Hyundai Santa Fe vs BMW X2

What's the difference?

So I asked at the beginning if the Hyundai Santa Fe FWD petrol offered enough for families looking for a large seven-seat SUV and the answer is: YES!

It's practical, has people-mover space and storage and is downright comfortable to drive. There's so much to like here.

There is little doubt the new X2 represents a vast improvement over the original model. The design alone gives it a lot more presence. 

More interior and boot space also helps widen the SUV’s appeal and the significant tech updates are welcome.

It is on the pricey side and there are a few too many options that should be standard. 

However, the M35i is hard to ignore as a sporty premium crossover, and the iX2 xDrive30 is the sort of electric SUV that should worry Volvo.

They both have their own distinct flavours, so there’s no dud in this line-up. Of course, we will hold final thoughts for the local launch when we can drive all four grades. But until then, it’s a welcome return to form for the X2.

It's boxy and bold and you certainly won't mistake it for anything else on the road. That's both good and bad.

The front works beautifully; pairing a chunky and square aesthetic with cool H-shaped LED headlights (a running motif throughout the car). The front and sides look like the chiseled face of a Greek hero or the latest Romantasy crush, but the rear is just awkward. It's essentially just a big blank body panel and the only interesting thing about the back are the H-shaped tail lights.

Head inside and the interior is exactly the same as the base FWD hybrid variant - you get an interesting black and grey tartan fabric upholstery across the seats, and enough soft touchpoints scattered throughout to stop you looking too hard at the heavy use of plastics.

The dashboard shares similar chunky proportions with the exterior and you can see lots of H shapes in the air vents and panelling, so it flows pretty well inside.

The highlight is 100 per cent the large curved panel on the dash that houses the dual 12.3-inch displays. They look high-end and instantly lift the cabin from feeling 'basic'.

Joinery is flush, nothing rattles and there's an overwhelming sense of high-build quality inside. It's a cabin you'll be able to spend a lot of time in.

The second-gen X2 looks very different to the original from 2018. That first X2 had a squat stance, looked more like a hatchback than an SUV, and the glasshouse appeared as though it had been squished into the body of the car.

The 2024 X2 adopts a similar design philosophy to the X4 and X6 - swoopy, coupe-like roofline and liftback, and bold styling elements at the front and rear.

It has a much more upright, flush front end, freshly designed large kidney grille and an edgy headlight design. There’s flared wheel arches and broad shoulders at the rear, as well as a cool new horizontal tail-light signature.

The X2 has grown in size in a big way. It’s 194mm longer, 21mm wider, and 64mm taller than the outgoing model. That naturally means more space inside, too.

Inside there are big changes. The X2 adopts elements introduced by the excellent iX SUV a couple of years ago. They include the curved display, and a floating arm rest with a control panel. Some of this is also familiar from the X1.

The materials mostly look and feel like they are high quality, and there is an appealing minimalism to the overall design and layout. The chunky sports steering wheel is visually appealing, but it’s a bit too thick in my hand.

I've said it before but I'll say it again. The cabin offers similar, if not the same, level of practicality of a people mover with passenger space and storage solutions.

In fact, Hyundai may have shot their other three-row SUV, the Palisade, in the foot here because I'm not sure why you'd now bother forking out an extra $13,800 on the base Elite grade over out test model. Not when each row will be comfortable for an adult and feature decent amenities.

With seats that don't sit too high and a 177mm ground clearance, the Santa Fe is an easy SUV to get in and out of, even for kids.

The front- and middle-row seats are the most comfortable when it comes to padding and under-thigh support. The powered drivers seat also offers adjustable lumbar support on top of the heat functions that both front seats get.

Storage is top-notch with lots of cubbies to choose from up front with dual gloveboxes, one that can fit a manual and one that will hold smaller items like a wallet, wet wipes etc.

The middle console is huge and has a removable shelf but is also shared with the middle row as the bottom pulls out into a storage drawer for them. This means you can cut out the middle man (AKA the parent) and have a handy place to put any roadie snacks.

The centre console features two phone cradles and a large shelf underneath that easily holds a handbag or Saturday night's takeaway.

