2021 Honda CR-V vs 2020 Hyundai Palisade

Hyundai absolutely nailed the Palisade's styling. This vehicle could have easily worn a Cadillac logo without raising any eyebrows. The Palisade stood out even more than Cadillac’s new XT6 3-row luxury SUV. Its bold, in-your-face styling was characterized by a massive grille and rakishly thin headlights. Interestingly, the upper headlight assembly was only part of the headlight puzzle, with larger fog lights making up the rest. When illuminated, a character line of LEDs extended from the upper headlights down through the mid-level assembly. Hyundai continued its trend of unique chrome and character line designs with the Palisade, featuring a large chrome strip that ran from the base of the A-pillar over both side door windows, finishing just after the rear door. This visually broke up what might otherwise be a very long design, though it did leave the Palisade looking a bit busy. Despite this, it was a handsome and eye-catching SUV.

The cabin of the Palisade continued that upscale feel with more elegance and simplicity. At first glance, the dash could be mistaken for one from a luxury brand, featuring a fully digital instrument panel, a large touchscreen that flowed seamlessly across the dash, and a center console bristling with controls. The personalized ambient lighting system drew attention, especially in the top-of-the-line Limited trim. The base SE trim came with acoustic-laminated glass, cloth upholstery, a 6-way adjustable driver’s seat, power-folding second-row seats, and a swath of front and rear USB ports. The SEL trim added second-row captain's chairs, satin chrome door handles and grille, integrated roof rails, and a proximity key with push-button start. The range-topping Limited trim featured 20-inch alloys, LED headlights, side puddle lights, LED cabin accent lighting, rain-sensing wipers, a dual sunroof, and a hands-free smart power liftgate. The Limited also impressed with its high-quality leather upholstery, heated and cooled front seats, heated rear seats, driver’s seat memory, and power-folding third-row seats.

The Honda CR-V, on the other hand, had a more conventional look that blended in with other compact crossovers. The styling of all compact crossovers was nearly identical, with the CR-V featuring a similar side window opening shape to its competitors. There were a few details that separated the CR-V from the herd, like the grille opening and some chromed plastic features, but overall, it wasn’t a vehicle bought for its exterior looks. Honda offered the CR-V in eight colors, though three were shades of gray, one was black, and one was white. The more vibrant colors were limited to higher trims, making it challenging to find a CR-V in a standout color. Inside, the CR-V was offered in black, gray, and ivory cloth or leather, depending on the trim level. Climbing the trim ladder unlocked features like wood panels and more chrome for a more upscale appearance. The front and rear seats had a more modern look with sharp details on the seat edges and headrests. However, vehicles like the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson had an advantage over the CR-V in terms of distinctive styling, especially at the mid-tier trims.

The 2020 Hyundai Palisade came equipped with a 3.8-liter V6 engine, the only engine offered, producing 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. The drive mode dial in the center console offered Sport, Comfort, Eco, Snow, and Smart modes. Smart mode toggled between the other modes based on driving habits, engaging Eco mode in traffic and Sport mode for highway speeds. Comfort mode had a half-second delay in acceleration, while Sport mode made the gas pedal more responsive. The Limited trim featured a self-leveling rear suspension, enhancing cornering and handling. Fuel economy for the Palisade FWD was 19 mpg city, 26 highway, 22 combined, and 19/24/21 with AWD. In a week of combined city and highway driving, observed fuel economy was 20.3 miles per gallon.

The 2021 Honda CR-V was not known for neck-snapping acceleration or high Gs on the skidpad. It featured a 190-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine across all nine trims, with a 0-60 mph time of about 7.8 seconds. The CR-V had a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that held engine revs constant as the vehicle accumulated speed. The drivetrain was less engaging compared to competitors like the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson, which offered conventional eight-speed automatic transmissions with sport modes. The CR-V came standard with front-wheel drive (FWD), with AWD as an extra-cost option. The CR-V had a unitized body structure, MacPherson strut front suspension, and multi-link rear suspension, similar to other vehicles in its class. Handling and ride quality were decent, with no real surprises.

The 2020 Hyundai Palisade excelled in versatility and handling family needs. It offered 45.8 cubic feet of cargo space with the third row down and 86.4 cubic feet with all rear seats dropped, more than the Highlander and Pilot. The Limited trim had power-folding third-row seats, though they were slow to rise and drop. The third row was manageable for longer trips, fitting into the category of 3-row SUVs with third rows designed for adults. The second-row captain's chairs were the place to be, with multiple cup holders, seatback pockets, and space between the chairs for bags or gear.

The 2021 Honda CR-V aimed to fit five people comfortably and carry their gear. It had 102.9 cubic feet of passenger volume, four cubic feet more than the Toyota RAV4, and slightly more cargo space behind the second row. With the rear seats folded, the CR-V offered 75.8 cubic feet of total cargo volume. The tailgate could be raised and lowered manually on the LX to EX trims, with the EX-L featuring a power tailgate and the Touring offering a hands-free version. Roof rails were standard only on the top-of-the-line Touring trim.

The 2020 Hyundai Palisade came with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, three front-row USB ports, two second-row USB ports, and Bluetooth connectivity. The SEL trim could be upgraded to a 10.25-inch touchscreen with navigation, satellite radio, and the Driver Talk in-car intercom system. The Limited trim featured a Harman Kardon premium audio system with 12 speakers, Clari-Fi music restoration technology, a surround-view monitor, and a head-up display.

The 2021 Honda CR-V LX had a 5-inch color screen with Bluetooth connectivity. Other trims had a 7-inch high-definition touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. The Special Edition and EX trims had a 180-watt audio system with six speakers, while the EX-L had eight speakers. The Touring trim had a 300-watt system with a subwoofer and satellite navigation. Charging ports were available throughout the CR-V, with the Touring trim adding a wireless phone charger.

The 2020 Hyundai Palisade was named a Top Safety Pick+ by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. It came with a reversing camera, child-seat anchors, front- and side-impact airbags, forward-collision avoidance with pedestrian detection, lane-keeping assist, driver-attention warning, and parking sensors. The digital instrument panel displayed parking sensor warnings and featured a unique blind-spot camera system.

The 2021 Honda CR-V earned a five-star National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) overall crash test rating and an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick award. It did not receive the highest Top Safety Pick+ rating due to lower scores in the headlight evaluation and updated side crash test. The CR-V had a multi-angle rearview camera, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking, road departure mitigation, lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, and auto high-beam headlamps. The blind spot monitoring system with rear cross-traffic alert was standard on the EX trim and above.