2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport vs 2023 Hyundai Palisade

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade, Hyundai's largest SUV, received a significant styling update, making it even more commanding on the road. The new front fascia featured bolder strokes, framing new headlights and giving the SUV a stronger appearance. LED accents, daytime running lights, and headlights were standard across the lineup, and LED taillights became standard on SEL and higher trims. The squared-off grille added a sense of authority to the Palisade’s front end.

Body-color mirrors were standard and included features such as heating, power adjustment, and auto-dimming. The Calligraphy trim stood out with premium rear accent lighting, body-color bumpers, a unique grille with glossy black and chrome elements, and a wider, body-color rear spoiler. The new XRT trim featured a dark grille, roof cross rails, body-color door handles, special bumper and skid plate accents, and black 20-inch wheels.

Wheel options varied by trim, with 18-inch alloy wheels standard on SE and SEL models, while 20-inch wheels were optional for SEL and standard on higher trims. The Calligraphy trim introduced a new multi-spoke alloy wheel design that conveyed a premium feel. Additionally, a new color, Robust Emerald, replaced Rainforest, offering a subtle and elegant look.

Inside, the Calligraphy-trim's interior was stylish, featuring premium Nappa leather and horizontal quilting reminiscent of Mercedes-Benz designs. The interior was brightened by a dual-pane sunroof, with a single sunroof available on SEL and standard on XRT models. The SE model came with cloth seats and a six-way power-adjustable driver’s seat. Higher trims included heated and eight-way power-adjustable front seats, with leatherette on SEL and XRT, and leather-trimmed on Limited. The Limited and Calligraphy trims also featured heated and ventilated seats in the first and second rows, along with heated third-row seats.

In contrast, the 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport emphasized a "modernist" and "reductive" design, translating to clean and simple aesthetics. For those who preferred flashy luxury SUVs, the Range Rover Sport offered limited factory options, such as Firenze Red paint and diamond-turned, multi-spoke 23-inch wheels. Our test vehicle featured subdued Eiger Gray paint, silver 23-inch wheels, and a Black Exterior Pack, presenting a sophisticated look.

The interior had a Deep Garnet over Ebony theme with aluminum and shiny black trim, exuding understated luxury. The Range Rover Sport was offered in SE P360, SE Dynamic P400, and Autobiography P440e specifications. Our SE Dynamic P400 test vehicle came equipped with heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, a Cold Climate Pack, a Technology Pack, and a full-size spare tire, bringing the MSRP to $98,420.

Design highlights included premium LED headlights, flush-mounted door handles, and surface LED technology taillights. The SUV boasted excellent aerodynamics, with a coefficient of drag of 0.29. Inside, the Range Rover Sport combined luxurious materials with a high-tech appearance. Ultrafabrics added sustainability, while Windsor leather upholstery provided a sumptuous feel.

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade continued with its single powertrain option: a 3.8-liter V6 engine producing 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. This powertrain was competitive for its class, offering more power than the Mazda CX-9 and Volkswagen Atlas, slightly more than the Honda Pilot and Nissan Pathfinder, and just below the gas-powered Toyota Highlander and Ford Explorer. The engine was paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, controllable via paddle shifters. Front-wheel drive (FWD) was standard, but all-wheel drive (AWD) was a $1,900 option across all trims. The HTRAC AWD system proved capable even on a muddy off-road course.

The Palisade offered a comfortable ride more suited to its target audience than rock-crawling, although it could tow up to 5,000 pounds. AWD models included a Tow Mode for optimized shifting during towing. Fuel economy for FWD Palisades was 19 mpg city, 27 highway, and 22 combined, while AWD models achieved 19 city, 25 highway, and 21 combined.

For the 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport, Land Rover aimed to balance refinement and comfort with driver-focused engagement. The SE and SE Dynamic models featured a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine with mild-hybrid technology. The SE Dynamic model produced 395 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque, while the SE P360 variant delivered 355 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. The Autobiography P440e featured a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) drivetrain, generating 434 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque with an estimated 51 miles of electric driving range.

Land Rover had also introduced a 523-horsepower twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 engine for selected early-build 2023 Range Rover Sport P530 models. However, this V8 option was temporarily unavailable, with expectations of its return in a future SVR model. The upcoming fully-electric version of the Range Rover Sport was also anticipated in 2024.

Our test vehicle's 395-horsepower inline-six delivered strong performance, with Land Rover claiming a 0-60 mph time of 5.4 seconds. The SUV featured an eight-speed automatic transmission and an Intelligent All-Wheel Drive system, with a towing capacity of 7,716 pounds. Fuel efficiency was impressive, with an EPA rating of 21 mpg combined and our evaluation route achieving 22.3 mpg. The Range Rover Sport also boasted a 25.1 mpg return on a drive from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara.

The SUV's new vehicle architecture increased torsional stiffness by 35%, complemented by an adaptive damping air suspension adjusting up to 500 times per second. This setup aimed to reduce unwanted body movement and enhance ride comfort and handling. The Dynamic driving mode, cornering brake control, brake-induced torque vectoring, and roll stability control further improved driving dynamics.

