2023 Hyundai Palisade vs 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade switched things up with a striking new look. Known as Hyundai's largest SUV, the Palisade was already a noticeable presence on the road, and the 2023 styling updates made it even more commanding. The new front fascia featured bold lines that framed the updated headlights, giving the SUV a stronger, more aggressive appearance. Every model came with standard LED accents, daytime running lights, and headlights. Additionally, SEL trims and up included LED taillights.

The straightened lines of the new squared-off grille stood out the most, dramatically altering the Palisade’s face, making it more imposing and dominant. With body-color mirrors as standard, which included heated and powered features alongside auto-dimming, the Palisade exuded thoughtful detailing across the lineup.

The top-tier Calligraphy trim distinguished itself with premium rear accent lighting, bespoke body-color bumpers, a unique glossy black and chrome grille, and a widened rear spoiler. Meanwhile, the new XRT trim added a dark grille, roof cross rails, special bumper accents, and black 20-inch wheels along with body-color door handles. SE and SEL models came stocked with 18-inch alloy wheels, but options for upgrading to 20-inch wheels were available for SEL and came standard on higher trims.

A noteworthy change for 2023 was the introduction of a new color—the Robust Emerald—replacing the Rainforest. Though described as smoky and ambiguous, this dark hue did not deviate far from grayscale, adding a touch of subtlety and elegance.

Inside, the Palisade’s Calligraphy-trimmed version was both attractive and stylish. A dual-pane sunroof brightened the dark-seated cabin, amplifying the premium feel inspired by Mercedes-Benz’s design language, featuring horizontal quilting and dash lines. Materials quality varied by trim, with Premium Nappa leather as standard in the Calligraphy model, while more basic SE models offered cloth seats. The range included a variety of heating and ventilation options, culminating in ultimate comfort.

However, accommodating eight passengers was only feasible with the lower trims, as bench seats were absent in the top three trims. The SEL models, however, offered a Premium package to ensure a high level of luxury without sacrificing passenger capacity.

In comparison, the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe had more conservative exterior styling, a stark contrast yet equally attractive. This five-passenger SUV carried over the design from the 2022 model year, marked by its wide upper and lower grilles and thin LED headlights, presenting a family resemblance within the Hyundai lineup.

Santa Fe trims ranged from SE to the top Calligraphy version, and our test vehicle in the highest Calligraphy AWD trim featured a dark blue Stormy Sea paint matched to a luxurious black-on-black interior. This model came at a base price of $42,600 with AWD as an additional $1,700 option and additional features like carpeted floor mats adding up to a total MSRP of $45,845.

The Santa Fe's exterior was less bold yet practical, featuring substantial grilles and well-placed LED lights that offered a distinctive yet normalized look. Inside, the Calligraphy trim with black leather seats boasted a high-quality finish, although it felt a bit monochromatic. Beige interiors were recommended for better visual contrast, with gray as an alternative, especially in lower trims.

The Nappa leather seats in the Calligraphy variant provided impressive comfort for the front and heated second-row seats. The climate adapted to various temperatures seamlessly, making it suitable for diverse weather conditions.

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade continued with its sole powertrain: a robust 3.8-liter V6 engine generating 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, performing competitively within its class. This engine surpassed the power of the Mazda CX-9 and Volkswagen Atlas while standing toe-to-toe with the Honda Pilot and Nissan Pathfinder. Coupled with an eight-speed automatic transmission, the Palisade’s gear shifts could be controlled via standard paddle shifters. The default front-wheel-drive (FWD) setup could be switched to all-wheel drive (AWD) for an additional $1,900, demonstrating its versatility.

The Palisade proved itself on a muddy off-road course in Asheville, NC, where its HTRAC AWD system thrived. Though not suitable for extreme off-roading, the Palisade impressed with a comfortable ride, suitable for all intended audiences. It had a towing capacity up to 5,000 pounds, with a Tow Mode in AWD models to optimize gear shifts. Its fuel economy stood at 19 mpg city, 27 highway, and 22 combined for FWD models. AWD options rated slightly lower at 19 city, 25 highway, and 21 combined.

On the other hand, the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe offered more flexibility with its engine choices. The SE, SEL, and XRT trims employed a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, churning out 191 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque through a conventional eight-speed automatic transmission. Adding turbocharging to the Limited and Calligraphy trims significantly boosted output to 281 hp and 311 pound-feet, paired with an eight-speed "wet" dual-clutch automatic transmission.

FWD remained standard across all trims, with AWD available as an option. The Santa Fe also featured a drive-mode selector offering Comfort, Sport, Snow, and Smart settings. Our test vehicle came equipped with paddle shifters, enhancing its sporty appeal.

