Although the new flagship SUV – the Hyundai Palisade – didn’t join the lineup until the 2020 model year, it entered production in 2018. Hyundai needed a 3-row midsize crossover for the 2019 model year, so they temporarily rebranded the outgoing Santa Fe model as the Santa Fe XL. The XL is the final chance Santa Fe enthusiasts have to get their hands on this incredible utility vehicle, and if you’re not sure it makes a great option we thought we’d show you just how incredible it is by pitting it against the flagship SUV of the Toyota brand, the 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe XL vs 2019 Toyota Sequoia.
One glance at the table above will remind you that the Toyota Sequoia is a full-size traditional SUV whereas the Santa Fe XL is a 3-row midsize crossover. Despite this class and size difference, the two make great competitors for one another. The first row does show the big difference between crossovers and traditional SUVs, as the Santa Fe XL achieves an extra 6 miles per gallon combined when it comes to fuel.
On the flip side, the Toyota Sequoia shows its superior power in the second row, generating an extra 91 horsepower more than the Santa Fe XL. However, this advantage isn’t quite as large as it seems, as the third row proves. The Santa Fe XL weighs an incredible 1,704 pounds less than the Toyota Sequoia, meaning that it needs a whole lot less power to move in similar ways to its larger counterpart. While the Sequoia still certainly has a leg up in the power game, the difference in weight severely hacks that advantage by quite a bit.
The Sequoia does have one true advantage however, as its larger size enables it to offer room for an extra passenger. Whereas the Santa Fe XL comes in 6- or 7-passenger configurations, the Sequoia comes in 7 or 8. If you can overlook that and the slight power deficit, then consider getting in touch with us right here at Cocoa Hyundai.
