2020 Honda Passport vs 2021 Hyundai Palisade

The 2020 Honda Passport was a quintessential Honda, embodying the brand's familiar design and functionality. Its exterior, reminiscent of a scaled-down Pilot or an enhanced CR-V, struck a balance between ruggedness and athleticism. The Passport's four trim levels—Sport, EX-L, Touring, and Elite—offered various features, with the Elite trim boasting a scratch-resistant matte black grille, 20-inch black alloy wheels, and more ground clearance than the Pilot, making it a capable off-roader. Inside, the Passport's cabin was sophisticated yet practical, featuring a mix of durable and soft-touch materials, heated and ventilated front seats, and ample storage space.

In contrast, the 2021 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy trim distinguished itself with a unique grille pattern, revised lighting, and additional lower body trim. The Palisade's interior was luxurious, with quilted Nappa leather, a simulated suede headliner, and a Beige over Navy Blue color scheme. The Calligraphy trim's upscale appearance made it seem more expensive than it was, and its cabin was spacious and well-appointed, offering heated and ventilated seats, a heated steering wheel, and ample storage space. The Palisade's design and features made it a standout in the midsize three-row SUV segment.

The 2020 Honda Passport was equipped with a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. While the engine provided sufficient power for various driving situations, its fuel economy was less impressive, with FWD models achieving 20 mpg city, 25 mpg highway, and 22 mpg combined, and AWD models slightly lower. The Passport's performance remained consistent even at high elevations, and its torque-vectoring AWD system provided a planted feel on winding roads. The Passport also offered Snow, Sand, and Mud drive modes, making it more capable off-road than expected, and it could tow up to 5,000 pounds.

The 2021 Hyundai Palisade featured a 3.8-liter V6 engine generating 291 horsepower, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The Palisade offered multiple driving modes, including Eco, Comfort, Smart, and Sport, with AWD models adding Snow mode and a Lock function for improved traction. The Palisade's fuel economy was competitive, with AWD models achieving 21 mpg combined. The Palisade's firmer suspension provided excellent body-motion control, making it enjoyable to drive, though not necessarily fun. It was undemanding in typical driving scenarios, with plenty of power and easy maneuverability. The Palisade also had a towing capacity of 5,000 pounds, with a new seven-pin trailer pre-wiring connector for 2021.

The 2020 Honda Passport was practical, with a right-sized design that provided good visibility and spacious seating for four adults. The Passport's seats were comfortable, with height-adjustable seatbelts and three full LATCH connections in the second row. The SUV offered ample cargo space, with 41.2 cubic feet behind the rear seats and the most under-floor storage in its class. The Passport's small-item storage was also impressive, with a large center console and secondary shelf space in the front doors. The interior featured hard plastic surfaces that were easy to clean and piano black trim pieces that required occasional dusting.

The 2021 Hyundai Palisade excelled in interior space, seating, and accessibility. The Calligraphy trim offered eight-way power-adjustable front seats, heated and ventilated front and second-row seats, and separate climate controls for third-row passengers. The second-row captain's chairs provided plenty of legroom and support, and the third-row seat was more accommodating than most in its class. The Palisade offered ample in-cabin storage, with a large front center console and door panel storage. Cargo space was generous, with 18 cubic feet behind the third row, 45.8 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 86.4 cubic feet with the second row folded. The hands-free Smart Liftgate was a convenient feature, though it could be turned off if desired.

The 2020 Honda Passport's base Sport model came with a 5.0-inch display, while higher trims featured an 8.0-inch Display Audio infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. The larger screen was responsive and easy to navigate, though the dashboard design was somewhat outdated. Standard features included Bluetooth, a USB port, a seven-speaker audio system, push-button start, and keyless entry. Higher trims offered a 10-speaker audio system, satellite radio, additional USB ports, a wireless phone charger, and a Wi-Fi hotspot.

The 2021 Hyundai Palisade offered two infotainment systems: an 8-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a 10.25-inch touchscreen requiring a wired connection. The Calligraphy trim included SiriusXM satellite radio, a navigation system, Blue Link connected services, and a 12-speaker Harman Kardon audio system. Other features included wireless smartphone charging, a Driver Talk intercom system, Quiet Mode, and an available head-up display. The Palisade's technology was comprehensive and user-friendly, with impressive sound quality and effective voice-recognition technology.

The 2020 Honda Passport prioritized safety, earning good scores from the IIHS and NHTSA and being named an IIHS Top Safety Pick. The Passport came standard with the Honda Sensing suite, including forward-collision warning, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, automatic emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control. Higher trims offered additional features like dynamic gridlines for the rearview camera, blind-spot monitoring, parking sensors, and rear cross-traffic detection.

The 2021 Hyundai Palisade excelled in safety, with adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and multiple lane-keeping systems as standard. The Palisade also featured a rear occupant alert system, with more sophisticated versions available on higher trims. Most Palisades included active blind-spot and rear cross-traffic warning systems, as well as Safe Exit Assist. The Limited and Calligraphy trims offered a Blind View Monitor and Blue Link services, including automatic collision warning and emergency assistance. The Palisade's Highway Drive Assist was a standout feature, providing smooth and sophisticated adaptive cruise control and lane-centering assistance. The Palisade earned top safety ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA.