2024 Ford Bronco vs 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe presented a distinct departure from its predecessors, showcasing a bold new design that was both boxy and elegant. This design choice was a significant shift from the sleek, futuristic aesthetics of the Ioniq series, emphasizing storage capacity and premium looks. The Santa Fe's exterior was enhanced by a sophisticated color palette and anodized-finish badging, while the interior offered a luxurious experience with premium materials and thoughtful design elements. The XRT and Calligraphy trims, in particular, stood out with their combination of style and functionality, providing a comfortable and upscale driving environment.

In contrast, the 2024 Ford Bronco embraced a retro design reminiscent of the 1960s, particularly successful in the two-door model. The Sasquatch Package, a popular upgrade, added a rugged and purposeful appearance with a suspension lift and 35-inch mud-terrain tires. The Bronco's interior was spacious and comfortable, especially in the four-door variant, which offered more room than its primary rival, the Jeep Wrangler. Despite its marine-grade vinyl upholstery's tendency to trap moisture, the Bronco provided a versatile and customizable open-air driving experience with removable roof panels and doors.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe featured a base 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, delivering 277 horsepower and 311 pound-feet 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 came with AWD as standard. The Santa Fe offered various driving modes, including Normal, Sport, and Snow, with the XRT adding off-road capabilities. Fuel economy for the FWD base versions was rated at 20 mpg city, 29 mpg highway, and 24 mpg combined, while the AWD and XRT models had slightly lower ratings. The Santa Fe Hybrid, available later in the model year, promised improved fuel efficiency with an estimated 36 mpg combined.

The 2024 Ford Bronco Big Bend came with a standard 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine, producing 300 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque. It offered a choice between a seven-speed manual transmission and a 10-speed automatic. The Bronco's optional 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 engine delivered 330 hp and 415 lb-ft of torque, while the Raptor model boasted a 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6 with 418 hp and 440 lb-ft. The Bronco's fuel economy was less impressive, with the Big Bend Sasquatch achieving 18 mpg city, 17 mpg highway, and 18 mpg combined. The Bronco excelled in off-road capabilities, with features like Trail Control, Trail One-Pedal Drive, and Trail Turn Assist enhancing its performance on challenging terrain.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe's design focused on maximizing cargo space, with a wheelbase and body length two inches longer than the previous generation. The spacious cargo area, inspired by the Korean concept of "chabak," was designed for car camping and tailgating, featuring an extra-wide tailgate and ample storage. The interior offered comfortable seating for up to seven passengers, with various upholstery options depending on the trim level. The Santa Fe's cargo capacity ranged from 14.6 cubic feet with all seats up to 79.6 cubic feet with the second and third rows folded.

The 2024 Ford Bronco provided a comfortable interior in both two-door and four-door body styles, with the latter offering more space than the Jeep Wrangler. The Bronco's marine-grade vinyl upholstery was durable but less breathable, while cloth seats were available in the Heritage Edition. The Bronco's cargo space varied depending on the model, with the two-door offering 22.4 cubic feet and the four-door providing up to 83 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The Bronco's removable roof panels and doors allowed for a customizable open-air experience, enhancing its versatility.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe featured a curved panoramic display in the XRT, Limited, and Calligraphy trims, offering a seamless integration of digital controls and infotainment. The system included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 12-speaker Bose stereo, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. The SE and SEL trims had a simpler 12.3-inch touchscreen display, while higher trims offered additional features like wireless charging and Hyundai Pay. The Santa Fe also introduced a biometric fingerprint scanner and Hyundai's BlueLink system for vehicle access and information.

The 2024 Ford Bronco came standard with a 12-inch touchscreen Sync 4 infotainment system, offering wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, FordPass Connect services, and a seven-speaker stereo. Higher trims included a Bang & Olufsen sound system and connected navigation. However, the Bronco's Sync 4 technology experienced connectivity issues with Apple CarPlay and inconsistent voice recognition performance. The Bronco Trail App provided access to trail maps and information, enhancing its off-road capabilities.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe had not yet been crash-tested by the IIHS or NHTSA, but it came equipped with a comprehensive suite of standard safety features. These included adaptive cruise control, forward collision-avoidance assist, blind-spot monitors, and lane-keep assist. Higher trims added features like a 360-degree camera system, remote automatic parking, and a driver monitoring system. The Santa Fe's safety tech performed well during testing, with only minor issues in traffic-sign recognition.

The 2024 Ford Bronco Big Bend included standard safety features like forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and a backup camera. The Mid Package added Ford Co-Pilot360 technologies, including lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. The Bronco received favorable crash test ratings from the IIHS, except for its headlight performance, while NHTSA ratings were incomplete. The Bronco's safety systems operated as expected, though the lane-keep assist system was not preferred during testing.