2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 vs 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe presented a bold departure from the sleek, futuristic designs of its Ioniq siblings, opting instead for a boxy aesthetic that emphasized storage capacity and elegance. This design choice was a nod to practicality, as explained by Hyundai’s design chief, SangYup Lee, who aimed to make the box both elegant and premium-looking. Despite its unconventional shape, the Santa Fe managed to turn heads with its upscale appearance, sophisticated color palette, and anodized-finish badging. The interior was equally impressive, offering premium styling with a mix of soft and hard materials, and luxurious touches like a fabric-covered headliner.

In contrast, the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 maintained its distinctive retro-inspired design, reminiscent of the Lancia Delta, with only minor updates in its mid-cycle refresh. The Ioniq 5 continued to stand out with its “Parametric Pixel” lights, high rear spoiler, and unique wheel designs. The new XRT trim added off-road flair with red tow hooks and digital camouflage cladding. Inside, the Ioniq 5 retained its open, minimalistic cabin, with minor updates to the center console for improved functionality. The XRT trim leaned towards a rugged aesthetic with its dark interior and all-weather features.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe offered a robust performance with its base 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, delivering 277 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque. It came with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and offered both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive options. The XRT trim, designed for off-road adventures, came standard with AWD and featured additional off-road modes. The Santa Fe also introduced a hybrid variant with a 1.6-liter turbocharged engine, providing 231 horsepower and 271 pound-feet of torque. Fuel economy varied across trims, with the hybrid offering the best efficiency at 36 mpg combined.

The 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5, on the other hand, showcased its electric prowess with a range of powertrain options. The RWD models offered 168 to 225 horsepower, while the AWD variants delivered 320 horsepower and 446 pound-feet of torque. The Ioniq 5 boasted impressive range figures, with the RWD models reaching up to 318 miles on a single charge. The XRT trim, designed for light off-road use, featured a Terrain Mode with options for Snow, Mud, and Sand, enhancing its versatility. Despite its weight, the Ioniq 5 provided a fun driving experience, thanks to the instant torque of its electric motors.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe capitalized on its boxy design to offer a spacious interior, with a longer wheelbase and body compared to its predecessor. The focus was on maximizing cargo space, making it ideal for car camping and tailgating. The Santa Fe accommodated up to seven passengers, with a snug third row but spacious first and second rows. Depending on the trim, it offered a variety of seating options, from stain-resistant cloth to plush quilted Nappa leather. The cargo area provided up to 79.6 cubic feet of space with the seats folded, and the vehicle featured innovative touches like a UV sanitization compartment in the glovebox.

The 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 addressed previous criticisms by adding a rear windshield wiper and updating the center console for better functionality. The interior dimensions remained unchanged, offering generous head and legroom for both front and rear passengers. Cargo space was ample, with 26.3 cubic feet available with the rear seats up, expanding to 58.5 cubic feet when folded. The Ioniq 5 also transitioned to the North American Charging System, allowing access to Tesla’s Supercharger network, and included a CCS adapter for versatile charging options.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe featured a curved panoramic display that seamlessly integrated the digital instrument cluster and infotainment system, enhancing the cabin’s luxurious feel. The touchscreen was intuitive, with crisp graphics and easy smartphone connectivity through wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Higher trims offered a 12-speaker Bose stereo, dynamic voice recognition, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. The Santa Fe also introduced Hyundai Pay for secure transactions and a biometric fingerprint scanner for added convenience.

The 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 retained its dual 12.3-inch screens but improved functionality with faster processing speeds and enhanced GPS accuracy. Wireless smartphone connectivity became standard, and the XRT trim gained access to the Bose Premium Audio system. The Ioniq 5 offered standard navigation, dynamic voice recognition, and multiple USB-C ports with customizable functionality. A head-up display was available on the Limited trim, and the wireless charging pad was included from the SEL trim level.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe came equipped with a comprehensive suite of safety features, including adaptive cruise control, forward collision-avoidance assist, and blind-spot monitors. Higher trims added advanced features like a 360-degree camera system, remote automatic parking, and a driver monitoring system. Although not yet crash-tested, Hyundai vehicles typically performed well in safety evaluations.

The 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 continued its strong safety record, earning top ratings from both the IIHS and NHTSA. It introduced new standard features like an enhanced driver attention system and parking-distance warnings. The Ioniq 5 offered Highway Driving Assist 1 and 2, with the latter providing lane-changing capability and machine learning for a personalized driving experience.