2022 Hyundai Palisade vs 2022 Lexus NX

The 2022 Hyundai Palisade, which replaced the Santa Fe XL as Hyundai's flagship SUV, showcased an elegant and striking exterior design. It featured distinctive lines and shapes, from its prominent grille to its crisp shoulder lines and tasteful tailgate. The Palisade's profile was visually interesting, highlighted by sculpted wheel arches and a continuous strip of glass surfaces that gave the impression of a floating rear roof. Inside, the Palisade was equally polished, with high-quality materials and finishes adorning every surface. The horizontally arrayed screen and beefy center console anchored the dash, while the second and third rows offered ample space and comfort.

The 2022 Lexus NX, redesigned and available in four model series, presented a more intimate and cozy interior compared to its predecessor. The NX was unmistakably a Lexus with its jutting spindle grille and new block lettering on the tailgate. The NX 350 F Sport distinguished itself with a unique mesh-pattern grille, body-color fender trim, and 20-inch gloss black wheels. Inside, the F Sport featured sport-bolstered seats and a black headliner, while the Luxury trim offered real leather and open-pore wood trim. The NX's minimalist interior design, however, sometimes made it challenging to quickly locate and use some features integrated into the 14-inch touchscreen.

The 2022 Hyundai Palisade came with a naturally aspirated 3.8-liter V6 gasoline engine, producing 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. This engine, equipped with gasoline direct injection and dual variable valve timing, offered a baritone rumble and no turbo lag. The Palisade's fuel efficiency was estimated at 19 mpg city/26 mpg highway/22 mpg combined for FWD models and 19 mpg city/24 mpg highway/21 mpg combined for AWD models. The Palisade handled nicely, thanks to its four-wheel independent suspension and stabilizer bars, and could tow up to 5,000 pounds with trailer brakes.

The 2022 Lexus NX offered two electrified versions: the NX 350h hybrid with 239 horsepower and an EPA-estimated 39 mpg combined, and the NX 450h+ plug-in hybrid with 302 horsepower and an estimated 36 miles of pure electric range. The NX 350 featured a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine producing 275 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard AWD. The NX 350 F Sport added Sport S, Sport+, and Custom modes, along with an adaptive variable sports suspension. Lexus claimed the NX 350 could accelerate to 60 mph in 6.6 seconds, with observed fuel economy at 22.2 mpg for the F Sport and 25.5 mpg for the Luxury trim.

The 2022 Hyundai Palisade excelled as a minivan replacement, offering comfortable seating and ample storage throughout the cabin. The third row provided 18.0 cubic feet of luggage space, expanding to 45.8 cubic feet with the third row folded and 86.4 cubic feet with both the second and third rows folded flat. The Palisade featured a compact shift-by-wire setup for its gear selector, intuitive controls, and a dual-panel sunroof on higher trims. Luxury features included rain-sensing windshield wipers, heated and ventilated front seats, premium Nappa leather upholstery, and a hands-free liftgate.

The 2022 Lexus NX, while offering more interior room, felt more intimate from the driver’s seat. The NX provided comfortable accommodations, especially with heated and ventilated front seats and a heated steering wheel. Rear-seat passengers enjoyed roomy accommodations with rear air conditioning vents and USB ports. The NX's cargo space increased to 22.7 cubic feet behind the back seat and 46.9 cubic feet with the back seats folded. The Luxury trim featured a nature-inspired Thematic Ambient Illumination system and a panoramic glass sunroof extending over the back seat.

The 2022 Hyundai Palisade showcased advanced technology, with a standard display audio system on SE and SEL models and a 1920 x 720 color touchscreen with Harman Kardon premium audio on Limited and Calligraphy models. The infotainment system included wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, HD Radio, satellite radio, and multiple USB ports. The Palisade also featured Hyundai's Blue Link connected car system, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster on higher trims, and a head-up display.

The 2022 Lexus NX took a significant leap forward with its new Lexus Interface infotainment system. A 9.8-inch touchscreen was standard, with a 14-inch screen as an option. The system included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Voice Assistant technology, and cloud-based features. A 10-speaker sound system was standard, with a 17-speaker Mark Levinson premium surround system available. The NX also offered a digital mirror, a 10-inch head-up display, and various connected services, including cloud-based navigation and digital key capability.

The 2022 Hyundai Palisade boasted a comprehensive list of standard and available safety features, including seven airbags, anti-lock braking, electronic stability control, blind-spot collision avoidance assist, rear cross-traffic collision-avoidance assist, and forward collision-avoidance assist with pedestrian detection. The Palisade earned a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS and a five-star rating from the NHTSA.

The 2022 Lexus NX included the Lexus Safety System+ 3.0, featuring Risk Avoidance Emergency Steer Assist, Oncoming Vehicle Detection, Oncoming Pedestrian Detection, and Curve Speed Management. The NX also had standard blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic warning, and Safe Exit Assist technology. Premium trim added rear pedestrian detection, an adaptive front lighting system, and semi-autonomous parking assist. The Vision Package included a panoramic view monitoring system and front cross-traffic alert.