Are you looking for a stylish, reliable SUV that can effortlessly cater to your family's everyday needs? If so, the 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe and 2025 Ford Explorer should be at the top of your list. Both vehicles are three-row SUVs that offer roomy and comfortable cabins, generous cargo space, and a slew of family-friendly tech features to ensure fun-filled journeys.
But beyond these similarities, the 2025 Santa Fe and 2025 Ford Explorer come with unique perks that may make one or the other better suited for you. Let's look at how these two SUVs stack up against each other.
Specs and Dimensions
The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe and 2025 Ford Explorer are both midsize SUVs with spacious seating for seven passengers. The sleekly designed Santa Fe measures 190.2 inches in length, 74.8 inches wide, and 67.7 inches high. It has a wheelbase of 110.8 inches and a ground clearance of 7.0 inches.
Compared to the 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe, the 2025 Ford Explorer is slightly larger, measuring 198.7 inches long and 89.3 inches wide. It's also slightly taller, standing at 69.6 inches, and has a larger wheelbase of 119.1 inches. Surprisingly, despite its larger exterior dimensions, the Ford Explorer offers the same passenger capacity in its cabin as the Santa Fe, providing 152 cubic feet.
Under the hood, the 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe has a 2.5-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine that delivers 277 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque. Models equipped with the front-wheel-drive system get an estimated fuel efficiency rating of 20 mpg city, 29 mpg highway, and 24 mpg combined. Meanwhile, versions that utilize the HTRAC all-wheel-drive system get an estimated fuel efficiency rating of 20 mpg city, 28 mpg highway, and 23 mpg combined. Besides the gas engine, the 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe offers a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder hybrid engine, which is available exclusively on the higher-level SEL, Limited, and Calligraphy trims.
Like the 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe, the 2025 Ford Explorer also has two different engine options. The standard engine is a 2.3-liter EcoBoost inline four-cylinder engine that delivers 300 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. Also available is a 3.0-liter EcoBoost V-6 that churns out 400 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque. Models equipped with the standard engine get an EPA-estimated rating of 21 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway.
Features and Trims
The new Hyundai Santa Fe and Ford Explorer both offer several trim options to suit different budgets and driving preferences. The 2025 Santa Fe comes in five different trims: the SE, SEL, XRT, Limited, and Calligraphy. The base SE trim has stain-resistant cloth seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and a six-way adjustable driver seat. Stepping up to the next trim, the SEL model comes equipped with H-Tex trimmed seats, an eight-way power driver seat, and heated front seats.
The XRT trim comes with all the features of the SEL plus more high-end additions such as all-terrain wheels, side mirror covers, and dynamic voice recognition. Sitting at the apex of the 2025 Santa Fe lineup and staking their claim are the high-end and well-equipped Limited and Calligraphy trims. While the SE, SEL, and XRT trims come with 18-inch wheels, the Limited and Calligraphy trims ride on 20-inch and 21-inch wheels, respectively. As for seating materials, the Limited trim gets leather-trimmed seats, while the Calligraphy trim uses nappa leather. Heated and ventilated front seats come standard on both trims.
All 2025 Santa Fe trims come equipped with a high-resolution 12.3-inch infotainment touch screen and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also standard across the lineup. Depending on the trim you choose, other notable additions for your comfort and enjoyment include wireless smartphone charging pads and a 12-speaker Bose premium sound system.
Like its Hyundai counterpart, the 2025 Ford Explorer is available in multiple options, allowing for greater customizability. Despite its entry-level status, the Active trim offers exciting features and amenities, including a massive 13.2-inch high-definition infotainment display, LED signature lighting, a heated steering wheel, and an eight-way power passenger seat. The ST-Line boasts 20-inch machined aluminum wheels, a 10-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system, and black exterior accents.
The ST trim has all the ST-Line features plus a wireless charging pad, a third-row power fold seat, and 21-inch magnetite-painted aluminum wheels. Meanwhile, the top-of-the-line Platinum trim comes with luxury features such as heated and ventilated seats, a Panoramic Vista Roof with power shade, and a 14-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system.
Safety and Tech
Because of their safety and driver-assistance features, both the 2025 Santa Fe and 2025 Ford Explorer score highly when it comes to safety. Among the Santa Fe's standard safety features are Highway Driving Assist, Remote Smart Parking Assist, and Lane Following Assist. The Santa Fe also features adaptive cruise control, rear cross-traffic alert, and a Driver Attention Warning system to enhance safety on every trip. The top-of-the-range Limited and Calligraphy trims feature a Remote Smart Parking Assist system, allowing the car to park in tight spaces without any driver input.
Like its competitor, the 2025 Ford Explorer offers a range of driver-assistance features to enhance the driving experience and safety. The standard Ford Co-Pilot360 driver-assistance suite on all trims includes lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, Blind Spot Information System with Cross-Traffic Alert, and Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking.
Ford's BlueCruise is an optional feature on the 2025 Explorer. This advanced suite of driver-assistance technologies takes charge of key driving-related tasks such as steering, acceleration, and braking to provide a hands-free driving experience.
Book a Test-Drive Today
Still trying to decide whether to buy the 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe or 2025 Ford Explorer? The best way to decide is by experiencing them firsthand. Taking these two compelling SUVs on a test-drive will allow you to feel the handling, check out the features, and get comfortable with each SUV's driving dynamics. At Huffines Hyundai Plano, we take great pride in delivering the latest Hyundai vehicles. Visit our dealership to test-drive the 2025 Santa Fe and find out whether it's the right SUV for you.