There are a total of 12 cupholders (2/6/4) and four drink holders (one in each door storage bin) plus a sunglasses holder and map pockets on the back of the front seats. So, definitely spoiled for choice when it comes to individual storage.

The technology is easy to use and high-quality with display screens that feature crisp graphics and a responsive multimedia touchscreen. The system features wireless phone mirroring for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as Bluetooth connectivity.

Charging options are good throughout the car with six USB-C ports (2/2/2), and a 12-volt socket and wireless charging pad up front.

Rounding out the cabin is the large boot which offers 642L when the third row is stowed, and up to 1963L when just the front seats are in use.

The loading space is level but you still get a handy under-floor compartment for small items. And the full-size spare tyre and powered tailgate are always practical to have!

Where the previous X2 was a very small crossover with niche appeal, the increase in size for the new model means more people will be interested in it. Possibly even people with a small family.

Those increased dimensions pay dividends inside, with ample headroom up front and more than enough space across the front row, although the raised armrest console is somewhat narrow. 

The seats in both the iX2 xDrive30 and the M35i xDrive are very supportive thanks to ample bolstering, but both were also on the firm side. The iX2’s synthetic leather was slightly more comfortable than the M35i’s sports-focused front seats.

The power-adjustable seats and height- and reach-adjustable steering wheel means it’s not hard to find a decent driving position, but forward vision is impeded by a very thick A-pillar, and the letterbox-like rear windscreen in the X2 means rearward vision is limited. Good thing it has excellent parking cameras and sensors. 

Storage is decent in the X2, with room for big bottles in the door cavity, and a few nooks and large open spaces in the console. Although secure storage is limited with the armrest housing a very shallow space. I do like BMW’s phone charger setup. Rather than lying on a pad, it slots into a vertical holder that has a latch to keep it in place when cornering. The only drawback is that you can see the screen which could potentially distract some drivers.

The X2 introduces operating system nine to iDrive, which is housed in the central part of the curved display and operated by touchscreen or the controller on the floating central console. After some familiarisation, the functionality isn’t that much different to the previous version of the operating system. The main menu looks cool and is mostly easy to navigate. The sub-menu icons - of which there are heaps - look a little Microsoft Windows.

The X2 has drive modes that also interact with the interior of the car and change lighting, EV noise and more. They include Personal Mode, Sport Mode and Efficient Mode as standard, but if you opt for (and pay extra for) BMW Digital Premium, the modes extend to Expressive Mode, Relax Mode and Digital Art Mode. Some of these are quite cool, especially some of the EV sounds, but would I use them everyday? Probably not.

The clearest indication of increased space is in the second row. There’s much more legroom than the old X2, and behind my six-foot frame I had enough space with a couple of centimetres between my knees and the front seat backs. Toe room was very limited, however. 

The roof has been scalloped out to ensure more headroom, which is welcome given the extra sloping roofline.

There are a pair of USB-C ports back there, lower air vents, map pockets, decent door storage, and a centre armrest with cup holders.

The boot is sizeable, in both engine grades but you only get a tyre repair kit. There is underfloor storage for the charging cables in the iX2.

At 560 litres with all seats in place and 1470L with the second row stowed, the petrol grades have a bit more space than the iX2 at 525L (all seats in place) and 1400L (second row lowered).

In Australia, there will be four X2 grades in total - the xDrive20i and M35i xDrive petrol models, and the iX2 eDrive20 and xDrive30 all-electric models.

The iX2 xDrive 30 and the two X2 petrol grades are expected late in quarter one, or early in quarter two. The iX2 eDrive20 will follow shortly after in the third quarter.

The model grades largely mirror that of the X2’s mechanical twin, the X1, although the X1 is also offered in base front-wheel-drive sDrive18i guise as a range-opener.

At the international launch event, the two grades available to drive were the iX2 xDrive30 and the X2 M35i, so I will focus on those two models when it comes to the driving and practicality sections of this review. But I will detail elements of the whole range in other sections.