However, the Range Rover Sport struggled to match the sporty handling of similarly priced SUVs from Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz. It felt tall and heavy, with steering that lacked involvement. While off-road, the Range Rover Sport excelled, with features like Terrain Response, All Terrain Progress Control, and impressive ground clearance, approach, breakover, and departure angles, as well as a 35.4-inch wading depth.

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade offered spacious seating for seven or eight passengers. Front-row legroom measured 44.1 inches, second-row legroom was 42.4 inches, and third-row legroom was 31.4 inches. Passenger volume totaled 155.3 cubic feet, surpassing the Toyota Highlander. Second-row seating featured a standard one-touch seat slide for easy access to the third row. The 60/40-split seats in the third row and optional second-row bench seats folded flat manually or with a power switch in higher trims. Cargo space included 18 cubic feet with all seats up, 45.8 cubic feet behind the second row, and 86.4 cubic feet with all but the front-row seats folded down. A hands-free smart liftgate was available on all but the base SE trim.

The Palisade prioritized passenger comfort with HVAC vents in all three rows, two cupholders per person, and additional storage solutions in the center console. The layout of physical buttons and knobs was intuitive, and automatic dual-zone climate control was standard on SEL models and higher.

In comparison, the 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport maintained the Range Rover Command Driving Position with a tall, airy feel behind the wheel. The air suspension kneeling function facilitated easier entry and exit. Comfortable front seats with 20-way power adjustment, heating, and ventilation were complemented by an available massage feature, soft-closing doors, and a heated steering wheel. Storage space within the cabin included a shallow tray under the center console and a deep but narrow bin under the center armrest.

The rear seat, while improved, remained tight for longer-legged passengers. Hard front seatbacks and narrow door openings posed challenges, and the heavily bucketed rear seat had a too-reclined seatback angle. Manual side sunshades, rear air conditioning vents, and power ports were standard, with heated outboard rear cushions on our test vehicle.

Cargo capacity was 31.9 cubic feet, expandable to 53 cubic feet with the 40/20/40-split back seat down. A power liftgate, air suspension lowering function, and various cargo area organizers enhanced utility. Our test vehicle's full-size spare tire limited additional storage under the cargo floor.

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade upgraded its technology offerings with features like a WiFi hotspot capability, standard on all trims. The new 12.3-inch color touchscreen infotainment system included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, navigation, HD Radio, SiriusXM, and Bluetooth connectivity. Higher trims offered a premium 12-speaker Harman Kardon sound system. Multiple devices could be connected via Bluetooth, and USB ports for charging were available throughout the cabin. A wireless charger was standard on all but the base trim.

The Palisade offered a range of digital displays, including a 4.2-inch color driver info display and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster on higher trims. Calligraphy and Limited models also featured a color head-up display. An optional in-car intercom system and remote management features through Hyundai's Bluelink connected vehicle system further enhanced convenience.

Hyundai’s Digital Key 2 Touch, standard on SEL trims and up, allowed owners to use their smartphone as a key, compatible with both Apple and Samsung devices.

By contrast, the 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport came equipped with advanced technology, including a 13.7-inch digital instrumentation display and a 13.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system with haptic feedback. Standard features included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Amazon Alexa compatibility, SiriusXM satellite radio, and an Online Pack with connected services. However, WiFi access required a separate data plan.

The Pivi Pro infotainment platform was designed to learn user habits and personalize the experience but proved to be confusing and frustrating during testing. The automatic driver exit assist feature, for instance, was cumbersome to disable. The native digital assistant struggled with simple navigation requests, and alternative intelligent digital assistants like Alexa required logging into an Amazon account.

The Range Rover Sport offered impressive Meridian audio systems and a next-generation Active Noise Cancellation system. The wireless smartphone charging pad under the infotainment screen was a handy addition, though retrieving the phone could be challenging.

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade, building on its 2022 IIHS Top Safety Pick+ rating, enhanced safety features. It included Hyundai’s Smart Sense suite as standard, with forward collision avoidance, driver attention warning, high beam assist, and lane-keeping and lane-following assist. Blind-spot collision avoidance and rear cross-traffic collision avoidance were newly standard. Navigation-based Smart Cruise Control with stop and go and curve control functions were available, alongside intelligent speed limit assist.

Highway Driving Assist I was standard on SE, SEL, and XRT trims, while Highway Driving Assist II, with lane change assist, was optional on SEL and standard on Limited and Calligraphy. Safe exit warning and rear seat occupant alert were also standard on various trims. The full-display digital rearview mirror worked effectively.

The 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport featured numerous advanced driving assistance systems, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, and lane-keeping assist. Additional features included automatic high-beam headlights, a driver monitoring system, front and rear parking sensors, and a surround-view camera system with ClearSight Ground View.

Wade Sensing and optional Remote Park Assist added to the Range Rover Sport’s safety credentials. Adaptive cruise control with steering assist aimed to center the SUV in the lane but proved slow to respond and inconsistent. The steering assist technology particularly struggled with freeway curves, often requiring driver intervention.