2025 Hyundai Kona vs 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe presented a distinct departure from the brand's recent design trends, which had been leaning towards sleek and futuristic aesthetics as seen in models like the Ioniq 5 and 6. Instead, the Santa Fe embraced a boxy design, which was a deliberate choice to optimize storage capacity. Hyundai's design chief, SangYup Lee, emphasized the challenge of making this boxy shape appear elegant and premium. Despite its unconventional look, the Santa Fe managed to turn heads with its upscale appearance, aided by a sophisticated color palette and anodized-finish badging. The interior of the Santa Fe was equally impressive, offering premium styling with a focus on comfort and luxury, particularly in the XRT and Calligraphy trims.

In contrast, the 2025 Hyundai Kona retained its visual identity from the previous year, yet still stood out in the crossover class with its futuristic design elements like the flush grille and ultra-slim LED light bars. The Kona's increased size, being six inches longer than its predecessor, contributed to a more assertive road presence and improved interior space. The N Line S and N Line trims added a sportier touch with body-colored bumpers and cladding. Inside, the Kona maintained a solid and airy feel, with a focus on practicality and tech features. The introduction of 64-color ambient lighting in higher trims added a touch of personalization, while the overall design remained functional and user-friendly.

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. This engine was paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, providing a smooth driving experience. Front-wheel drive was standard, with all-wheel drive available as an option, except for the XRT trim, which came with AWD as standard. The Santa Fe also featured Normal, Sport, and Snow driving modes, with the XRT trim adding off-road capabilities. Later in the model year, a hybrid option with a 1.6-liter turbocharged engine was introduced, offering 231 horsepower and improved fuel efficiency. The Santa Fe's towing capacity reached up to 4,500 pounds in the XRT trim, thanks to additional cooling features.

The 2025 Hyundai Kona, while offering an electric variant, was reviewed here in its gas-powered form. It came with two engine options: a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder producing 147 horsepower and a more powerful 1.6-liter turbocharged engine with 190 horsepower. The latter was paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, providing a more engaging driving experience. All-wheel drive was available across the lineup, enhancing the Kona's versatility. The AWD models featured a multi-link rear suspension for improved ride quality. Despite its compact size, the Kona delivered competent performance, with the turbocharged engine offering adequate power for most driving situations.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe's design focused on maximizing cargo space, with a wheelbase and body that were both two inches longer than the previous generation. This extra space was primarily allocated to the cargo area, making it ideal for car camping and tailgating. The Santa Fe offered a comfortable interior with spacious first and second rows, while the third row was more suitable for occasional use. Depending on the trim, the Santa Fe featured a variety of seating options, from stain-resistant cloth to plush quilted Nappa leather. The cargo area provided 14.6 cubic feet of space, expandable to 79.6 cubic feet with the seats folded. Additional features included a UV sanitization compartment in the glovebox and a new grab handle for easier loading.

The 2025 Hyundai Kona impressed with its practicality, offering 25.5 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats in place, expanding to 63.7 cubic feet when folded. The Kona's interior was designed for comfort, with ample legroom and headroom for rear passengers. The front seats provided a generous range of movement, and the relocation of the drive selector created additional storage space. The Kona's interior featured a variety of materials, from cloth upholstery in lower trims to Alcantara sport seats and H-Tex leatherette in higher trims. Heating and ventilation options varied by trim, with dual-zone automatic climate control available in most models.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe boasted a curved panoramic display that elegantly integrated digital features without overwhelming the driver. This display was a highlight in the XRT, Limited, and Calligraphy trims, offering intuitive controls and crisp graphics. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, along with a 12-speaker Bose stereo and a Wi-Fi hotspot. The Santa Fe also featured Hyundai's BlueLink system, allowing for keyless access and control via smartphone. Higher trims included Hyundai Pay for seamless transactions and a biometric fingerprint scanner for added security.

The 2025 Hyundai Kona continued to offer a 12.3-inch central touchscreen infotainment display across all trims, with wireless smartphone integration as standard. Higher trims featured a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, enhancing the overall tech experience. The Kona's audio system varied by trim, with an eight-speaker Bose setup available in N Line and Limited trims. Hyundai's Bluelink connectivity allowed for over-the-air updates, ensuring the Kona's features remained up to date.

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 crash-test ratings were not yet available, Hyundai's vehicles typically performed well in safety evaluations.

The 2025 Hyundai Kona impressed with its standard safety equipment, including forward collision-avoidance assist, lane-keeping assist, and blind-spot collision warning. Higher trims added features like highway driving assist and parking assistance. The Kona's safety credentials were further bolstered by its Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS, reflecting its strong performance in crash tests and safety evaluations.