2020 Acura MDX vs 2020 Hyundai Palisade

Hyundai had absolutely knocked the Palisade's styling out of the park. This vehicle could have worn a Cadillac logo, and shoppers wouldn't have blinked an eye. In fact, the Palisade stood out more than Caddy’s new XT6 3-row luxury SUV. Its bold, in-your-face styling was characterized by a massive grille and rakishly thin headlights. Interestingly enough, the upper headlight assembly was only part of the headlight puzzle. What appeared to be larger fog lights made up the rest of the headlights. With them on, there was a character line of LEDs that extended from the upper headlights down through the mid-level assembly.

Speaking of unique style choices, Hyundai was known for doing interesting things with chrome and vehicles' character lines. This trend continued with the Palisade, which had a large chrome strip that ran from the base of the A-pillar up over both side door windows, and interestingly, finished right after the rear door. In one sense, this visually broke up what might otherwise have been a very long design. But it did leave the Palisade looking a little busy. The cabin of the Palisade continued that upscale feel, but with more elegance and simplicity. It had a fully digital instrument panel, a large touchscreen that flowed seamlessly across the dash, and a center console bristling with controls that rose up along the centerline. At night and most times of day, eyes were drawn to the personalized ambient lighting system.

The Acura MDX was a good-looking crossover SUV, though few would have described its styling as groundbreaking or breathtaking. It wasn’t going to get attention in the parking lot or preferential parking from the valet at the country club. Neither would it shame its driver. It simply fit in, and sometimes, that was good enough. Acura was one of the early automotive adopters of LED headlights, and its signature Jewel Eye headlights not only added function to the MDX, but also gave a rich look to the front of the vehicle. Unlike incandescent headlamps that featured one or two lamps per side, the Jewel Eye lights arrayed five LED elements per side, arranged horizontally in a housing with the turn signals and running lamps. The headlights flanked a trapezoidal grille with a big Acura logo at the center, anchoring an expressive face.

For a three-row SUV, the MDX was pleasantly sleek and low-slung, with chiseled details and a fast roofline. Paint and chrome were flawless, always an Acura strength. Inside, the look was similarly modern and simple, without a lot of the padding and stitching that seemed to be proliferating in luxury interiors nowadays. The center stack was a highlight, with twin infotainment screens—a high-mounted 8.0-inch LED screen for the navigation system over an On Demand Multi-Use Display (ODMD) touchscreen and three rows of buttons with a big command wheel at center. Thanks to a high-quality level in material selection and superior fit and finish, the MDX felt particularly solid and well-built. Knobs and switches actuated with authority; materials had a rewarding feel.

The Palisade came equipped with a 3.8-liter V6. This was the only engine offered, and it got the job done, making 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. Power was sent to the front wheels or available all-wheel drive (AWD) through an 8-speed automatic transmission, operated via a push-button shifter. The automatic transmission managed power well, and the V6 engine provided solid acceleration. In the center console next to the shifter was a drive mode dial. This dial provided Sport, Comfort, Eco, Snow, and Smart modes. Among these modes, Smart was pretty neat. It toggled between the other modes based on driving habits. If sitting in traffic or idling at a light, it engaged Eco mode. But if stepping on it to get up to highway speeds or to pass someone, it engaged Sport mode. All the while, the instrument panel indicated which mode was in use, allowing observation of the system’s quick response to driving habits.

In Comfort mode, the V6 and the transmission took a half-second to respond to the desire to speed up, but eventually, they brought on strong acceleration. If quicker response times were preferred, Sport mode made the gas pedal twitchier. Just as impressive, cornering was fantastic in Sport mode (well, fantastic for a vehicle this size). The Limited trim came with a self-leveling rear suspension, which absolutely made a difference. Even in Comfort mode, the Palisade's handling remained pretty level. During the test, the suspension was able to perform cornering duties while also absorbing bumpy New England roads. Fuel economy for the 2019 Hyundai Palisade FWD was 19 mpg city, 26 highway, 22 combined. With AWD, fuel economy was 19/24/21. In a week of combined city and highway driving, observed fuel economy was 20.3 miles per gallon.

