Shopping For a Hyundai Santa Fe? Here’s What Experts Say You Should Look at Instead

A unique choice in today’s market

One of the most pleasing and dramatic redesigns in the automotive industry in recent memory is the fifth-generation Hyundai Santa Fe that debuted in 2024. It looks like a Korean variant of a Range Rover, and man, what a head-turner it is with its boxy look, sharp lines, and reworked cabin. While the Santa Fe has long been a staple in the midsize SUV market, the redesign marked a radical shift for the model, separating it from more conventionally looking mainstream SUVs while also putting premium brands on notice about what they should now expect from the once bargain South Korean car brand. 

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe comes in five trim levels: SE, SEL, XRT, Limited, and Calligraphy. Prices start at $34,300 for the base trim up to $46,850 for the luxury-trimmed Calligraphy. All Santa Fe gas models get a 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-four cylinder engine with 277 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque. Front-wheel drive and an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic are standard, but all-wheel drive is available. The XRT trim, on the other hand, gets AWD standard. There’s also a Hybrid version, which presents a more fuel-efficient option with a starting price of $37,800. It gets up to 36 mpg in combined driving. 

The base Santa Fe SE gets standard features like 18” alloy wheels, full LED lighting with automatic headlights and high beam assist, heated side mirrors, hands-free smart liftgate, proximity key with pushbutton start, power release second row seats, a leather wrapped steering wheel, 12.3” touchscreen, 4.2” color multi-information display, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, and a slew of safety tech including blind spot collision warning, parking distance warning forward/reverse, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, and safe exit assist. 

The Santa Fe boasts three rows and now 42.3 inches of legroom in the second row. The third row is tighter with 30.0 inches of legroom. Cargo room is a spacious 79.6 cubic feet with the seats folded flat and 40.5 cubic feet behind row two. One of the most impressive features is the wide tailgate opening that maximizes leisure time in the field, designed to create a lounge-like atmosphere for owners and their family and friends. The innovative interior boasts a huge open center console with an available dual wireless charging deck and ample storage. 

If you want the most head-turning SUV in its class, there’s no question the Santa Fe wins handily. Its squared-off body, wraparound glass, and angular fender trim set it apart from the pack, giving it a more refined and upscale look than the competition. The “Minecraft” lighting signatures are actually meant to represent the “H” in Hyundai and might be polarizing for some. We think they’re fun and quite original. The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe is fresh, full of features, and ideal for families looking for a three-row SUV that’s not too big. 

If you’re eyeing the 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe, experts suggest widening your lens. Several alternatives offer better driving dynamics, more efficient powertrains, or superior tech for similar money. Let’s take a look at three top rivals that deserve your attention. Each brings something unique to the table and could be a better fit, depending on your needs.

2025 Honda CR-V: Still the class standard

Honda’s CR-V has been an SUV darling since its debut in the 1990s, and it gets better with each generation. The CR-V, whether in gas or hybrid form, is one of the most balanced, best-selling crossovers in America. The 2023 redesign brought a more grown-up exterior, a significantly improved cabin, and improved driving dynamics. It continues to deliver what buyers want: space, comfort, and dependability. While it’s not a three-row like the Santa Fe, the CR-V boasts gobs of room for the family. 

The CR-V offers two powertrain choices: a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder that delivers 190 horsepower and a hybrid system that pairs a 2.0-liter engine with two electric motors for a total output of 204 horsepower. The hybrid powertrain is smooth and punchy around town and provides an EPA-estimated 40 mpg city and 34 mpg highway in the FWD configuration. Gas-powered front-wheel drive models achieve 43 mpg city and 36 mpg highway, while AWD models get 40 mpg city and 34 mpg highway. The CR-V comes in six trims: LX, EX, Sport Hybrid, EX-L, Sport-L Hybrid, and Sport Touring Hybrid. The CR-V’s base price is $30,100 for the LX and $41,100 for the top Sport Touring Hybrid. All-wheel drive is available for all trim levels and standard for the Sport Touring Hybrid. 

The CR-V Hybrid variant boasts decent acceleration numbers, reaching 60 mph in around 7.5 seconds—respectable for a vehicle focused on efficiency and utility. Its steering and handling are precise and balanced, which is typical of Honda vehicles. Driving is a rewarding experience regardless of the acceleration numbers.

The LX comes with standard features like automatic LED headlights, automatic high beams, remote keyless entry, a 7-inch color infotainment screen and matching 7-inch digital gauge cluster, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, a tire pressure monitoring system, Honda Sensing driver-assist tech with adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, and collision mitigation braking, to name a few. The Sport Hybrid trim adds the hybrid system, leather seats with orange stitching, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, 19-inch gloss black alloy wheels, rain sensing wipers, heated exterior mirrors, a hands-free tailgate, full-ambient interior lighting, a 9-inch color infotainment screen, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, a wireless phone charger, and a 12-speaker Bose premium audio system with subwoofer. 

The cabin design is clean and minimal, with excellent physical knobs and buttons that are easy to grip and properly located for minimal distraction. Material quality improves dramatically over the outgoing model. The infotainment system is basic and easy to use, but not nearly as attractive or vivid as the one in the Santa Fe. Rear legroom is 41 inches, besting even some larger SUVs, but not the Santa Fe. Cargo space is excellent with 39.3 cubic feet behind the rear seats and up to 76.5 cubic feet with the seats folded flat.

The current CR-V, whether in gas or hybrid form, is an overall excellent choice. It’s the best-designed model the company has ever created, blending excellent style with genuine everyday family practicality. Like the Santa Fe, you can choose an efficient hybrid trim, and the cheapest Sport Hybrid trim is still not much more than the base gas trim. While the CR-V might not be as noticeable on the road as the bold Santa Fe, its more conservative but still attractive styling could hold up better over time.

2025 Nissan Rogue: Sensible and smooth

The Nissan Rogue continues to be one of the best-selling family crossovers in the country. The current 3rd-generation Rogue carries the same 2021 redesign that has aged well, but it will soon be due for a significant refresh, if not a full redesign. All Rogues are powered by a turbocharged 1.5-liter three-cylinder gas engine that makes 201 horsepower through a continuously variable automatic transmission. A hybrid trim is expected sometime in 2025 or 2026, but for now, the Rogue is gas-only, a significant disadvantage compared to the Santa Fe. 

But fear not because the three-cylinder engine is pretty miserly. The 2025 Rogue earns up to 30 mpg city and 37 mpg highway, making it one of the most efficient non-hybrid SUVs in its class. That said, the Rogue is no land rocket. It gets to 60 in about 7.8 seconds, but it thankfully feels quicker than it is, even with the CVT.

The Rogue can be had in one of five trims: S, SV, Rock Creek, SL, and Platinum. Base pricing starts at $28,590 for the S FWD trim and tops out at $38,590 for the Platinum. The S comes decently equipped with 17-inch aluminum wheels, LED headlights, high-beam assist, an 8-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and Nissan Safety Shield 360 driver assistance.

The Rock Creek Trim is new for 2025 and starts at $33,490 with standard AWD, 17-inch dark painted alloy wheels with all-terrain tires, HD Intelligent Around View Monitor (I-AVM) with Off-Road Mode, a special roof rack, as well as Rock Creek graphics and interior trim. The top-of-the-line Platinum trim provides a robust set of standard features and adds 19-inch trim-specific aluminum wheels, a dual-panel panoramic glass moonroof, quilted semi-aniline leather seats, a large 12.3-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and ProPILOT Assist with Navi-link, which adjusts speed in curves and turns. 

The Rogue’s bragging rights lie in the NASA-inspired “Zero Gravity” seats that are among the most comfortable in the business, and the cabin design is upscale and uncluttered. Rear passengers enjoy 38.5 inches of legroom, and cargo space checks in at 36.5 cubic feet behind the second row, expanding to 74.1 cubic feet. If a comfortable cabin and high-end tech are priorities, the 2025 Rogue punches above its weight class—and often undercuts its competition on price.

