2022 Hyundai Palisade vs 2023 Dodge Durango

The 2022 Hyundai Palisade had a striking and elegant exterior design that set it apart from earlier Hyundai models. 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. Pronounced taillights and expressive LED headlights added to its high visibility and signature look. Inside, the Palisade was equally polished, with a horizontally arrayed screen, high-quality materials, and a spacious third row suitable for adults on short rides or kids anytime. The fit and finish were near-luxury levels, making the Palisade a worthy flagship for Hyundai.

In contrast, the 2023 Dodge Durango, entering its 12th model year without a redesign, maintained an attractive and familiar face. Dodge opted for clean, almost car-like styling, avoiding the trend of oversized grilles. The Durango's slim styling, forward-leaning headlights, and large lower air intake gave it a strong presence. The rear featured Dodge's signature "racetrack" taillights, adding a distinctive look. The muscular SRT 392 and SRT Hellcat models had unique styling features, including a Viper-like hood and unique wheels. The interior, while not as distinctive as the exterior, offered a nice environment with materials suited to their price points. The Durango Citadel added luxurious features like Nappa leather upholstery and heated second-row captain's chairs, while the SRT Hellcat test car featured bold red leather upholstery.

The 2022 Hyundai Palisade was powered by 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 balance of power and efficiency. The Palisade's EPA estimates were 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's handling was enhanced by a four-wheel independent suspension and stabilizer bars, with a self-leveling suspension system available on higher trims. It could tow up to 5,000 pounds with trailer brakes.

The 2023 Dodge Durango offered a range of powertrains, starting with the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine, producing 293 horsepower (295 hp with dual exhaust) and 260 pound-feet of torque. The 5.7-liter Hemi V8, standard on the R/T and optional on the Citadel, delivered 360 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque. The SRT 392 model featured a 6.4-liter Hemi V8 with 475 hp and 475 lb-ft of torque, achieving a 0-60 mph time of 4.4 seconds. The SRT Hellcat model, with a 6.2-liter supercharged V8, produced 710 hp and 645 lb-ft of torque, achieving a 0-60 mph time of 3.5 seconds. The Durango's performance was impressive, with adaptive-damping suspension, Pirelli P Zero performance tires, and Brembo brakes making it easy to manage the power.

The 2022 Hyundai Palisade offered comfortable seating and ample storage throughout the cabin. The third row provided easy access and cupholders, while the second-row captain's chairs were comfortable and spacious. The front row featured multiple storage compartments, including a locking glove box 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 rows folded flat. An underfloor storage compartment added extra space. The Palisade's gear selector was a compact shift-by-wire setup, and the controls were logically arranged. Higher trims featured luxury amenities like a dual-panel sunroof, heated and ventilated front seats, and premium Nappa leather upholstery.

The 2023 Dodge Durango was available in seven-seat or six-seat configurations. The SXT, GT, and R/T models had a three-seat second-row bench, while the Citadel, SRT 392, and SRT Hellcat models featured second-row captain's chairs. The Durango's interior space was comparable to other three-row midsize SUVs, with headroom and legroom within a fraction of an inch of competitors. Cargo space was 17.2 cubic feet with all three rows in place, 43.3 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 85.1 cubic feet behind the first row. Small-item storage was generous, with a large wireless charging pad and well-placed USB ports. The Durango's towing capacity was impressive, with V6 models towing up to 6,200 pounds and V8 models towing up to 8,700 pounds.

The 2022 Hyundai Palisade showcased Hyundai's leadership in technology. 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 with a 630-watt Harman Kardon premium audio system. The infotainment system included wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, HD Radio, and satellite radio. The Palisade had multiple USB ports, a Qi wireless charging pad, and a 115-volt power outlet. The Limited and Calligraphy models featured a surround view monitor, head-up display, and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. Hyundai's Blue Link connected car system was standard on upper trims and optional on SEL.

The 2023 Dodge Durango's SXT and GT models had an 8.4-inch touchscreen with wired Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, while the Citadel and SRT models had a 10.1-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The larger screen used the Uconnect 5 system, which was responsive and easy to use. The SRT models featured the Performance Pages app, providing performance information like timers and a g-force meter. A 19-speaker Harman Kardon audio system was available with the Premium Package on the SRT Hellcat model.

The 2022 Hyundai Palisade had a comprehensive list of standard and available safety features. Passive safety features included seven airbags, three-point seat belts, LATCH anchors, active head restraints, and a front crumple zone. Standard active safety features included anti-lock braking, electronic stability control, blind-spot collision avoidance assist, rear cross-traffic collision-avoidance assist, forward collision-avoidance assist, lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control. The Palisade earned a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS and a five-star rating from the NHTSA.

The 2023 Dodge Durango received mixed results in IIHS crash tests, with top "Good" marks in some tests but a "Marginal" score in the driver-side small overlap front test. The NHTSA gave the Durango a four-star overall safety rating, with five stars in the side crash test and four stars in the frontal crash test. RWD models received four stars in the rollover test, while AWD models got three stars. Standard driver-assist tech was limited, with blind-spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert standard on all trims, but forward collision warning, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and automatic emergency braking were only standard on the Citadel.