2022 hyundai santa fe hybrid vs 2022 hyundai tucson hybrid

Both the new 2022 Hyundai Tucson and Santa Fe offer hybrid and plug-in hybrid options and we like the hybrids even though fuel economy lags behind competitors in both cases. With the 187-hp base-engine Tucson, we're greater fans of the tech and design than the way it drives. In in a previous MotorTrend comparison against the Toyota RAV4, Nissan Rogue, and Honda CR-V, the Hyundai placed fourth, in part because of its surprisingly stiff ride and lazy powertrain.

The 191-hp base-engine Santa Fe also won't win any drag races, but we didn't find the ride to be stiff. The larger of the two Hyundai SUVs isn't entertaining on the road, but it gets the job done. Damning with faint praise, perhaps, but it's certainly better than the Santa Fe 2.5 Turbo models (pictured here), which have an unrefined dual-clutch automatic.

Neither the Tucson nor the Santa Fe are dynamic leaders in a straight line or around a curve, but we give the slight advantage to the Santa Fe here.

Advantage: Hyundai Santa Fe

Safety is a mostly positive story for the Santa Fe and Tucson. Both Hyundai SUVs are 2022 Top Safety Pick+ award winners, the highest rating the IIHS gives.

With NHTSA evaluations, however, the Santa Fe comes out on top. The 2022 Tucson gets a five-star overall rating, but only for FWD models built in Korea on or after September 6, 2021, or American-made models built on or after September 27, 2021. Models built before those respective dates (and all AWD models) carry a four-star overall rating. For the 2023 model year, Tucson FWD models get a five-star rating, but AWD models miss the five-star-overall-score cutoff and instead earn four stars out of a possible five. The story is easier to tell with the Santa Fe; the FWD, AWD, and hybrid models all earn a five-star overall score.

Advantage: Hyundai Santa Fe

Yes, styling is subjective, but we find the Tucson's design to be effortlessly cool. Its sharp lines are recognizable from 100 feet away, not something you can say about many SUVs. As a more conventional design, the Santa Fe's front end is too fussy for us. The Tucson also has a lot going on, but it partially disguises this by having a few grille-trim pieces do double duty as daytime running lights.

Inside, the dash layout is completely different. Both SUVs offer a digital gauge cluster on higher-trim models, but the central touchscreen is mounted at the top of the dash in the Santa Fe. Infotainment screen sizes measure 8.0 and 10.3 inches in both SUVs. The sleek controls look futuristic on the Tucson, but keep in mind that the Santa Fe's knobs and buttons are easier to use.

Advantage: Hyundai Tucson

The Tucson's biggest practical change from the previous generation to the present SUV is its interior. The truth is, there's so much more space that your passengers win no matter which Hyundai SUV you choose. In fact, the Tucson may be 6.1 inches shorter overall, but it offers 38.7 cubic feet of cargo space compared to the Santa Fe's 36.4 cubic feet. The Santa Fe (pictured here) simply has a bit more space inside for passengers, and we appreciate its many storage areas. One of those areas exists below the center stack, and there's also a deep, closed compartment beneath the central armrest between the driver and front passenger.

Advantage: You, with either Hyundai SUV

As this is written, the 2022 Hyundai Tucson SE carries a base MSRP of $27,095 including destination. If you want a power liftgate, a 2022 Tucson SEL with the Convenience package comes to $30,995. The 2022 Santa Fe is priced at $28,995 for a base model and runs $32,445 with its own Convenience package that includes a power liftgate, among other features. So the difference here—spread out over three or five years of payments—isn't that great.

With either SUV, you get three years or 36,000 miles of complimentary maintenance, as well as Hyundai's five-year/60,000-mile basic warranty.

Advantage: Hyundai Tucson, but not by as much as you'd think.

Here's the truth: Neither Hyundai SUV boasts great fuel economy—and it doesn't matter if you choose the base engine or a hybrid when you compare against key rivals. Pit Hyundai against Hyundai and this is what you find: The 2023 Santa Fe comes in at 25/28 mpg city/highway with the base engine and FWD, or 22/25 mpg with AWD. As you'd expect, that's not quite as good as the 2022 Tucson, which is rated 24/29 mpg with AWD and 26/33 mpg with FWD.

The same story continues with the standard hybrids. The 2023 Santa Fe Hybrid delivers a respectable 33-36/30-31 mpg to the Tucson Hybrid's 37-38/36-38 mpg.

So the Tucson wins on fuel economy, but the Santa Fe fights back with a longer driving range. That means you get more miles out of each tank before having to refuel, and that's true when comparing base engine to base engine as well as hybrid to hybrid.

Advantage: Tie

With the Santa Fe, you don't just pay for more interior space for your passengers, but also the subtle satisfaction of knowing you bought a midsize SUV, and the pricing splits the difference between most compact and midsize five-passenger SUVs. That's why, if we were deciding between the Tucson and Santa Fe, we'd more strongly consider the latter in base-engine form. It offers a ton of value.

If the hybrid models are of interest and in your budget, the Tucson is our pick. With greater fuel economy and that captivating exterior design, it's a good package if you've crossed the rivals from Honda, Kia, Toyota, and Ford off your list.

2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Pros

• Midsize presence at a reasonable price
• Spacious inside for passengers
• Good features-per-dollar value

2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Cons

• Fussy front styling elements
• Could be more efficient
• The 2.5 turbo's unrefined transmission

2023 Hyundai Tucson Pros

• Slicker styling
• Lower base price
• Huge cargo area

2023 Hyundai Tucson Cons

• Touchscreen mounted lower on the dash
• Lazy base powertrain
• Some controls more difficult to use