The 2020 MDX came with a choice of two powertrains: a naturally-aspirated 3.5-liter V6 engine with direct injection and variable valve timing, tuned to produce 290 horsepower and 267 pound-feet of torque. It was coupled to a nine-speed automatic transmission, with a choice of front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. Alternatively, the MDX Sport Hybrid used a 3.0-liter V6 gasoline engine and three electric motors, tuned to produce a combined system power of 321 hp and 289 lb-ft of torque, and hooked up to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT) and all-wheel drive.

For this review, a gasoline-only model with Acura’s Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive system—or SH-AWD for short—was driven. The MDX displayed good straight-line performance, with enthusiastic takeoff and acceleration. Paddle shifters allowed for sequential shifting, but the transmission was so well-behaved that merely selecting the right drive mode (Comfort or Sport) delivered the shifts right where needed. It was surprisingly nimble in corners and curves, especially with SH-AWD, which incorporated torque-vectoring technology. Torque vectoring directed power to the outside wheel during a cornering maneuver, which had the effect of sharpening turn-in and improving handling. This feature was best demonstrated in the MDX when accelerating from a standstill around a corner. With many vehicles, this could unsettle the car, and maybe even threaten to break the rear tires' grip or engage traction control. In the MDX, the power was seamlessly directed to the outside rear wheel, and the car smoothly pulled through the turn—no drama, no squealing rubber, no insecurity. It was quite impressive. The MDX’s four-wheel independent suspension soaked up the bumps in the road, making it a comfortable companion for a long drive or ride.

Driving dynamics and neon cabin lights were neat, but 3-row SUVs were all about versatility and handling everything a family could throw at them. In this respect, the Palisade also got the job done. The Palisade had 45.8 cubic feet with the third row down and 86.4 cubic feet with all rear seats dropped. That was more than both the Highlander and the Pilot. The Limited test model had power-folding third-row seats, which could individually drop with the push of a button, although they took their sweet time rising and dropping.

Space in the third row felt manageable, even for longer trips. The 3-row SUV market pretty much fell into two categories—those with third rows designed for adults, and those with third rows that could be occupied only by children. The Palisade just barely found itself in the former category. If not in the front seats, the second-row captain's chairs were the place to be. Each rear door had multiple cup holders, and the seatback pockets provided plenty of space. There was also space between the second-row captain's chairs for bags or gear, though the Honda Pilot made better use of this space by offering a second-row center console with a cargo tray and cup holders.

Three-row SUVs had replaced minivans as the default choice for families with two or more children, and had adopted some of the functional innovations that were once the province of those now-unfashionable vehicles. The MDX had sliding and reclining second-row seats, which made it much easier to get into and out of the third row, and also allowed sharing the legroom between rows to match needs. Headroom was good in all three rows.

There was room for 15.8 cubic feet of luggage behind the third row, which folded flat in a 50/50 split opening 43.4 cubic feet of cargo space. The second row also folded flat (in a 60/40 split), leaving a 90.9-cubic-foot cargo hold with a reasonably flat load floor all the way to the back of the front seats. There was a recessed cubby hole in the left side of the rear cargo wall, and a covered underfloor storage space for concealed storage of a briefcase or camera bag, or anything else to keep out of sight. Up front, there was a big glove box in front of the passenger and a drop-down sunglass pocket overhead. A flexible center console had two big cupholders and a sliding armrest that opened for access to a bin with USB, power, and auxiliary jacks, as well as enough depth to hold a tablet, small laptop, or medium-sized purse. All four door panels had water-bottle pockets and additional open storage. Second-row passengers got a pair of cupholders on the back of the center console, as well as front-seat back pouches, while third-row passengers got an outboard armrest with a storage bin and cup holder. Befitting a luxury SUV, MDX got tri-zone climate control, allowing separate heating/cooling options for the driver, front-seat passenger, and rear cabin positions.

Hyundai supplied the Palisade with plenty of standard tech, including an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The SE also had three front-row USB ports, two second-row USB ports, and Bluetooth connectivity. Hyundai’s infotainment system was incredibly easy to use. It had a home button that helped if ever lost in the menus, and it had tactile buttons and dials to bring to desired menus.

