2023 Hyundai Palisade vs 2023 Acura MDX

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade, as Hyundai's largest SUV, had a commanding presence on the road, further enhanced by its 2023 styling update. The new front fascia, with its bold strokes and squared-off grille, gave the Palisade a stronger and more assertive look. Standard LED accents, daytime running lights, and headlights added to its modern appeal, while the Ultimate Calligraphy trim featured premium rear accent lighting and a unique grille. The Palisade's 20-inch alloy wheels, standard across the lineup in Canada, contributed to its premium feel, especially with the new multi-spoke design on the Ultimate Calligraphy trim. The interior of the Ultimate Calligraphy model was stylish and bright, thanks to the dual-pane sunroof, and featured premium Nappa leather seats. The Palisade offered a range of seating configurations, with second-row captain's chairs standard on the Ultimate Calligraphy, providing comfort and flexibility for passengers.

The 2023 Acura MDX, available in standard and Type S versions, offered a range of trim packages, with prices ranging from $59,300 to $84,400 in Canada. The Type S Ultra trim, with its Apex Blue Pearl paint and Orchid interior, set high expectations for quality and luxury. The MDX Type S featured subtle design elements, such as chicane-design LED running lights and taillights, and 21-inch wheels that gave it a proper stance. Inside, the Type S Ultra boasted quilted leather, aluminum interior trim, and a Sport Appearance package. However, some design choices, like the gloss black plastic on the dashboard, made it challenging to use certain controls. Despite these minor issues, the MDX Type S remained an attractive luxury SUV, though it struggled to fully meet the expectations set by its price point.

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade was equipped with a 3.8-litre 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, with standard paddle shifters, provided smooth gear changes. In Canada, the Palisade came standard with an all-wheel drive (AWD) system, which proved capable during a muddy off-road test drive. While not designed for rock-crawling, the Palisade offered a comfortable ride and competitive towing capacity of up to 2,268 kilograms (5,000 pounds). Its fuel economy was rated at 12.6 litres per 100 kilometres in the city, 9.5 on the highway, and 11.2 combined.

The 2023 Acura MDX Type S stood out with its turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 engine, delivering 355 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque. This was a significant increase over the standard MDX's 3.5-litre V6. The Type S featured a 10-speed automatic transmission and Acura's Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) system, which could direct up to 70 percent of engine output to a single rear wheel. The MDX Type S also included an adaptive air suspension with a Lift mode, increasing ground clearance. However, the performance upgrades did not fully integrate, leading to issues like an indecisive transmission and poor brake pedal modulation. The MDX Type S averaged 13.9 litres per 100 kilometres during testing, falling short of its official fuel consumption rating. Despite its performance enhancements, the MDX Type S struggled to deliver a cohesive driving experience.

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade offered ample space for passengers and cargo, with seating for seven or eight. It provided 1,052 millimetres of legroom in the front row, 1,077 in the second, and 798 in the third, surpassing the Toyota Highlander. The Palisade's passenger volume measured 4,397 litres, and its cargo space ranged from 509 litres behind the third row to 2,447 litres with all but the front-row seats folded flat. The Palisade featured HVAC vents in all three rows and a hands-free smart liftgate on all but the base trim. The interior was designed with convenience in mind, offering a phone holder, cupholders, and intuitive controls.

The 2023 Acura MDX provided three rows of seating, with the option to remove the centre section of the second row for easier access to the third row. The MDX's cargo area offered 461 litres of space behind the third row, expanding to 2,021 litres with both rear rows folded flat. The Type S Ultra trim featured 16-way power-adjustable front seats with heating, ventilation, and massage functions, wrapped in quilted leather. However, the seats did not provide the expected support for enthusiastic driving. The MDX's interior prioritized style over storage space, with limited room for personal items. The power liftgate and underfloor storage bin added convenience, while the hands-free liftgate with Walk Away Close was a thoughtful feature.

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade came equipped with a 12.3-inch colour touchscreen infotainment system, featuring Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, navigation, and Bluetooth connectivity. A premium 12-speaker Harman Kardon audio system was standard on higher trims. The Palisade offered remote accessibility through Hyundai's Bluelink connected vehicle system, allowing drivers to view vehicle information and control features remotely. The Ultimate Calligraphy trim included a colour head-up display and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster.

The 2023 Acura MDX featured a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel and a 12.3-inch infotainment display. However, the infotainment system required the use of a True Touchpad Interface (TTI) on the centre console, which was not as intuitive as a touchscreen. The MDX offered wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa Built-In, allowing drivers to use familiar voice recognition functions. The Type S Ultra trim included a 10.5-inch head-up display and a high-end audio system with 25 speakers. Despite these features, the TTI design limited storage space and partially blocked the wireless charging pad.

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade earned a Top Safety Pick+ from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). It came standard 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 on all trims. The Palisade also offered adaptive cruise control, Highway Driving Assist, and a full-display digital rearview mirror on higher trims.

The 2023 Acura MDX included a range of safety features, such as a collision mitigation braking system, lane-departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. It also offered blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and a surround-view camera system on certain trims. The MDX received a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS and a five-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). However, the MDX experienced a false collision warning during testing, highlighting a potential issue with its safety systems.