Chris Crain Hyundai

Feb 28, 2023

Blue Hyundai SUV

There’s not a whole lot that separates the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe and Tucson at first glance. But by offering a selection of SUVs within various size ranges, Hyundai lets you find exactly what you’re looking for in a family vehicle. What fits you and your family best is a much easier problem to solve when you have a number of quality vehicles to choose from. 

Powertrain 

Right off the bat, you might miss the powertrain differences between the two, because they both list 2.5 liter, 4 cylinder engines and an 8 speed shiftable automatic transmission. But that’s where the similarities end. The Santa Fe has been tuned up a bit to produce 4 more horsepower and 3 more foot pounds of torque. This may not sound like much but this attention to detail is what allows the larger Santa Fe to maintain similar top speeds and acceleration figures to the smaller and slightly lighter Tucson.

The big difference here is that the Santa Fe comes with an 18.8 gallon gas tank, whereas the Tucson has a 14.3 gallon tank. With similar MPG figures, this means the Santa Fe can go a whole hundred miles further between fill ups, which makes it a great companion for your longer road trips. 

Size

The primary difference between the two, however, is size. The Santa Fe is longer and wider, resulting in more shoulder and leg room across the board. While it’s only a matter of a few inches here and there, these inches add up to a substantially roomier interior which may be of interest to larger families for whom an extra inch can make for more comfortable car seat installation, less kicks to the back of the parents seats and more room for active kids to stretch out.

Interestingly, the Tucson provides slightly more driver and passenger headroom, perhaps making it more attractive for one person or it could simply be the difference maker for taller drivers. 

While the Santa Fe and the Tucson are remarkably similar and are, of course, built to the same high quality standard Hyundai is known for, they do offer differences that matter to today’s discerning consumer. So come in today and take them for a test drive. These differences between the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe and Tucson look small on paper but we’re eager to show how each one could make a perfect fit for your life!