2022 Hyundai Palisade vs 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport

The 2022 Hyundai Palisade emerged as Hyundai's flagship SUV, replacing the Santa Fe XL. It stood out with its elegant and striking exterior design, shedding any past criticisms of Hyundai's designs being derivative. The Palisade featured distinctive lines, a prominent grille, and expressive LED lighting, giving it a signature look. Its design elements, such as the continuous strip of glass surfaces and pronounced taillights, added to its visual appeal. Inside, the Palisade offered a polished and elegant interior with a horizontally arrayed 12.3-inch touchscreen and high-quality materials. The spacious second and third rows provided comfort for passengers, making it a worthy flagship in design and execution.

In contrast, the 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport embraced a "modernist" and "reductive" design philosophy, focusing on clean and simple aesthetics. While it lacked flashy factory options, it exuded understated luxury with its Eiger Grey paint and silver 23-inch wheels. Inside, the Range Rover Sport featured a Deep Garnet over Ebony theme with aluminum and shiny black trim, creating a luxurious ambiance. The SUV's design highlights included premium LED headlights, flush-mounted door handles, and excellent aerodynamics. The interior boasted Ultrafabrics and Windsor leather upholstery, offering a high-tech and luxurious appearance.

The 2022 Hyundai Palisade was equipped with a naturally aspirated 3.8-litre V6 engine, producing 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. While not the most fuel-efficient in its class, it offered a satisfying balance of power and efficiency. The Palisade's V6 engine provided a baritone rumble and quick acceleration, making it suitable for family use. With a curb weight of 1,991 to 2,004 kilograms, it handled well, thanks to its four-wheel independent suspension. The Palisade could tow up to 2,267 kilograms with trailer brakes, adding to its versatility.

The 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport offered a range of powertrains, including a turbocharged 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder engine with mild-hybrid technology, delivering 395 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) drivetrain was available, providing 434 horsepower. The Range Rover Sport's performance was impressive, with a 0-100 km/h time of 5.7 seconds. It featured an eight-speed automatic transmission and an Intelligent All-Wheel Drive system, allowing it to tow up to 3,500 kilograms. The SUV's adaptive damping air suspension and advanced driving modes contributed to its refined and comfortable ride, although it didn't match the sportiness of some competitors.

The 2022 Hyundai Palisade excelled in interior space and functionality. It offered comfortable seating in the third row, with easy access and ample storage options throughout the cabin. The second-row captain's chairs provided comfort, and the front row featured generous storage compartments. Luggage space was impressive, with 509 litres behind the third row, expanding to 1,297 litres with the third row folded, and a maximum of 2,447 litres with both rows down. The Palisade's shift-by-wire setup and logical control layout added to its user-friendly design. The Ultimate Calligraphy trim offered luxury features like a dual-panel sunroof and premium Nappa leather upholstery.

The 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport maintained its Command Driving Position, offering a tall and airy feel. The air suspension could kneel for easier entry and exit, enhancing accessibility. The front seats were comfortable, with Windsor leather upholstery and 20-way power adjustments. However, the rear seat was less accommodating, with limited legroom and narrow door openings. The cargo area provided 903 litres of space, expandable to 1,500 litres with the rear seats folded. The Range Rover Sport featured thoughtful storage solutions, including a deep bin under the centre armrest and a handy contraption to secure smaller items in the cargo hold.

The 2022 Hyundai Palisade showcased Hyundai's technological prowess. It featured a standard display audio system with a 1920 x 720 colour touchscreen, and higher trims received a 630-watt Harman Kardon premium audio system. The infotainment system included wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth, HD Radio, and satellite radio. The Palisade offered multiple USB ports, a Qi wireless charging pad, and a rear-view monitor with parking guidance. The Ultimate Calligraphy trim added a head-up display and Hyundai's Blue Link connected car system, enhancing convenience and connectivity.

The 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport boasted a 13.7-inch digital instrumentation display and a 13.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system with haptic feedback. It offered wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Amazon Alexa compatibility, and SiriusXM satellite radio. However, the Pivi Pro infotainment platform proved confusing and frustrating during testing, with difficulties in accessing features and using the digital assistant. The Range Rover Sport featured impressive Meridian audio systems and Active Noise Cancellation, enhancing the driving experience. A wireless smartphone charging pad was also included, although it could be challenging to access.

The 2022 Hyundai Palisade prioritized safety with a comprehensive list of passive and active features. It included seven airbags, three-point seat belts, LATCH anchors, and active head restraints. Standard active safety features encompassed anti-lock braking, electronic stability control, blind-spot collision avoidance, rear cross-traffic collision-avoidance, and forward collision-avoidance assist. The Palisade earned top safety ratings, including a Top Safety Pick+ from the IIHS and a five-star rating from the NHTSA.

The 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport offered a range of safety features, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and lane-keeping assist. It also featured automatic high-beam headlights, a driver monitoring system, and a surround-view camera system. Remote Park Assist was available, allowing the SUV to park itself using a smartphone app. However, the adaptive cruise control and steering assist systems were found to be less responsive and trustworthy during testing.