That X2 xDrive20i kicks off the range from $75,900 before on-road costs. For that you get features like a leather sports steering wheel, dual-zone automatic climate control, satellite navigation, an automatic tailgate, 19-inch alloy wheels, four USB-C ports and more driver-assistance systems and digital services compared with the previous model.

The $92,900 X2 M35i xDrive adds an extra dollop of performance but also includes 20-inch alloy wheels, a 12-speaker Harman/Kardon sound system, leather upholstery, a panoramic glass roof, a BMW M body kit and more.

The most affordable iX2 is the eDrive20 that kicks off at $82,900, while the iX2 xDrive30 dual-motor all-wheel-drive is $85,700. Both of these currently fall under the luxury car tax threshold at the time of writing.

There are several individual options and options packages across the range that can quickly push these prices up. 

The X2 is a bit more expensive than the equivalent grades of the X1. The X2 xDrive20i costs $5500 more than the same X1 grade, while the M35i is only $2000 dearer than the equivalent X1. 

For the EV, the X2 price premium is $4000 for the eDrive20 and just $800 for the xDrive30.

When it comes to rivals, pricing is a little higher than similar swoopy small SUVs like the Audi Q3 Sportback when it comes to the petrol models.

For the EV, competitors include the Lexus UX300e ($79,990-$87,665), Mercedes-Benz EQA (from $82,300-$102,579), and the Volvo C40 Recharge ($78,990-$87,990).

Our Santa Fe is the front-wheel-drive base variant, which features an eight-speed dual-clutch auto transmission and a 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine that produces up to 206kW of power and 422Nm of torque.

Our model has a braked towing capacity of 2000kg, which is up from its hybrid siblings which can only tow up to 1650kg.

Each of the four grades come with a different powertrain, and the xDrive20i kicks it all off with its 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol unit, making 150kW of power and 300Nm of torque. It drives all four wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and can hit 100km/h in 7.4 seconds.

The xDrive M35i ups the fun factor with a gruntier 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol unit, driving all four wheels via the same transmission as the 20i, all while delivering power and torque of 233kW/400Nm This ensures a 0-100km/h dash of 5.4 seconds.

The iX2 eDrive20 is powered by a 150kW/247Nm electric motor on its front axle, and the iX2 xDrive 30 uses two motors - one on the front and one on the rear axle for all-wheel-drive traction. The total system output is 230kW and 494Nm and the xDrive30 gets to 100km/h in just 5.6 seconds.

The base petrol Santa Fe has an official combined fuel cycle usage of 9.3L/100km and 67L fuel tank, giving it a theoretical driving range of 740km, which isn’t as good as its hybrid siblings but still sufficient for the odd road trip.

After doing lots of open-roading this week and a good three days of city dwelling, my real-world usage has popped out at 8.7L/100km, which is a solid result for such a large SUV.

A fuel-use figure for the xDrive20i is yet to be confirmed, but the front-wheel-drive sDrive20i offered in Europe with a three-cylinder engine sips as little as six litres per 100 kilometres on the combined cycle. Expect the Australian version to be a little higher than that given it’s AWD and has a more potent engine.

The M35i consumes 7.7L/100km. 

The high-voltage 64.8kWh lithium-ion battery in the iX2 ensures a driving range on the WLTP cycle of between up to 477 kilometres in the eDrive20 and between 417 and 449km for the xDrive30. 

The latter has an energy efficiency range of 16.3 to 17.7kWh/100km, and BMW says you should be able to top up the battery from 10 to 80 per cent in 29 minutes at a fast charging station.

That driving range is not bad compared with the Lexus UX300e and Peugeot e-2008, but not quite as impressive as the Volvo C40 twin-motor. 

I missed out on checking the energy efficiency figure of the iX2 xDrive30 following our drive, but after an 88km drive loop, the iX2’s range had dropped by 91km, which is just a 3km difference.

The petrol engine definitely has more pep to it than the hybrid variants I've sampled. The power is responsive and you still feel like there’s heaps leftover when you have to overtake or get up a hill without any annoying engine whines.

The steering isn’t too heavy, despite the size of this car but turning off the lane-keeping aid will keep the on-road experience feeling smooth. Otherwise, you sort of ping-pong in your lane as the aid readjusts strongly.

