Americans buy more midsize SUVs than any other type of vehicle. They offer great family transportation, enough cargo space to fill a dorm room, and the seat height to see over traffic in a world where everyone else has one, too.
The Mazda CX-90 is one of the newest competitors in the segment. It offers premium appointments, a luxury-style mechanical layout that promises more athletic performance than you might expect, and tailored style. It also offers three rows of seating.
The Hyundai Santa Fe is a 2-row model but significantly less expensive, with a longer warranty and a long list of standard features. Its lower price means you can outfit a near-luxury model for less.
Let’s see how these two stack up. Note that this comparison uses the 2024 CX-90 and the 2023 Santa Fe because those are the models found in dealerships this month.
2024 Mazda CX-90
Mazda surprised the automotive world with its new flagship vehicle, the 2024 Mazda CX-90. Affordable midsize SUVs tend to follow one template and luxury models another. But the CX-90 adopts a layout common to the luxury classes (more on that in a moment) without the luxury prices. Mazda also offers a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version. Prices start at $39,595.
Mazda CX-90 Highlights
The bones of a luxury SUV: Most affordable midsize SUVs use a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, front-wheel drive (FWD), and optional all-wheel drive (AWD). Many luxury models instead use an inline-6-cylinder engine — a powerplant known for exceptionally smooth power delivery, and AWD biased toward the rear for a visceral poise you can feel from the driver’s seat. Mazda used the latter layout for the CX-90. It’s the only affordable midsize SUV that feels like a luxury model.
Tailored style: The CX-90 looks elegant. Most recent SUV designs are boxy and burly. The CX-90 looks lithe by comparison despite its 3-row bulk. It wears a stunning balance of lines and curves, with a raked windshield and long hood that lends a more polished air than most competition. It’s also more stylish than most competition inside, with lovely, light-colored straight-grain wood trim and elegant touches like prominent decorative stitching.
Up to 340 horsepower: That standard V6 makes itself felt in the merge lane. The weakest engine you can get on a CX-90 makes 280 horsepower — 89 more than the Hyundai offers. Hyundai’s optional upgrade gets you to 281, but a turbocharged option on the Mazda makes 340.
Check this week’s Fair Purchase Price or see the CX-90 models for sale near you.
2023 Hyundai Santa Fe
The Hyundai Santa Fe has been our 2-Row Midsize SUV Best Buy four years in a row. Its lower starting price and longer warranty make a powerful financial argument. Our expert test driver says its “ride quality is tuned for comfort, yet with a subtle composure working away in the background.” You’ll have to make do with two rows, but prices start at just $28,750.
Hyundai Santa Fe Highlights
Lower price: The Santa Fe starts at just $28,750. Most of that savings comes from buying two rows instead of three. But if you rarely need three, why not save the money? Many Americans buy more car than they need and pay for it all year. If you only need extra seating when company visits, save more than $10,000 and rent a larger car when family visits.
Big savings when fully loaded: Even a top-of-the-line Calligraphy model with a turbocharged engine, quilted Nappa leather seating, and a Harman Kardon premium audio system keeps its price under $45,000. The top of the CX-90 lineup costs approaches $60,000.
The longest warranty in the business: Hyundai’s 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty and 5-year/60,000-mile comprehensive warranty are the longest found on any car for sale this year. Knowing that major car repairs are covered for an entire decade can do a lot for your long-term financial security.
Check this week’s Fair Purchase Price or see the Sorento models for sale near you
Similarities
Near-identical fuel economy, similar cargo space
Conclusion
The Hyundai Santa Fe is a 2-row SUV with a lower starting price and an outstanding warranty. It offers seating for just five, but that may be enough for many buyers. If you plan to use five or fewer day-to-day and need a third only a few weeks a year, you can save yourself five figures by buying smaller and renting a larger vehicle for the few weeks you need one. Our best buy in the 2-row midsize SUV category might be the right way to do that.
The Mazda CX-90, however, answers with seating for up to eight and a level of refinement most affordable SUVs can’t match. It’s elegant inside and out, with a lovely cabin cleverly designed with real attention to detail. Its standard layout, including an inline-6-cylinder engine and rear-biased AWD, feels more poised than anything else in its class. You’ll pay more for the added space and luxury. But if you need the space, why not get the luxury, too?
Specifications
| 2024 Mazda CX-90 | 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe | |
| Starting Price | $39,595 | $28,750 |
| Popular Powertrains | ||
| Engine | 3.3-liter Inline-6 | 2.5-liter I4 |
| Horsepower | 280 hp @ 5,000 rpm | 191 hp @ 6,100 rpm |
| Torque | 332 lb-ft @ 2,000 rpm | 181 lb-ft @ 4,000 rpm |
| Transmission | 8-speed automatic | 8-speed automatic |
| Fuel Economy | 24 city/28 highway/25 combined mpg | 25 city/28 highway/26 combined mpg |
| Also Available | Higher output turbo model; plug-in hybrid | 2.5-liter turbo I4; hybrid/PHEV; AWD |
| Specs | ||
| Basic Warranty | 3 years/36,000 miles | 5 years/60,000 miles |
| Powertrain Warranty | 5 years/60,000 miles | 10 years/100,000 miles |
| NHTSA Overall Safety | TBD | 5 stars |
| Max Seating Capacity | 8 | 5 |
| Wheelbase | 122.8 inches | 108.9 inches |
| Overall Length | 201.6 inches | 188.4 inches |
| Width | 84.9 inches | 74.8 inches |
| Height | 68.2 inches | 67.3 inches |
| Turning Diameter | 38.1 feet | 37.5 feet |
| Headroom, Front | 39.7 inches | 41.2 inches |
| Headroom, 2nd Row | 39.3 inches | 39.0 inches |
| Headroom, 3rd Row | 36.9 inches | N/A |
| Legroom, Front | 41.7 inches | 44.1 inches |
| Legroom, 2nd Row | 39.4 inches | 41.7 inches |
| Legroom, 3rd Row | 30.4 inches | N/A |
| Shoulder Room, Front | 57.2 inches | 59.1 inches |
| Shoulder Room, 2nd Row | 58.1 inches | 58.3 inches |
| Shoulder Room, 3rd Row | 53.3 inches | N/A |
| EPA Cargo Volume | 15.9/40.1/75.2 cubic feet | N/A/36.4/72.1 cubic feet |
