How To Choose Between The Hyundai Tucson And Santa Fe
The Hyundai Santa Fe and Hyundai Tucson are both proving to be two popular compact SUV options, but how do you choose between them? It’s time to compare both of their specs to see if you’ll be happier in the Hyundai Tucson or Santa Fe. We will look at price, power, tech, safety, and more.
The Hyundai Santa Fe VS The Hyundai Tucson
The Hyundai Tucson comes in at a slightly lower price. The base model starts around $23k, while the Hyundai Santa Fe starts around $26k. So, the Hyundai Santa Fe will have to offer some more power or luxury to be worth paying an extra $3k for.
They both have a similar fuel economy. The Tucson gets 23 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway. Meanwhile, the Santa Fe gets 22 mpg in the city and up to 29 mph on the highway. These numbers are good, but some competitors like the Toyota RAV4 gets up to 35 mpg on the highway.
Hyundai Tucson And Hyundai Santa Fe Performance
The Hyundai Tucson has two engine options available. The 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine provides 161 horsepower and 150 lb-ft of torque. The 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine pumps out 181 horsepower and 175 lb-ft of torque. It can tow up to 1,000 lb and accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 8.8 seconds.
The Hyundai Santa Fe is a bit beefier. It starts with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 185 horsepower and 178 lb-ft of torque. You can also upgrade to the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine for 285 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. The Hyundai Santa Fe can tow up to 5,000 lb while the RAV4 can only tow up to 3,500 lb and is a little faster with the ability to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 7.6 seconds.
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Both options are available with all-wheel-drive if you need the ability to handle snow or muddy conditions. But the Hyundai Santa Fe is promoted as a more capable and comfortable family SUV, while the Hyundai Tucson is promoted as a personal SUV for the city.
Hyundai Santa Fe And Hyundai Tucson Features
The Hyundai Tucson offers 31 cubic feet of cargo space in the trunk area, with up to 61.9 cubic feet of cargo space total. The Hyundai Santa Fe is slightly more prominent, with 35 cubic feet of cargo space in the rear with up to 71.3 cubic feet of cargo space.
Both of these SUVs have a 7” infotainment center with navigation and the ability to connect to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. They also offer luxuries such as heated seats and a power liftgate.
The Hyundai Santa Fe is the SUV with the lowest cost to own over five years, according to Kelly Blue Book, as well as the 2019 best SUV for teens. It’s an IIHS top safety pick too. The Hyundai Tucson is also an IIHS top safety pick with a five-star safety rating from the NHTSA.
When it comes down to making a decision, the Hyundai Santa Fe offers more power, more space, and more capability. It’s worth the extra three grand if you need all of those extras. Otherwise, the Hyundai Tucson is a fine choice for driving around the city and for road trips.
