The Hyundai Palisade is a full-size seven-seater family SUV designed to be comfortable, quiet, spacious, and reliable. The first Palisade was introduced in 2020 and it competes with quite a few full-size SUVs as this segment is really popular in markets like the North American market. However, there are many cars similar to Hyundai Palisade, some of which are better in some regards.
As such, this is the topic of this article. We will list all the SUVs that compete with the Palisade and tell you something about each. We will focus on what every one of these SUVs does better than the other in order to create a broader understanding of which one is for you.
The most similar SUV to the Hyundai Palisade is the Kia Telluride as it shares quite a few parts with the Palisade. We are also going to mention the Ford Explorer which is one of the most popular US-made large SUVs for decades now, way before the Palisade was even available.
Other similar SUVs include the Honda Pilot and the Subaru Ascent as these two are also really popular in this segment.
Hyundai Palisade
The Hyundai Palisade starts at $35,000 while top-tier Calligraphy models go for $49,000. The Palisade uses a 3.8L V6 engine that offers 291hp and is somewhat of an old-school engine as a 3.6L displacement is not really all that common in the current car industry. The Palisade comes with a FWD setup from standard, but you can get one with AWD as well.
The Palisade looks really commanding from the outside which is what most people want in this segment. It is not as reliable as the Santa Fe or the Tucson, but it still manages to be more reliable than most other SUVs here. The interior is designed really nicely and the Palisade does seem like a more polished product than most SUVs in its segment.
Kia Telluride
The Kia Telluride starts at $34,725 and the price goes up to $44,625 for the top-spec model. The Telluride is the most similar SUV to the Hyundai Palisade as these are really similar in size, they hold the same number of passengers, they have the same 5,000lbs towing capacity, excellent safety ratings, and an equally efficient V6 engine.
However, the Kia Telluride does seem like a more high-end product as it uses better interior materials and it feels a bit snugger and better isolated. The cargo space is also slightly roomier while even entry-level models get loads of standard safety assistance features.
Ford Explorer
The Ford Explorer starts at $35,510 while top-spec models cost around $53,000 which is a hefty upgrade over both the Palisade and the Telluride. The Ford Explorer has great engines on hand and the 3.0L twin-turbocharged hybrid V6 with 400hp is the best pick of the litter. This engine even offers better fuel economy than those in both the Telluride and the Palisade, even with such power gains.
However, the Explorer falls a bit short behind the Telluride and the Palisade in the quality department as interior materials aren’t nearly as high-end. The third row of seats is also cramped compared to the other two, especially the Telluride which offers more than enough space for everyone in every seat.
Honda Pilot
It’s difficult to talk about any Hyundai model without mentioning a Honda that rivals it head-to-head. In this case, it’s the $38,080 to $51,870 Honda Pilot. The VTEC V6 in the Honda offers 280hp which makes it really similar to those in the Palisade and the Telluride. The Pilot can also tow 5,000lbs and MPG is also more or less the same.
However, where the Pilot differs is the fact that it gets more standard features across the board, which is partly why it comes with a higher price tag. However, the Pilot is not as dependable as the Palisade nor does it offer the same level of third-row seating space.
Subaru Ascent
The Subaru Ascent costs from $32,795 to $45,945 which makes it the cheapest full-size SUV here. The good thing about the Ascent is that it comes with AWD as standard and that Subaru AWD is one of the best AWD systems on the market. It also gets lots of tech and safety features in all trim levels, so much so that it beats all SUVs here except for the Pilot.
However, the bad thing about the Ascent is that it also offers a cramped third row of seats, a relatively noisy powertrain, and a slight lack of quality on the inside. Be that as it may, if you want an SUV that can also go off-road, the Ascent is much better than all the other SUVs on this list.
FAQ Section
Is the Hyundai Palisade the best SUV in its class?
The Hyundai Palisade is one of the best SUVs in its class, but it does fall short in some regards. For starters, it is more expensive than most SUVs here and it isn’t the most modern SUV here. The Kia Telluride arguably looks better while the Subaru Ascent can go to places the Palisade simply can not.
The Ford Explorer offers the best engine while the Honda CR-V has the best features from standard.
Is the Hyundai Palisade a luxury SUV?
The Hyundai Palisade is not a luxury SUV and that is rather apparent the moment you take a look at it. A luxury SUV from this segment offers much more than any of these do and the best examples of full-size luxury SUVs are the Range Rover Vogue, the Mercedes GLS, and the BMW X7.
Are full-size SUVs the best SUVs on the market?
Full-size SUV buyers tend to be family-oriented which means that they prefer full-size SUVs due to added practicality and superior safety. However, most modern-day mid-size SUVs offer similar space, and better engines, and aren’t nearly as expensive as full-size SUVs are.
For example, the Hyundai Santa Fe looks better than the Palisade, is cheaper, has a better-looking interior, and has better engines with better MPG results.
