2024 Acura MDX vs 2024 Hyundai Palisade

The 2024 Acura MDX presented a striking exterior with its large shield grille, rakish headlights, and modern lower bumper design. Inside, the MDX was high-tech but cluttered, with a center console filled with controls that could be overwhelming. The MDX offered various trims, including the Technology, A-Spec, and Advance Packages, as well as the Type-S and Type-S Advance. Standard features included tri-zone climate control, synthetic leather upholstery, and a panoramic sunroof. The Type-S Advance added a 26-speaker ELS sound system and massaging front seats, which were notably firmer and more refreshing than those in other luxury SUVs.

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade stood out with its distinctive styling, making it easily recognizable among family-friendly SUVs. Offered in SE, SEL, XRT, Limited, Calligraphy, and the new Calligraphy Night Edition trims, the Palisade ranged in price from $36,650 to $53,850. The Calligraphy Night Edition featured a blacked-out appearance with dark chrome and gloss black trim, available in Abyss Black or Hyper White. The interior boasted quality upholstery, metal speaker grilles, and a sophisticated design, making it feel like a luxury SUV. The Night Edition's artificial suede headliner added a touch of decadence to the mass-market midsize SUV.

The 2024 Acura MDX came standard with a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 290 horsepower and 267 pound-feet of torque. The Type-S variant featured a twin-scroll turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine with 355 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. The MDX Type-S Advance offered strong acceleration and a comfortable ride, with Brembo performance brakes and an adaptive air suspension. The Integrated Dynamics System provided various driving modes, including Sport, Comfort, and Snow, with a Lift mode for added ground clearance. The MDX's towing capacity maxed out at 5,000 pounds with AWD.

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade was equipped with a 3.8-liter V6 engine generating 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The Palisade offered a maximum towing capacity of 5,000 pounds and eight inches of ground clearance. Driving modes included Eco, Comfort, Sport, Smart, and Snow, with an AWD system that could be locked for off-road conditions. The Palisade's V6 engine provided satisfying acceleration, and the AWD system distributed power effectively. The Palisade averaged 18.8 mpg in Comfort mode during testing. The suspension offered a firm yet comfortable ride, with excellent visibility and a top-down surround-view camera for city driving.

The 2024 Acura MDX featured three rows of seating, with the first two rows being comfortable and supportive, while the third row was smaller and best suited for children. Cargo space measured 16.3 cubic feet behind the rear seats, expanding to 71.4 cubic feet with the second and third rows folded. The MDX included a power liftgate, with a hands-free option on the Advance Package. The center console offered ample storage, but the center stack of controls was cluttered and unintuitive.

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade offered a range of seating options, from cloth seats in the SE trim to premium Nappa leather with microfiber inserts in the Calligraphy Night Edition. Heated and ventilated front seats were available, with memory settings and massage functions in higher trims. The Palisade's configurable storage included a large bin, wireless charging, and multiple trays. Second-row passengers enjoyed captain's chairs with optional heating and ventilation, while the third row was more spacious than most rivals. The Palisade provided 18 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 86.4 cubic feet with the second and third rows folded.

The 2024 Acura MDX's infotainment system was its Achilles Heel, with a clumsy interface controlled by a touchpad rather than a touchscreen. Despite this, the MDX offered wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, satellite radio, HD radio, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. The center console featured cleverly placed charging ports and a leather handrest for the touchpad. However, the unintuitive system made it difficult to recommend over competitors with better technology.

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade featured a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel and a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system with navigation. It supported Bluetooth connectivity, Bluelink+ connected services, Wi-Fi access, and SiriusXM satellite radio. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto required a USB-A cable. The Palisade's voice recognition system worked well, and Bluelink+ offered remote engine starting and other connected services. The Harman Kardon premium sound system provided excellent audio quality, and additional technologies included a digital key, digital rearview mirror, and semi-autonomous remote parking system.

The 2024 Acura MDX came with a comprehensive suite of driver assistance features, including automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, and blind-spot monitoring. The Technology Package added parking sensors and reverse automatic emergency braking, while the Advance package included a 360-degree camera system. The 2022 MDX earned a five-star overall rating from NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ from IIHS, with a Superior score for crash-prevention technology.

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade was equipped with the SmartSense collection of driving assistance systems, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and lane-keep assist. Highway Driving Assist provided a hands-on driving system for highway travel, with lane-change assist in higher trims. The Palisade Limited, Calligraphy, and Night Edition offered three layers of blind-spot safety. The 2024 Palisade earned a Top Safety Pick rating from IIHS, with incomplete crash tests from NHTSA.