The turbocharged Santa Fe delivered noticeable performance improvement over its non-turbo counterpart, evident in acceleration and passing power, enhanced by the turbo with no discernible lag. This brisk acceleration was complemented by a smooth, noise-free experience, and the handling remained composed with minimal body lean during maneuvers.

Though we didn’t venture off-road, it's worth noting that turbocharged Santa Fes could tow up to 3,500 pounds, while non-turbo models managed 2,000 pounds, with trailer brakes needed to reach these capacities.

• Advanced driver-assistance systems and safety ratings are crucial for peace of mind on the road.

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade excelled in interior space and versatility, comfortably seating seven or eight passengers. It provided ample legroom, with 44.1 inches in the front row, 42.4 in the second, and 31.4 inches in the third row, ahead of competitors like the Toyota Highlander. Overall, passenger volume totaled 155.3 cubic feet. An easy-access third-row facilitated by one-touch seat slides and handles made ingress and egress simple.

In terms of cargo space, the Palisade offered 18 cubic feet behind the third row, expanding to 45.8 cubic feet behind the second row and 86.4 cubic feet with all seats folded flat. Practical features like a hands-free smart liftgate came standard in all but the base SE trim, enhancing its day-to-day usability.

Conversely, the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe, a two-row SUV, focused on optimizing space without a third row. Rear passengers enjoyed a generous 41.7 inches of legroom, ranking high in its class. Cargo capacity behind the second row measured a competitive 36.4 cubic feet, expanding to 72.1 cubic feet with the seats folded down. A convenient underfloor storage compartment added subtle practicality.

Seat comfort and convenience in the Santa Fe included heated front seats and an eight-way power driver’s seat from the SEL trim upwards. Dual-zone climate control and a hands-free liftgate were standard in most models, while high-end features such as a power driver seat cushion extension, heated rear seats, and a panoramic sunroof were exclusive to the higher trims. Despite its positives, some interior design elements, like the wide center console, compromised driver leg space, though these were minor inconveniences.

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade stepped up its technology game with several enhancements. It became the first Hyundai model to offer WiFi hotspot capability as standard across all trims. A new 12.3-inch color touchscreen infotainment system also became standard, featuring Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, navigation, HD Radio, SiriusXM, and Bluetooth connectivity. Higher trims, such as the Limited and Calligraphy, included a premium 12-speaker Harman Kardon sound system.

Up to two devices could connect via Bluetooth simultaneously, and seven USB charging ports were available throughout the cabin. A wireless charger came standard on all but the SE trim. Advanced display options included a 4.2-inch color driver info display in base models, graduating to a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster in higher trims. The top trims also enjoyed a head-up display and an obligatory in-car intercom feature known as Rear-Seat Quiet Mode available from the SEL trim upwards.

Remote accessibility via Hyundai’s Bluelink system and the innovative Digital Key 2 Touch, now compatible with Apple devices, underscored the Palisade’s technological advancements.

Similarly, the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe offered an array of infotainment options and ADAS. The base SE trim included a standard 4.2-inch color LCD multi-information display, with larger 12.3-inch digital clusters available in the upper trims. Infotainment systems ranged from an 8-inch display with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in the base model, up to a 10.25-inch touchscreen in other trims featuring wired connectivity, voice recognition, a digital key, and Bluelink services.

A 12-speaker Harman Kardon audio system was standard in the Limited and Calligraphy trims. Despite the user-friendly interface, the voice-recognition system faced challenges in understanding certain commands, marring an otherwise intuitive system.

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade earned high marks for safety, with the 2022 model securing a Top Safety Pick+ from the IIHS. New features for 2023 included second-row side-impact airbags, maintaining Hyundai’s commitment to safety.

The Palisade's Smart Sense suite encompassed a range of standard ADAS, including forward collision avoidance, driver attention warning, high beam assist, and lane-keeping and following assist. Newly standard features included blind-spot collision avoidance and rear cross-traffic collision avoidance. All models boasted Smart Cruise Control, intelligent speed limit assist, and various adaptive and assistance functionalities. The Highway Driving Assist II, standard in Limited and Calligraphy models, enhanced lane changes and centered the vehicle within lanes.

In comparison, the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe also featured a robust array of ADAS, including forward-collision warning with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane-keeping assist, lane-centering assist, and a rear-seat reminder system. Highway Driving Assist, coupled with adaptive cruise control and stop-and-go capability, bolstered the Santa Fe’s safety features.

In crash tests by the NHTSA, the Santa Fe earned a five-star overall rating and a Top Safety Pick+ from the IIHS for 2022, underscoring the model’s safety credentials.