2021 Lexus GX vs 2020 Hyundai Palisade

The 2020 Hyundai Palisade had a striking design that could easily be mistaken for a luxury brand. Its bold styling featured a massive grille and thin headlights, with a unique headlight assembly that included larger fog lights. The Palisade's chrome accents and character lines added to its visual appeal, although some found it a bit busy. Inside, the Palisade's cabin exuded elegance and simplicity, with a fully digital instrument panel, a large touchscreen, and a center console filled with controls. The top-of-the-line Limited trim offered ambient lighting, leather upholstery, and a host of other premium features.

In contrast, the 2021 Lexus GX 460's styling reflected its long tenure on the market. The basic body shell remained unchanged for a decade, with updates like the spindle grille and triple-beam LED headlights. The GX's exterior had a tough, aggressive look that appealed to SUV shoppers, but its interior felt dated. The wood trim in the Premium test car looked and felt like plastic, and there was an abundance of actual plastic. While the GX offered standard leather upholstery, the overall interior quality did not meet modern luxury SUV standards.

The 2020 Hyundai Palisade came equipped with a 3.8-liter V6 engine, 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. The Palisade's automatic transmission managed power well, and the V6 engine provided solid acceleration. The drive mode dial offered Sport, Comfort, Eco, Snow, and Smart modes, with Smart mode adjusting based on driving habits. The Limited trim featured a self-leveling rear suspension, enhancing driving dynamics. Fuel economy for the Palisade was 19 mpg city, 26 highway, and 22 combined for the front-wheel-drive model, and 19/24/21 for the AWD model.

The 2021 Lexus GX 460 featured a 4.6-liter V8 engine, producing 301 horsepower and 329 pound-feet of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. The GX's V8 engine provided strong acceleration from a stop, but its 5,130-pound weight affected performance at higher speeds. Merging and overtaking required careful planning, and stopping the SUV also needed advanced preparation. The GX's ride quality was typical of a body-on-frame vehicle, with low grip and body roll in corners. However, the GX excelled in off-road capability, with a Torsen center differential, low-range 4WD, and various off-road driver aids. The GX had a maximum towing capacity of 6,500 pounds.

The 2020 Hyundai Palisade offered impressive versatility and interior space. With the third row down, it provided 45.8 cubic feet of cargo space, expanding to 86.4 cubic feet with all rear seats folded. The third row was manageable for longer trips, and the second-row captain's chairs provided ample comfort and storage. The Limited trim featured power-folding third-row seats, although they operated slowly. The Palisade's interior was well-suited for families, with multiple cup holders and seatback pockets.

The 2021 Lexus GX 460's interior ergonomics showed its age. The upright dashboard and high center console limited legroom, and the steering wheel's odd angle and tall seating position felt bus-like. The dashboard shape and boxy profile provided excellent outward visibility, but forward visibility was limited by the tall hood. The center-console storage bin and cupholders were small, and the third row was best reserved for children. The GX offered 64.7 cubic feet of cargo space with the second and third rows folded, significantly less than the Palisade. With the third row up, cargo space was minimal.

The 2020 Hyundai Palisade came with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The SE trim included multiple USB ports and Bluetooth connectivity. The SEL trim offered an optional Driver Guidance package with a larger 10.25-inch touchscreen, navigation, satellite radio, and an in-car intercom system. The Limited trim featured a Harman Kardon premium audio system, a surround-view monitor, and a head-up display.

The 2021 Lexus GX 460 was light on tech features. It offered Bluetooth, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant connectivity, but lacked Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. The standard infotainment system had outdated graphics and limited functions. The GX included analog controls for most functions, providing a straightforward interface. A 17-speaker Mark Levinson audio system was available.

The 2020 Hyundai Palisade earned a Top Safety Pick+ award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. It came with a reversing camera, child-seat anchors, and a full array of airbags. Standard driver-assistance features included forward-collision avoidance with pedestrian detection, lane-keeping assist, driver-attention warning, and parking sensors. The Palisade's digital instrument panel displayed parking sensor warnings and featured a unique blind-spot camera system.

The 2021 Lexus GX 460 had not been rated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. It came with the Lexus Safety System+ bundle, including forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, automatic high beams, lane-departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were also standard. However, the GX lacked some safety features found in other Lexus and Toyota models, such as traffic-sign recognition and Lane Tracing Assist.