The SEL also came standard with the smaller screen, but selecting the $1,250 Driver Guidance package got the larger 10.25-inch touchscreen with navigation. This larger screen came standard on the Limited and included real-time traffic updates. This option package for the SEL also added satellite radio and the Driver Talk in-car intercom system for talking to third-row passengers. As far as could be told, this was a one-way intercom for parents who didn’t feel like losing their voice. The Limited also came with the fantastic Harman Kardon premium audio system. It boasted 12 speakers and Clari-Fi music restoration technology. Features like a surround-view monitor and a head-up display rounded out the tech equipment for the Limited.

Rather than provide a long list of a la carte build options, Acura had simplified its trim levels into packages—and most of the packages were full of technology features. The base MDX was nicely equipped, tech-wise. It came with standard Siri Eyes Free, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, hands-free Bluetooth, SMS/MMS text message and email capability, a CD/MP3 and WMA-compatible compact disc player (old school), five USB ports, SiriusXM satellite radio, and an eight-speaker audio system, but lacked the special tech extras that really defined the cutting edge today.

Ramping up required adding the Technology Package ($5,000), which included rain-sensing windshield wipers, LED puddle lights, front and rear parking sensors, navigation with Acura Real-Time Traffic and Traffic Rerouting, GPS-linked climate control, remote engine start, and Acura/ELS Studio Premium Audio with 10 speakers. On top of that, the Advance Package ($6,750) could be added. In addition to the tech features in the Technology Package, it also included the Active Damper System suspension, LED fog lights, heated and ventilated front seats, power front lumbar support, heated rear outboard seats, a surround-view camera system, Head-Up Warning, and two third-row USB charge ports.

For $2,000, the Entertainment Package could be added to either the Technology Package or Advance Package, and then a DVD rear entertainment system with a 110-volt power outlet in the front center console and two pairs of wireless headphones was included. The Advance Package used a 16.2-inch Ultra-Wide Full VGA screen and had HDMI compatibility and two additional speakers, while the Technology Package came with a 9.0-inch Full VGA screen and one additional speaker.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety named the 2020 Hyundai Palisade a Top Safety Pick+, its highest award. In addition to standard fare like a reversing camera, child-seat anchors, and a full array of front- and side-impact airbags, the Palisade came loaded with the latest driver-assistance tech. Every Palisade came with forward-collision avoidance with pedestrian detection, lane-keeping assist, a driver-attention warning, and parking sensors.

The Palisade came standard with a fully digital instrument panel. This opened up a lot of possibilities for conveying information to the driver. For one, the parking sensors' warning showed up on the right side of the instrument panel (as well as the touchscreen if the upgraded infotainment system was selected). This digital instrument panel also allowed for the Palisade’s unique blind-spot camera system. When the right or left turn signal was selected, the corresponding parking camera to that side of the vehicle activated. The live image was then projected on the instrument panel and allowed seeing curbs, traffic, and anything else that could be in the blind spot.

The MDX came with standard AcuraWatch, a suite of passive and active safety features, and advanced driver assistance systems that included adaptive cruise control with low-speed follow, lane-keep assist, forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, and automatic emergency braking.

The Technology Package added blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, and the Advance Package added Head-Up Warning. Additional safety equipment included a rearview camera with dynamic guidelines (upgraded to the surround-view camera on the Advance Package), front airbags, front-side airbags, side curtain airbags with rollover sensor, driver’s knee airbag, stability control with traction control and motion-adaptive steering, Trailer Stability Assist on all-wheel-drive models, tire pressure monitoring with location and pressure indicators, LATCH child-seat mounts, and a theft-deterrent system with electronic immobilizer.

Acura had developed and implemented a sophisticated body design they called “Next-Generation Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) Body Structure," which was designed to absorb the impact in a crash, transferring energy through the MDX’s frame and away from occupants.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) rated MDX as “good” (their highest rating) for all crash-test categories; “acceptable” for headlights; “superior” for front crash prevention; and “acceptable” for LATCH ease of use. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave MDX a five-star overall safety rating—its highest.