Hyundai Santa Fe vs Jeep Grand Wagoneer

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer shared its frame and body shell with the standard Wagoneer, resulting in a similar traditional SUV styling. It featured a tall hood, broad shoulders, trapezoidal wheel arches, and an upright profile. The Grand Wagoneer distinguished itself with a standard black roof, model-specific hood, front fascia, and grille. The grille leaned forward slightly with laser-etched knurling, and the wheel center caps had an acrylic glass covering to protect the "Wagoneer" logo. The vehicle's body-on-frame architecture allowed for independent front and rear suspension, with an aluminum hood and doors, and a composite tailgate to save weight. Inside, the Grand Wagoneer offered a luxurious experience with 24-way power front seats, Nappa leather upholstery, and higher-grade materials like aluminum and American Walnut wood trim. It also featured a nicely-integrated infotainment touchscreen, a large rotary shift knob, and a two-spoke steering wheel.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe, in contrast, had a more conservative exterior styling compared to some of Hyundai's recent designs. It maintained the same look and feel as the 2022 model, with a wide upper and lower grille and thin LED headlights as its distinctive elements. The Santa Fe was available in five trim levels, with front-wheel drive standard and all-wheel drive optional. Our test vehicle, the Calligraphy AWD trim, featured a Stormy Sea paint with a black-on-black interior. The cabin, while high-quality, was dark and monotone, with Nappa leather seats providing comfort and attractiveness. The Calligraphy trim came with heated and cooled front seats, and heated second-row seats, making it adaptable to varying weather conditions.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer was powered by a 6.4-liter Hemi V8 engine, producing 471 horsepower and 455 lb-ft of torque. This engine, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, allowed the Grand Wagoneer to accelerate from zero to 60 mph in six seconds. The vehicle featured standard four-wheel drive with the Quadra-Drive II system, which included a two-speed transfer case and electronic limited-slip differential. The Quadra-Lift air suspension system was standard, offering adjustable height for off-roading or reducing aerodynamic drag on highways. With a maximum ground clearance of 10 inches, the Grand Wagoneer could handle various terrains, although its size limited its off-road capabilities. The cabin was quiet, and the air suspension provided a smooth ride, but the vehicle felt ungainly at higher speeds.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe offered two engine options: a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter engine producing 191 horsepower and a turbocharged version delivering 281 horsepower. The turbocharged engine, available in the Limited and Calligraphy trims, provided immediate acceleration with no discernible turbo lag. The Santa Fe featured a drive-mode selector with four modes: Comfort, Sport, Snow, and Smart. The turbocharged version offered brisk acceleration without undue engine noise, and the handling was smooth with minimal body lean. The Santa Fe's dual-clutch transmission performed well, avoiding the low-speed clunkiness often associated with such systems. While not tested off-road, the Santa Fe's towing capacity was 2,000 pounds for the non-turbo version and 3,500 pounds for the turbo version, with trailer brakes required for maximum capacity.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer could seat seven with standard second-row captain’s chairs or eight with an optional third-row bench seat. It offered more third-row headroom and second-row legroom than competitors like the Cadillac Escalade and Lincoln Navigator. However, space in the front row was more limited compared to these rivals. The Grand Wagoneer provided 27.4 cubic feet of cargo space with all seats in place and 70.9 cubic feet with the third row stowed. Its maximum towing capacity was 9,850 pounds, slightly less than the standard Wagoneer due to the Grand Wagoneer's extra weight. Standard features included a sunroof, four-zone automatic climate control, and large storage bins. Forward visibility was somewhat limited, but the standard 360-degree camera system helped mitigate this issue.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe, designed as a two-row SUV, offered ample rear-seat legroom with 41.7 inches, among the best in its class. Cargo space was competitive, with 36.4 cubic feet behind the second row and 72.1 cubic feet with the second row folded. The Santa Fe featured an underfloor storage compartment for additional space. Seat comfort was a highlight, with SEL and higher trims offering an eight-way power driver's seat and heated front seats. The Limited trim added ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, and a power driver seat cushion extension. The Calligraphy trim included a head-up display, premium trim, and ambient lighting. The panoramic sunroof was a favorite feature, though the driver's seat height adjustment could be problematic for some, and the wide center console limited leg space.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer came equipped with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, dual touchscreens, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, and a McIntosh audio system. It supported simultaneous pairing for two Bluetooth-enabled phones and offered a 4G-LTE WiFi hotspot. Second-row passengers had a 10.25-inch touchscreen for climate control, and an optional rear-seat entertainment system added two 10.1-inch screens. The Grand Wagoneer featured a second screen below the main one for functions like seat massagers, and a separate 10.25-inch touchscreen for the front passenger. The Uconnect 5 infotainment system, with an Android-based operating system, offered over-the-air updates. While the system was comprehensive, the screen response was slow, and the instrument cluster graphics were plain.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe excelled in in-vehicle technology, with a standard 4.2-inch color LCD display in lower trims and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster in the Limited and Calligraphy trims. The base SE trim had an 8-inch display audio system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while higher trims featured a 10.25-inch touchscreen with navigation, wired Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, and a 12-speaker Harman Kardon audio system. The infotainment system was user-friendly, with clearly marked icons and logical arrangement. Voice recognition capabilities were mixed, with some difficulty in recognizing commands for music or temperature changes. Despite these challenges, the system offered extensive customization options.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer had not yet been rated by the IIHS or NHTSA. It came with standard safety features like a 360-degree camera system, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. Optional features included a driver-attention monitor, night vision, and traffic-sign recognition. Active Driving Assist combined adaptive cruise control with automated lane centering, requiring hands on the wheel, with a hands-free version planned for future release.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe boasted a comprehensive suite of standard safety-related ADAS, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and lane-keeping assist. Highway Driving Assist, standard on SEL and above, combined adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability. The Santa Fe received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA and a "Top Safety Pick+" from the IIHS. The Limited and Calligraphy trims featured projector-type headlights, preferred by the IIHS over the reflector-type units in lower trims.