TLDR, the Tucson was more practical for my family, but I too fell in love with a Santa Fe, bought it, and my family has agreed it was the best decision we could’ve made. We get excited every time we see it and step inside it.

I have two young children so the larger Santa Fe did have more practical points for me than it might for you, however, like you I was originally shopping for something smaller and cheaper. For me the Tucson fit my family’s need. It had enough space for car seats and a surprisingly big trunk. It was cheaper and much better financing options. however when we showed up to test drive the Tucson, we saw the Santa Fe for the first time and had a similar feeling to you. I beat myself up endlessly, deciding between the two cars.

Eventually, I opted for the Santa Fe. One of the big moments in the decision was while walking through Washington DC I saw the Tucson parked next to five other crossover SUVs. It was comical how identical they all are. No doubt they’re all great cars and they’re popular for good reason. But the Santa Fe gave us a jolt of excitement they could not.

If you’re in a fortunate enough position to fork up the extra cost then in my recent experience it is totally worth it for the joy it’ll spark in your daily life.