2023 Dodge Durango vs 2023 Hyundai Palisade

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade, as Hyundai's largest SUV, had a commanding presence on the road, further enhanced by its 2023 styling update. The new front fascia, with its bold strokes and squared-off grille, framed the updated headlights, giving the SUV a stronger and more assertive look. LED accents, daytime running lights, and headlights were standard across the lineup, while LED taillights were standard on SEL and higher trims. The Calligraphy trim stood out with premium rear accent lighting, a unique grille, and a wider rear spoiler, while the new XRT trim featured a dark grille and black 20-inch wheels. The interior of the Calligraphy trim was stylish, with premium Nappa leather and a dual-pane sunroof, offering a bright and luxurious feel. The Palisade's seating configurations allowed for either seven or eight passengers, with second-row captain's chairs available in higher trims.

The 2023 Dodge Durango, entering its 12th model year without a redesign, maintained its familiar yet attractive appearance. Dodge opted for clean, car-like styling, avoiding oversized grilles and instead featuring slim styling with forward-leaning headlights and a large lower air intake. The signature "racetrack" taillights at the back gave the Durango a distinctive look. The SRT 392 and SRT Hellcat models had unique styling features, including a Viper-like hood and dual exhaust outlets. The Durango offered various appearance packages, such as the Blacktop Package and Hemi Orange appearance package, allowing for customization. The interior, while not as distinctive as the exterior, provided a comfortable environment with available Nappa leather upholstery and heated seats in higher trims. The Durango's seating configurations included seven-seat or six-seat options, with second-row captain's chairs available in higher trims.

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade was equipped with a single powertrain option: a 3.8-liter V6 engine producing 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. This engine was competitive within its class, offering more power than the Mazda CX-9 and Volkswagen Atlas, slightly more than the Honda Pilot and Nissan Pathfinder, and just a bit less than the Toyota Highlander and Ford Explorer. The Palisade featured an eight-speed automatic transmission with standard paddle shifters, and power was routed to the front wheels by default, with all-wheel drive (AWD) available as a $1,900 option. The Palisade's towing capacity reached up to 5,000 pounds, and AWD models included a dedicated Tow Mode. Fuel economy for front-wheel-drive models was 19 mpg city, 27 highway, and 22 combined, while AWD models achieved 19 city, 25 highway, and 21 combined.

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 Durango also featured a 5.7-liter Hemi V8 engine, standard on the R/T and optional on the Citadel, delivering 360 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque. The SRT 392 model boasted a 6.4-liter Hemi V8 with 475 hp and 475 lb-ft of torque, achieving 0-60 mph in 4.4 seconds. The SRT Hellcat model took performance to another level with a 6.2-liter supercharged V8, producing 710 hp and 645 lb-ft of torque, reaching 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds. The Durango's performance was complemented by an adaptive-damping suspension, Pirelli P Zero performance tires, and Brembo brakes, providing a thrilling driving experience.

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade offered ample interior space, comfortably seating seven or eight passengers. It provided 44.1 inches of legroom in the front row, 42.4 inches in the second, and 31.4 inches in the third, surpassing the Toyota Highlander. The Palisade's passenger volume measured 155.3 cubic feet, and cargo space totaled 18 cubic feet with all seats in place, 45.8 behind the second row, and 86.4 with the front-row seats folded flat. The Palisade featured a hands-free smart liftgate on all but the base SE trim, and HVAC vents were available in all three rows. The center console included a phone holder and cupholders, with automatic dual-zone climate control standard in SEL and higher trims.

The 2023 Dodge Durango offered seven-seat or six-seat configurations, with front bucket seats, a second-row bench, and a third-row bench standard on SXT, GT, and R/T models. The Citadel, SRT 392, and SRT Hellcat models featured second-row captain's chairs. The Durango's interior space was comparable to other midsize SUVs, with headroom and legroom within a fraction of an inch of competitors. Cargo space measured 17.2 cubic feet with all seats in place, 43.3 cubic feet with the third-row seats folded, and 85.1 cubic feet behind the first row. The Durango offered generous small-item storage, including a large wireless charging pad and USB ports. However, the power liftgate was available, but there was no power-folding third row.

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade featured advanced technology, including WiFi hotspot capability standard on all trims. A 12.3-inch color touchscreen infotainment system was also standard, offering Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, navigation, HD Radio, SiriusXM, and Bluetooth connectivity. A premium 12-speaker Harman Kardon sound system was available in SEL models and standard in Limited and Calligraphy. The Palisade's remote accessibility and management features were impressive, with Hyundai's Bluelink connected vehicle system standard on all trims. The Palisade was the first vehicle to offer Digital Key 2 Touch, allowing owners to use compatible devices to unlock, start, and drive the car.

The 2023 Dodge Durango featured an 8.4-inch touchscreen with wired Apple CarPlay/Android Auto on SXT and GT models, while the Citadel and SRT models had a 10.1-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Durango used Stellantis' Uconnect infotainment system, with the larger screen featuring the current Uconnect 5 system. The SRT models included the Performance Pages app, providing performance information on the main touchscreen. A 19-speaker Harman Kardon audio system was available with the Premium Package on the SRT Hellcat model.

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade was expected to maintain its high safety standards, with the 2022 model earning a Top Safety Pick+ from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The Palisade featured Hyundai's Smart Sense suite of safety features, including forward collision avoidance, driver attention warning, and lane-keeping assist. Blind-spot collision avoidance and rear cross-traffic collision avoidance were standard on all trims. The Palisade also offered navigation-based Smart Cruise Control and Highway Driving Assist, with additional features available on higher trims.

The 2023 Dodge Durango received mixed safety ratings, with a four-star overall safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The Durango received top marks in some IIHS tests but scored "Marginal" in the driver-side small overlap front test. The Durango offered limited standard driver-assist tech, with blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert standard on all trims. Forward collision warning, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and automatic emergency braking were standard only on the Citadel trim.