger screen with the Infotainment Package II, which added connected navigation, improved voice recognition, and a Bose premium sound system. The voice recognition system was excellent, accurately responding to various prompts. The Tech Package option included a head-up display, front and rear park assist sensors, and a surround-view camera system. The Tire Fill Alert system and remote engine starting system were also useful features.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe excelled in in-vehicle technology, with a standard 4.2-inch color LCD multi-information display in SE, SEL, and XRT trims, and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster in Limited and Calligraphy trims. The base SE trim featured an 8-inch display audio system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, HD Radio, Bluetooth, and USB ports. Other trims had a 10.25-inch touchscreen with navigation, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, satellite radio, voice recognition, wireless device charging, digital key, and Bluelink connected services. The Limited and Calligraphy trims included a 12-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio system. The infotainment system's home screen icons were clearly marked and logically arranged, though the voice-recognition capabilities had mixed results.

Every 2022 GMC Terrain came with a GMC Pro Safety Package, including forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, automatic high-beam headlights, and a following distance indicator. The GMC Pro Safety Plus Package, available on SLE, SLT, and AT4 trims, added adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-change assist, rear parking sensors, and a Safety Alert Seat. The IIHS awarded the 2022 Terrain mostly "Good" crash-test scores, with a "Marginal" rating in a new side-impact test. The NHTSA had not evaluated the 2022 Terrain's crashworthiness at the time of the review.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe came with a comprehensive suite of standard safety-related ADAS, including forward-collision warning with pedestrian, cyclist, and junction-turning detection, 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. The NHTSA awarded the 2023 Santa Fe a five-star overall rating, while the IIHS gave it a "Top Safety Pick+" rating, with "Good" ratings in all crashworthiness tests.