All Santa Fes feel way more nimble than they have any right to in corners. You do get some roll, but our test model is sure-footed, even in heavy wet weather. 

The eight-speed dual-clutch auto transmission is smooth enough and you don’t get any annoying lags when you accelerate from a full stop, which is unusual for such a unit.

Ride comfort is pretty high as well, with suspension that feels forgiving over the worst of the bumps and a cabin that remains quiet, even at higher speeds. 

You have really great visibility in this model because of how big the windows are and the taller driving position helps as well. None of the pillars hindered my vision either from my driving position.

The Santa Fe well and truly fills out a car space and it was easy to see it in a car park because the butt hangs out a bit, but it’s still easy to park with its very clear 360-degree camera system and parking sensors at the front, side and rear. So while it is big, it doesn't feel big to park.

Overall, the petrol Santa Fe is an simple SUV to drive and will be a forgiving choice for lots of different driving styles.

The M135i xDriveis undeniably quick off the mark. The lovely 2.0L turbo engine is well matched to the seven-speed dual-clutch and it’s responsive and willing from a standing start and when overtaking.

The engine sounds lovely too, although we suspect it’s amplified in the cabin, and steering is as sharp as it should be in a warmed-up performance SUV. We darted through some very twisty roads outside Lisbon and had quite a lot of fun in the process, so the M Performance badge is justified. 

I drove the previous-generation X2 M35i a few years back and was disappointed with the ride quality. It was quite jiggly on uneven road surfaces and way too firm.

While the new version still has a firm tune to aid dynamic driving, it is much more compliant than the old car and overall ride comfort has improved.

The iX2 is also quick off the mark and in xDrive30 guise is only 0.2sec slower to 100km/h than the M35i. 

That lively, smooth EV acceleration is present here, adding a sense of fun to the iX2.

It too has sharp steering, and the cabin is hushed. Not just because it’s an EV either. We were on coastal roads on a windy day and there was only a hint of wind noise in the cabin.

In some instances taking corners that had typical European walls or houses right up against the road, the iX2 would slow before I had a chance to tap the brakes. But it was hard to tell if that was a vehicle safety function, or the regenerative braking.

The ride in the iX2 was a bit of a mixed bag. It coped with some of the pockmarked roads exceptionally well, soaking up the imperfections. But then on other roads it was a little choppy.

It also bounces a little when you go over speed bumps, but that’s not exclusively an iX2 trait. I’ve felt it on many an EV, given the placement of the very heavy battery packs under the floor.

On the driving tech front, the X2 has a well executed head-up display projected directly onto the windscreen. It includes the speedo of course, nav guidance, a crystal clear display and more info. 

The X2 and iX2 are yet to be crash tested by ANCAP or Euro NCAP for that matter.

As mentioned, it gets a more generous list of standard safety features than its predecessor. Features include the latest version of BMW’s front collision warning system, auto emergency braking, speed limit detection, active pedestrian protection and a front centre airbag.

All X2s come standard with BMW’s Driving Assistant Professional which features ‘Steering and Lane Control System’, adaptive cruise control with stop and go braking function, and a blind-spot monitor, as well as Parking Assistant Plus with a surround-view camera, reversing assistant and ‘Drive Recorder’.

The Santa Fe comes with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, which isn’t as good as some of its rivals, especially with Nissan now offering a 10-year warranty on its models, albeit conditional.

The pre-paid servicing plans are competitive, though, and the five-year plan averages just $481 per service.

Servicing intervals could get a bit annoying if you do a lot of kays every year as they're at every 12 months or 10,000km, whichever occurs first.

The Santa Fe petrol is a simple gal and enjoys 91RON unleaded petrol and is even E10 suitable.

The X2 range is covered by BMW’s five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty - something the German giant only increased from three years back in 2022. This is now the minimum standard.

The battery warranty for the iX2 is eight years or 160,000 kilometres. 

BMW does not have scheduled servicing terms, instead, servicing is condition-based and the car’s computer will alert the driver when to book in for a service.

A five-year servicing package will cost you $3171 for the petrol X2s, while the iX2 is $2186 for six years.