2025 Mazda CX-90: The driver’s choice

This is the pricey SUV in the set, but it slots in nicely thanks to an accommodating third row and a PHEV option. The CX-90 was introduced for the 2024 model year, and it marked Mazda’s foray into the premium sector. The refined front fascia and sculpted body showed what Mazda could do with its Kodo “soul of motion” design language for a pricier SUV, and it worked. It’s also the only SUV in this set with a six-cylinder as the base engine, and its styling both inside and out exudes sophistication that the others can’t match.

Gas models come with a turbocharged inline-six engine that produces 280 horsepower. PHEVs pair a 2.5-liter four-cylinder gas engine with a 68 kW electric motor for up to 323 horsepower. All CX-90s benefit from a rear-wheel-drive-biased all-wheel drive system that can route power to all four wheels when needed while offering sporty rear-wheel drive dynamics. PHEV models offer up to 26 miles of all-electric range for gas-free commuting. 

There are six gas trim levels to choose from: 3.3 Turbo Select, 3.3 Turbo Preferred, 3.3 Turbo Premium Sport, 3.3 Turbo Premium Plus, 3.3 Turbo S Premium, 3.3 Turbo S Premium Plus. The base gas trim costs $38,045, and the top trim comes in at $56,650, almost 10 grand more than the priciest Santa Fe Calligraphy. To make things even more confusing, there are three additional trim levels, all of which are plug-in hybrids: PHEV Preferred, PHEV Premium Sport, and PHEV Premium Plus. The base PHEV model costs $49,945, and the PHEV Premium Plus is priced at $57,590. 

The base 3.3 Turbo Select provides 19-inch aluminum alloy wheels, full exterior LED lighting, power liftgate, aluminum roof rails, a 10.25-inch color infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, keyless entry and pushbutton start, leatherette seating for up to 8, radar cruise control, blind spot monitoring, vehicle exit warning, driver attention assist, and more. Top trims for both powertrains upgrade to Nappa leather seating with front and second row heated/ventilated seats, Kinematic Posture Control for the ideal seating position, upgraded interior trim, three-zone automatic climate control, twin 12.3-inch screens for infotainment and instrumentation with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, 2nd row Captain’s chairs, and an upgraded 12-speaker Bose premium sound system.

Passenger space is generous across all three rows, though the third row is best suited for children or smaller adults on longer trips, similar to the Santa Fe. The second row offers 39.4 inches of legroom, while the third row provides 30.4 inches of legroom. Behind the third row, cargo capacity is 15.9 cubic feet, expanding to 40.1 cubic feet with the third row folded, and up to 75.2 cubic feet with both rows down. 

The power, steering, handling, and rear-wheel-drive-biased AWD system make the CX-90 the driver’s choice in this set, as it is more rewarding to drive than the Santa Fe. It’s sporty, taut, and responsive in ways the Santa Fe can’t match. The interior materials quality is also a step up in the Mazda, with styling that is more refined.

Final thoughts

We love what Hyundai did with its latest Santa Fe. It shows other automakers that rugged and uniquely refined style, a wonderfully useful interior, hybrid options, and a seriously solid feature set can all be had for a reasonable price tag. But even with the redesign, it’s lost some of its price competitiveness. The top trim pushes past $46K, coming awfully close to luxury fare like the Lexus RX. 

We were impressed with the CR-V in its fancier Sport Touring Hybrid trim. It provides excellent efficiency, handsome styling that’s not polarizing, tremendous comfort, easy-to-use vehicle controls, and a much improved cabin, save for its infotainment system. The Rogue feels more dated inside than the competition, but it does offer excellent comfort and an attractive price point. For those who love driving thrills, the CX-90 wins handily, but its price could be off-putting. It offers premium styling, strong power (especially in turbo form), and a level of engagement the others can’t match.

The Santa Fe is the overall leader in this set because it excels in so many areas. It offers gas and hybrid options, third-row seating, and tremendous style. There isn’t a better cabin at this price in the class, and even if its hybrid powertrain isn’t as efficient as the CR-V Hybrid, it’s smooth and powerful. While you can’t really go wrong with any of these choices, the Santa Fe edges out the rest.

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