2021 Hyundai Palisade vs 2022 Hyundai Tucson

The 2021 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy distinguished itself with a unique grille pattern, revised exterior lighting including puddle lamps, additional lower body trim, and exclusive 20-inch wheels. It also featured upgraded interior detailing and a simulated suede headliner. These enhancements made the Calligraphy trim look more luxurious compared to other Palisade versions. The Limited trim, while still appealing, adopted an exterior look similar to the Palisade SEL with the Convenience or Premium option packages. Standard LED headlights were a new addition for models that didn't have them previously.

Inside, the Calligraphy trim was equally impressive. The Beige over Navy Blue color scheme, combined with quilted and stitched premium Nappa leather and a suede headliner, made the cabin feel upscale. The interior detailing made the Calligraphy’s price seem like a genuine bargain, especially when compared to other midsize three-row SUVs. The Palisade’s unconventional styling drew mixed reactions, but it undeniably appeared more expensive than it was.

The 2022 Hyundai Tucson rode on a new platform and was offered in a long-wheelbase version in the U.S., providing two rows of seating and an expanded cargo area. The Tucson featured Hyundai's new design language, with a parametric grille hiding the LED daytime running lights, Bi-LED headlights, and LED front turn signals. The illuminated lights formed a unique shape resembling the wings of the Aztec Spirit Bird. The side profile borrowed design elements from the Hyundai Elantra, including a silver D-pillar that created a floating roof effect.

The rear of the Tucson had distinctive toothy taillights illuminated by LEDs in all but the base model. Depending on the trim level, the Tucson rode on either 17- or 19-inch wheels, with four different wheel designs available. High-end trims featured premium fascias, front and rear skid plates, gloss black pillars, and a panoramic sunroof. Standard features included roof rails, body-color side-mirror housing, solar glass, and acoustic laminated glass. Higher trims offered additional features like heated outside mirrors with blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic avoidance assist indicators, and turn signals.

The 2021 Hyundai Palisade was equipped with a 3.8-liter V6 engine producing 291 horsepower, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive, with an optional all-wheel-drive system. Drivers could choose between Eco, Comfort, Smart, and Sport driving modes, with AWD models adding a Snow mode and a Lock function for improved low-speed traction. The EPA estimated a Palisade AWD would return 21 mpg in combined driving, and the test vehicle averaged 21.1 mpg with Smart mode engaged.

The Palisade's firmer suspension tuning provided excellent body-motion control, making it more communicative about road conditions compared to the softer Kia Telluride. While not outright fun to drive, the Palisade was sure-footed and confidence-inspiring on twisty roads. It was undemanding in typical driving scenarios, with plenty of power and easy maneuverability in urban and suburban environments. The Palisade also offered a towing capacity of 5,000 pounds, with a new seven-pin trailer pre-wiring connector for 2021.

The 2022 Hyundai Tucson came in two powertrain variants: a 2.5-liter direct-injected four-cylinder engine and a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder hybrid engine. The ICE engine delivered 187 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The hybrid powertrain offered 226 combined horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, making it more powerful and enjoyable to drive. The hybrid model performed well during testing, even with a 7,000-foot elevation change.

The Tucson Hybrid was more powerful than the Ford Escape Hybrid, Honda CR-V Hybrid, and Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. AWD was standard on the Tucson Hybrid and available on ICE models. The ICE engine achieved an EPA-estimated fuel economy of 26 mpg in the city, 33 mpg on the highway, and 29 mpg combined. The Tucson Hybrid was more fuel-efficient, with 37 mpg in the city, 36 mpg on the highway, and 37 mpg combined. The forthcoming Tucson PHEV was expected to offer around 25 miles of all-electric range and a total system output of 261 horsepower.

The 2021 Hyundai Palisade excelled in interior space, seating, and accessibility. The Calligraphy trim offered a plush interior with eight-way power-adjustable seats for the driver and passenger, heated and ventilated front seats, and second-row captain’s chairs. The third-row passengers had separate climate controls and rear side-window sunshades. The seats provided good support for long drives, and the second-row captain’s chairs offered plenty of legroom and support.

The Palisade provided ample in-cabin storage space, especially in the front center console and door panels. Cargo space measured 18 cubic feet behind the third-row seats, expanding to 45.8 cubic feet with the third row folded down, and 86.4 cubic feet with the second row folded. The hands-free Smart Liftgate automatically opened when it detected the key fob, with an option to disable this feature if desired.

The 2022 Hyundai Tucson offered a spacious and well-appointed interior, comparable to its competitors like the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Nissan Rogue, and Ford Escape. A six-way power-adjustable driver’s seat was standard, with an eight-way version available on higher trims. The Tucson featured three-stage heated front seats, ventilated front seats, memory for the driver’s seat, and an eight-way power-adjustable passenger seat.

The new Tucson platform provided more room for passengers and cargo, with rear seats offering two inches more legroom than the RAV4. The cabin had ample space for a family of four, with more passenger volume than the CR-V, RAV4, and Escape. The cargo area measured 74.8 cubic feet, comparable to the Forester, RAV4, and CR-V, and significantly larger than the Escape. The rear seats featured a 60-40 split-folding bench and a dual-level cargo floor on ICE models. A hands-free liftgate was available on mid-grade models and up.

The 2021 Hyundai Palisade offered two infotainment systems: an 8-inch touchscreen and a 10.25-inch touchscreen. Both systems could pair two smartphones to Bluetooth simultaneously, but only the 8-inch setup offered wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Calligraphy trim included SiriusXM satellite radio, a navigation system, Blue Link connected services, and a 12-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio system. Other features included wireless smartphone charging, a Driver Talk intercom system, Quiet Mode, a head-up display, and a surround-view camera system.

The 2022 Hyundai Tucson came with a strong set of standard tech features, including an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen, a six-speaker audio system, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, HD Radio, and two USB ports. Higher trims offered satellite radio, Blue Link mobile app compatibility, additional USB outlets, rear air conditioning vents, and dual-zone automatic climate control. A 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen was available, but required a wired connection for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The larger screen was embedded within a black plastic head unit that included climate control and radio/media functionality, with touchpoints that were responsive but challenging to use while driving.

The 2021 Hyundai Palisade excelled in safety, with adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and multiple lane-keeping systems as standard. Higher trims included active blind-spot and rear cross-traffic warning systems, Safe Exit Assist, and a Blind View Monitor. The Palisade also featured Highway Drive Assist, which provided smooth and sophisticated adaptive cruise control and lane-centering assistance. The Palisade earned top safety ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA and included three years of Blue Link services for automatic collision warning and emergency assistance.

The 2022 Hyundai Tucson had not been tested by the IIHS or NHTSA. The Hyundai SmartSense Safety Feature suite included forward collision-avoidance assist, lane-keep assist, automatic high beams, a driver attention monitor, rear occupant alert, speed limit assist, and leading vehicle departure alert as standard. Optional features included blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, a surround-view camera system, parking collision avoidance assist, and remote parking assist. Hyundai backed the Tucson with a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty, a 5-year/60,000-mile new vehicle limited warranty, and a 7-year anti-perforation warranty, along with three years of complimentary maintenance.