2023 Hyundai Palisade vs 2024 Volvo XC90

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade, as Hyundai's largest SUV, had a striking presence on the road, further enhanced by its 2023 styling update. The new front fascia, with its bold lines and squared-off grille, gave the Palisade a more assertive look. Standard LED accents, daytime running lights, and headlights added to its modern appeal, while the top Calligraphy trim featured premium rear accent lighting and a unique grille design. The interior of the Calligraphy trim was equally impressive, with premium Nappa leather and a dual-pane sunroof brightening the cabin. The Palisade offered a range of seating configurations, with second-row captain's chairs available in higher trims, ensuring comfort and versatility for passengers.

The 2024 Volvo XC90, available in B5, B6, and Recharge T8 models, showcased Volvo's mastery of color and materials. The exterior paint palette was subdued and earthy, aligning with the SUV's focus on practicality, safety, and sustainability. The XC90's interior, though dated, was fitted with rich materials, especially in the Ultimate trim. Volvo offered a range of upholstery options, including wool-blend and ventilated Nappa leather, complemented by an Orrefors crystal shift knob and natural wood trim. The XC90's design allowed for customization, enabling buyers to mix and match paint, wheels, and upholstery to suit their preferences.

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade was powered by a 3.8-liter V6 engine, producing 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. This powertrain was competitive within its class, offering more power than the Mazda CX-9 and Volkswagen Atlas, and slightly more than the Honda Pilot and Nissan Pathfinder. The Palisade's eight-speed automatic transmission could be controlled with paddle shifters, and while front-wheel drive was standard, all-wheel drive was available for an additional $1,900. The Palisade's towing capacity reached up to 5,000 pounds, and its fuel economy was rated at 19 mpg city, 27 highway, and 22 combined for front-wheel-drive models, with slight reductions for all-wheel-drive versions.

The 2024 Volvo XC90 Recharge T8 combined a supercharged and turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with an 18.8-kilowatt-hour battery and a 107-kilowatt electric motor, delivering a total of 455 horsepower and 523 lb-ft of torque. This setup allowed for 32 miles of electric-only driving and an estimated 27 mpg in hybrid mode. The XC90 Recharge T8 could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in five seconds when in Power mode. The SUV offered multiple driving modes, including Pure, Power, Hybrid, and Off-Road, with the latter providing up to 9.9 inches of ground clearance. Despite its impressive power, the XC90's handling was more suited to luxury than performance, with a firm ride and less-than-ideal steering feedback.

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade provided ample space for passengers, with 44.1 inches of legroom in the front row, 42.4 in the second, and 31.4 in the third. The SUV's passenger volume measured 155.3 cubic feet, and cargo space ranged from 18 cubic feet with all seats in place to 86.4 cubic feet with the second and third rows folded. The Palisade featured a hands-free smart liftgate and HVAC vents in all three rows, ensuring comfort for all passengers. The interior layout was intuitive, with physical buttons and knobs for easy control.

The 2024 Volvo XC90 Recharge T8 offered a well-equipped interior, even in the base Core trim, with power-adjustable and heated front seats, leather upholstery, and wood trim. The SUV's panoramic glass roof added natural light, and higher trims included features like a heated steering wheel, ventilated front seats with massage, and an integrated booster child seat. The XC90 could seat seven or six with optional captain's chairs, and while third-row access was tight for adults, the seats were more accommodating than expected. Cargo capacity reached 85.7 cubic feet with the second and third rows folded.

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade featured a 12.3-inch color touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, navigation, and Bluetooth connectivity. A premium 12-speaker Harman Kardon sound system was available, and the Palisade was the first Hyundai to offer WiFi hotspot capability. The SUV also included a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster in higher trims and Hyundai's Bluelink connected vehicle system, allowing remote access and management features. The Digital Key 2 Touch, compatible with Apple devices, was standard on SEL models and up.

The 2024 Volvo XC90's 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system used Google Built-in technology, offering Google Maps, Google Play, and Google Assistant. Apple CarPlay and SiriusXM satellite radio were also standard. The XC90 could be equipped with a 14-speaker Harman Kardon or a 19-speaker Bowers & Wilkins audio system. The SUV's digital instrumentation panel and head-up display provided additional information, though the controls were not always intuitive.

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade was equipped with 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 newly standard, and the Palisade offered navigation-based Smart Cruise Control and Highway Driving Assist. The 2022 model earned a Top Safety Pick+ from the IIHS, and the 2023 model was expected to maintain or improve upon this rating.

The 2024 Volvo XC90 was known for its safety, with a five-star rating from the NHTSA in most assessments and a Top Safety Pick+ from the IIHS in 2023. The XC90 included standard safety features like adaptive cruise control and lane-centering assist, but its advanced driving assistance systems were not as innovative as some competitors. Pilot Assist, Volvo's semi-autonomous driving system, had some limitations, particularly in challenging driving conditions.