2022 Hyundai Palisade vs 2022 Toyota Sienna

The 2022 Hyundai Palisade, which replaced the Santa Fe XL as Hyundai's flagship SUV in 2020, stood out with its elegant and striking exterior design. It featured distinctive lines and shapes, from its prominent grille to its crisp shoulder lines and tasteful tailgate. The SUV'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 row offered either a roomy bench or captain's chairs, and the third row provided ample space for two adults or three children.

The 2022 Toyota Sienna, continuing from its 2021 redesign, aimed to blend minivan practicality with SUV style. It featured a macho front end and re-engineered door hinges and slides to bury the slider channel below the rear side window frame. The overall profile was assertive, with styling details integrated into the rear fender well. Inside, the Sienna avoided the minivan/school bus feel with an uncluttered design and clever storage solutions. The second and third rows offered comfortable, roomy seating, with available second-row captain’s chairs and a spacious three-across bench in the third row. The third row was a 60/40-split bench that stored away into the floor, and the second-row seats slid up to 25 inches for easy access.

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 featured gasoline direct injection, dual variable valve timing, and Atkinson-cycle capability, along with auto-stop-and-go settings to reduce idle time. The EPA estimated that FWD models could achieve up to 19 mpg city/26 mpg highway/22 mpg combined, while AWD models had estimates of 19 mpg city/24 mpg highway/21 mpg combined. The Palisade's four-wheel independent suspension and stabilizer bars at both ends contributed to its nice handling, and it could tow up to 5,000 pounds with trailer brakes.

The 2022 Toyota Sienna, on the other hand, came exclusively with a hybrid powertrain, combining a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with two electric motors to produce 243 horsepower. FWD was standard, but AWD was available on all trim levels, adding a separate electric motor driving the rear wheels. The Sienna used an electronically controlled continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) and offered four selectable drive modes. The Toyota Next Generation Architecture (TNGA) platform's front suspension and steering, along with the independent rear trailing arm suspension, provided better-than-expected handling for a minivan. The big news for the Sienna Hybrid was its impressive fuel economy, with the EPA estimating 36 mpg city/36 mpg highway/36 mpg combined for FWD models and 35 mpg city/36 mpg highway/35 mpg combined for AWD models.

The 2022 Hyundai Palisade offered comfortable seating throughout the cabin, with the third row providing easy access and cupholders on each side. The second-row captain's chairs were very comfortable, and the front row had ample storage, including two compartments in the center console and door panel bottle holders. Luggage space measured 18.0 cubic feet behind the third row, 45.8 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 86.4 cubic feet with both the second and third rows folded flat. An underfloor storage compartment added extra space, and the roof rails could hold up to 220 pounds of cargo. The Palisade featured a compact shift-by-wire setup for its gear selector and an intuitive mode selector for the AWD system. The Limited and Calligraphy trims offered high-end luxury features like rain-sensing windshield wipers, heated and ventilated front seats, premium Nappa leather upholstery, and a dual-panel sunroof.

The 2022 Toyota Sienna was designed to be a family workhorse, capable of conveying a full 4x8 sheet of plywood inside with the tailgate closed. The sliding second row added flexibility for loading luggage and freight, with cargo measurements of 33.5 cubic feet behind the third row, 75.2 cubic feet behind the second row, and 101 cubic feet behind the first row. The Sienna also had a 3,500-pound maximum towing capacity. The standard 60/40-split third-row bench stored away into the floor easily, and each row had storage cubby space and cupholders. Both side sliding doors and the rear tailgate were power-operated, with foot-motion triggers for added convenience.

The 2022 Hyundai Palisade showcased Hyundai's technological prowess. The standard display audio system on S and SEL models featured an 800 x 480 resolution screen, while the Limited and Calligraphy models had a 1920 x 720 color touchscreen and a 630-watt Harman Kardon premium audio system with 12 speakers. The infotainment system included wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, HD Radio, and satellite radio. The Palisade had multiple USB ports, a Qi wireless device charging pad, and a 115-volt power outlet. A rear-view monitor with parking guidance was standard, with a surround view function on Limited and Calligraphy models. The upper trim levels also featured Hyundai's Blue Link connected car system, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and a head-up display.

The 2022 Toyota Sienna came with a 9-inch touchscreen standard in all grades, featuring Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, and SiriusXM. The Sienna offered a one-year trial of Safety Connect and Remote Connect telematics services, a 10-year trial of Service Connect, and a three-month trial of AT&T WiFi Connect. Bluetooth hands-free and audio streaming were included on all trim levels, with Qi wireless phone charging available on most models. The audio system ranged from a six-speaker setup on the LE to a 12-speaker JBL system on higher trims. A rear-seat entertainment system was available, featuring an 11.6-inch 1080p display. The Sienna also had a color multi-information display in the instrument panel center and a 10-inch color head-up display on Platinum trim models. Limited and Platinum models could upgrade to a digital rearview mirror.

The 2022 Hyundai Palisade boasted a comprehensive list of standard and available safety features. Passive safety features included seven airbags, three-point seat belts for all seating positions, LATCH anchors and tethers, active head restraints, a power window lock-out button, rear child-safety locks, a front crumple zone, 2.5-mph bumpers, bodyside reinforcements, an electronic shift-lock system, an anti-theft system, and an immobilizer. Standard active safety features included anti-lock braking, electronic stability control, traction control, brake assist, vehicle stability management, a tire pressure monitoring system, blind-spot collision avoidance assist, rear cross-traffic collision-avoidance assist, reverse parking distance warning, rear occupant alert, forward collision-avoidance assist, lane-keeping assist, driver attention warning, adaptive cruise control, lane-following assist, safe exit assist, and trailer sway control. The Palisade earned a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS and a five-star rating from the NHTSA.

The 2022 Toyota Sienna also received a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS and a five-star rating from the NHTSA. The standard Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 suite included adaptive cruise control, Lane Tracing Assist, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, and traffic sign recognition. The Sienna also featured Toyota's Star Safety System, which included stability control, traction control, anti-lock brakes, and electronic brake-force distribution. The Sienna had 10 airbags and several LATCH child-seat connectors, a rear-seat reminder system, tire-pressure monitoring, and an inflator kit. Buyers could opt for a spare tire, which was now located in the wall of the cargo space for safety and convenience.