2021 Jeep Wrangler 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. 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. 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. The Limited trim featured personalized ambient lighting, leather upholstery, and a host of other premium features.

The Wrangler Unlimited’s icon status was due to its seemingly unchanged styling through the years. The trained eye could tell you all about the notched grille, inset headlights, and scalloped air extractors behind the front fenders. But when people saw a Wrangler, they saw circular headlights, a seven-slat grille, exposed bolts and hinges, and protruding bumpers and fenders. It looked like a toy truck for adults, and to some, it was. Depending on the trim level, the Wrangler could take on different looks, with painted or exposed fenders, soft top or hardtop, and other individual styling touches, but it all came back to those core elements that made a Wrangler Unlimited incapable of being confused for anything else on the road.

Getting behind the wheel of the Wrangler, it was readily apparent this would not be as comfortable as a car-based SUV, like a Honda Pilot. And let’s face it, you weren’t buying a Wrangler for comfort. You sat upright, there wasn’t a lot of legroom, and the seats were adjusted using somewhat awkward ripcords. For the right type of driver, this was charm, not inconvenience. The Wrangler Sport was as near to bare-bones as you could get in a vehicle in 2021, with manual door locks, black plastic fenders and bumpers, cloth seats, and manual side mirrors. The Sport S added some basic creature comforts, including power windows and locks, power heated side mirrors, air conditioning, and remote keyless entry. The Sahara was the more street-oriented Wrangler trim, while the Rubicon was ideal for the aspiring off-road enthusiast.

The Palisade came equipped with a 3.8-liter V6, the only engine offered, 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. The drive mode dial offered Sport, Comfort, Eco, Snow, and Smart modes. Smart mode toggled between the other modes based on driving habits. Comfort mode had a half-second delay in response, but Sport mode made the gas pedal twitchier and improved cornering. The Limited trim came with a self-leveling rear suspension, enhancing driving dynamics. Fuel economy for the FWD model was 19 mpg city, 26 highway, 22 combined, while the AWD model achieved 19/24/21.

The Wrangler’s powertrain lineup had grown to include gas and diesel, mild-hybrid power, and the Hemi V8. Most would likely go for the standard 3.6-liter V6, making 285 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, with a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmission. Other powertrains included a mild-hybrid eTorque variant of the 3.6-liter V6, a 270-hp turbocharged four-cylinder engine, and the 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V6 producing 260 hp and 442 lb-ft of torque. All engines routed power to one of three four-wheel-drive (4WD) systems: Command-Trac, Select-Trac, and Rock-Trac. The Rubicon 392 featured a 6.4-liter V8 engine, cranking out 470 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque, turning it into an off-road supercar. The 392 also featured beefed-up frame-rails, a 2-inch lift with Fox shock absorbers, and upgraded brakes.

The Palisade excelled in versatility and handling everything a family could throw at it. It offered 45.8 cubic feet with the third row down and 86.4 cubic feet with all rear seats dropped, 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. Space in the third row felt manageable, even for longer trips. 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 Wrangler offered cloth tops and hardtops, with multiple options for each. The basic setup was the zipper-less Sunrider soft-top, with premium black cloth and classic-looking tan soft tops also available. The Freedom top was a three-piece hardtop with removable panels over the driver and front passenger, available in black or body color with insulated panels. The Rubicon 392 featured the Sky one-touch power top, a power-retractable canvas panel. The cabin was all-function, with a small center console bin, glovebox, and effective in-door cargo nets. The Wrangler Unlimited provided 31.7 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats and up to 72.4 cubic feet with the rear seats folded.

Hyundai supplied the Palisade with plenty of standard tech, including an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The SE had three front-row USB ports, two second-row USB ports, and Bluetooth connectivity. The SEL also came standard with the smaller screen, but the $1,250 Driver Guidance package added the larger 10.25-inch touchscreen with navigation, satellite radio, and the Driver Talk in-car intercom system. The Limited 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 Wrangler Sport came with a basic 5-inch screen for the radio and vehicle settings. The 7-inch Uconnect screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto was optional on the Sport S and standard on other trims. The sharp 8.4-inch Uconnect screen was also available. The Rubicon 392 featured a color TFT screen in the center of the instrument panel and a clever off-road camera nestled between the slats of the front grille, providing a clear view of the trail ahead.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety named the 2020 Hyundai Palisade a Top Safety Pick+, its highest award. The Palisade came with forward-collision avoidance with pedestrian detection, lane-keeping assist, a driver-attention warning, and parking sensors. The digital instrument panel allowed for the Palisade’s unique blind-spot camera system, projecting live images on the instrument panel when the turn signal was activated.

The Wrangler offered optional modern driver-assistance features like forward-collision warning, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, parking sensors, and blind-spot monitoring. However, lane-departure warning was not available. The Wrangler came with a backup camera with dynamic guidelines and a live tire-pressure monitoring system, useful for off-roading.