2024 Hyundai Santa Fe vs 2025 Mazda CX-90

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe presented a bold departure from its predecessors, embracing a boxy design that contrasted sharply with the sleek, futuristic aesthetics of the Ioniq series. This new design direction, as explained by Hyundai's design chief SangYup Lee, aimed to combine optimal storage capacity with an elegant and premium appearance. The Santa Fe's exterior was further enhanced by a sophisticated palette of colors and anodized-finish badging, making it a head-turner even in rural settings. Inside, the Santa Fe offered a luxurious experience, particularly in the XRT and Calligraphy trims, with premium materials and thoughtful design elements that provided comfort and style.

In contrast, the 2025 Mazda CX-90 exuded a luxury SUV vibe with its lustrous paint, polished chrome trim, and intricate 21-inch wheels. The sculptural sheet metal and athletic stance contributed to its upscale appearance. Inside, the CX-90 continued this premium feel with Nappa leather upholstery and polished metallic trim. However, some ergonomic issues, such as a confusing electronic shifter and counterintuitive climate controls, detracted from the overall experience. Despite these drawbacks, the CX-90 maintained a sophisticated presence, offering a compelling option for those seeking a stylish and upscale midsize SUV.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe was equipped with a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, delivering 277 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque. This powertrain was paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, offering front-wheel drive as standard, with all-wheel drive available. The Santa Fe featured Normal, Sport, and Snow driving modes, with the XRT trim adding off-road capabilities. Fuel economy for the base FWD model was rated at 20 mpg city, 29 mpg highway, and 24 mpg combined, while the hybrid version offered an estimated 36 mpg combined. The Santa Fe's towing capacity reached up to 4,500 pounds in the XRT trim, thanks to additional cooling features.

The 2025 Mazda CX-90, on the other hand, featured a turbocharged 3.3-liter inline-six engine, producing 280 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque in the 3.3 Turbo model. The Turbo S variant offered even more power, with 319 hp and 369 lb-ft. The CX-90's power was channeled through an eight-speed automatic transmission and a standard all-wheel-drive system. Despite its impressive ride and handling, the CX-90's drivetrain lacked refinement, with unpredictable power delivery and transmission behavior. The EPA rated the CX-90 at 25 mpg combined, but real-world testing showed a lower 21.3 mpg. The plug-in hybrid variant offered 25 miles of electric range and the same 25 mpg combined after that.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe's design focused on maximizing cargo space, with a wheelbase and body length two inches longer than its predecessor. This extra space was dedicated to the cargo area, making it ideal for car camping and tailgating. The Santa Fe offered a snug third row, while the first and second rows provided ample space and comfort. Depending on the trim, seating options included stain-resistant cloth, synthetic leather, real leather, and quilted Nappa leather. The cargo area offered 14.6 cubic feet of space, expanding to 79.6 cubic feet with the seats folded. Additional features included a UV sanitization compartment and a new grab handle for easier loading.

The 2025 Mazda CX-90's interior, while stylish, faced challenges with its climate control system, taking too long to cool the cabin. The Premium Plus trim featured Nappa leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, and a panoramic sunroof. The second-row captain's chairs offered comfort but limited seat-track travel. The third row was best suited for children, with limited space for adults. The CX-90's cargo area provided 14.9 cubic feet behind the third row, expanding to 74.2 cubic feet with the seats folded. However, storage options were limited, with a lack of practical space on and under the center console.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe boasted a curved panoramic display, a first in its segment, enhancing the cabin's luxurious feel. The touchscreen display offered intuitive controls, crisp graphics, and easy phone pairing with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The system included a 12-speaker Bose stereo, dynamic voice recognition, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. Higher trims featured wireless charging and Hyundai Pay for secure transactions. The Santa Fe also introduced a biometric fingerprint scanner for added security.

The 2025 Mazda CX-90's technology was presented in a more traditional manner, with a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel and infotainment screen. The infotainment system was touch-sensitive only when using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, requiring the use of a knob and buttons for the native Mazda Connect platform. The voice recognition system was lacking, but a new Google Built-in infotainment system was expected in future models. The CX-90 featured a 12-speaker Bose audio system and a head-up display, providing a rewarding listening experience and helpful driving information.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe had not yet been crash-tested by the IIHS or NHTSA, but Hyundai vehicles typically performed well in these evaluations. The Santa Fe offered a comprehensive suite of standard safety features, including adaptive cruise control, forward collision-avoidance assist, blind-spot monitors, and lane-keep assist. Higher trims added advanced features like a 360-degree camera system, remote automatic parking, and a driver monitoring system.

The 2025 Mazda CX-90 received a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS and five-star ratings from the NHTSA for its PHEV model. Standard safety features included forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and blind-spot monitoring. Higher trims added advanced systems like steering assist, emergency lane-keeping assist, and a surround-view camera system. The CX-90's driver aids were generally effective, though some features, like the speed reduction system, could be irritating.