What’s the difference between the Hyundai Tucson and Hyundai Santa Fe?

Hyundai's SUV range covers all bases. From a funky urban offering in the Venue to the family-friendly Palisade, there's an abundance of choices to suit a range of budgets and needs.

The Tucson is the brand's most popular model – a medium SUV that competes in an increasingly saturated market against the likes of the Toyota RAV4, Kia Sportage, and Mazda CX-5.

RELATED: The new hybrid Hyundai Santa Fe is on a mission to impress

An updated model (MY25) Tucson is arriving in showrooms imminently, with new styling and technology, more equipment and optional hybrid power. This piece includes information based on the MY25 model.

Meanwhile, Hyundai launched a new-generation Santa Fe in June 2024. The family-focused seven-seater is much better equipped, has adopted boxy exterior styling, and is currently only available in hybrid form, with a non-turbo petrol due by the end of 2024. Sitting in the large SUV class, the Santa Fe rivals the Toyota Kluger and Kia Sorento.

As mentioned, the Tucson is the brand's best performer, with Hyundai selling 1795 Tucson units last month (July 2024), and 9462 so far this year.

The Santa Fe hasn't seen the same success in its large SUV segment, selling 555 units in July 2024, and 2436 from the beginning of 2024. It's fallen short of the Subaru Outback and Toyota Kluger, but is performing better than the Nissan Pathfinder and its older sibling – the Hyundai Palisade.

In a nutshell, the Hyundai Santa Fe is bigger, sits on a larger wheelbase, offers more boot space, and has more seats. The Tucson, however, is cheaper and boasts a more efficient option in its line-up.

Here's everything you need to know.

The Hyundai Santa Fe is more expensive than the Tucson, with the Santa Fe range kicking off at $55,500, and topping out at $75,500 for the hybrid Calligraphy all-wheel drive. The range comprises three models: the base grade, the Elite and the range-topping Calligraphy, which replaces the Highlander, with an off-road-themed XRT version due in Australia in September 2024, pending delays. 

The Tucson starts at $39,100, with the top-of-the-range Premium N Line 1.6-litre turbo-petrol hybrid all-wheel drive costing $61,100. There are three model grades available in the Tucson line-up– the unnamed base variant, mid-grade Elite, and a flagship renamed from Highlander to Premium – with the option of N Line styling and equipment packs on most variants.

All prices quoted above exclude on-road costs.

The Hyundai Santa Fe is longer, wider, taller, and sits on a larger wheelbase than the Tucson. The Tucson is 4650mm long, 1865mm wide, 1665mm high, and sits on a wheelbase of 2755mm.

Meanwhile, the Santa Fe is 4830mm long, 1900mm wide, 1770mm high, and sits on a wheelbase of 2815mm. 

The Santa Fe boasts a larger boot than the Tucson, offering 628L of cargo capacity to the second row. With both rows folded down, there's 1949L available. Unfortunately, Hyundai doesn't quote a figure with all three rows in place, nor does it provide one for its six-seater.

For context, one of the Santa Fe's key rivals, the Kia Sorento, offers less space to the second row (608L), but more to the first (1996L). Meanwhile, the Nissan Pathfinder's boot is smaller all round (205/554/782L).

The Tucson has 582L of boot space, which extends to 1903L with the second row folded, trumping the Mazda CX-5 (438/1340L), and the Subaru Forester (498/1768L).

The Tucson is a five-seater, while the Sante Fe is available with seven seats, with the range-topping Calligraphy offered as either a six or seven-seater.

Both vehicles offer hybrid powertrains. In fact, the new model Santa Fe is only available as a hybrid. A petrol-only 2.5-litre turbo model may join the range at a later date – but diesel was scrapped entirely for the new generation.

Under the bonnet, the Santa Fe packs a 1.6-litre turbo four-cylinder petrol engine, a small electric motor and lithium-ion battery pack. It develops 172kW and 376Nm combined (up 3kW/26Nm on the previous Santa Fe hybrid) and is matched with a six-speed automatic transmission.

The Tucson offers a hybrid option across all three of its model grades. All hybrid variants are equipped with a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol hybrid (in front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive formats) capable of a combined 172kW and 367Nm – more power but less torque than the diesel – and are paired with a six-speed automatic transmission.

What's more, the Tucson line-up includes a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder, which delivers 132kW/265Nm, while the 2.0-litre non-turbo petrol engine offers 115kW/192Nm. Both of these options are mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.

The Tucson offers a more efficient powertrain with its 1.6-litre turbo-petrol hybrid models claiming 5.3L/100km on a combined cycle, while the 2.0-litre non-turbo petrol is the least efficient in the Tucson range with a claimed 8.1L/100km. The 1.6-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder sits in the middle at 7.2L/100km.

Meanwhile, all Santa Fe hybrid models offer a claimed 5.6L/100km.