2024 Toyota Sequoia vs 2023 Hyundai Palisade

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade, Hyundai's largest SUV, was a striking presence on the road, especially after its styling update. The new front fascia, with its bold strokes and squared-off grille, gave the Palisade a stronger, more commanding look. Standard LED accents and headlights, along with body-colour mirrors, added to its appeal. The Ultimate Calligraphy trim stood out with premium rear accent lighting and a unique grille. In Canada, 20-inch alloy wheels were standard, with the Ultimate Calligraphy trim featuring a new multi-spoke design. The new Robust Emerald colour added a subtle elegance to the lineup. Inside, the Ultimate Calligraphy trim offered a stylish interior with premium Nappa leather and a dual-pane sunroof. The seating configurations allowed for either seven or eight passengers, with various power-adjustable options and heating features across trims.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia shared its platform and design cues with the Tundra pickup, featuring hexagonal grilles and muscular stances. The exterior colour significantly influenced its appearance, with the Capstone model showcasing chrome brightwork in Celestial Silver. Inside, the Sequoia mirrored the Tundra's blocky, geometric dash layout, with physical dials and buttons for climate control. The Capstone trim featured semi-aniline leather upholstery, while other trims offered SofTex leatherette or standard leather. The Sequoia's seating was customizable, with power-adjustable options across the lineup. The interior also included a spacious centre console and a power-tilt and -slide moonroof, with a panoramic version available on higher trims.

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade was powered by a 3.8-litre V6 engine, delivering 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. This made it more powerful than several competitors, though slightly less so than the Toyota Highlander and Ford Explorer. The eight-speed automatic transmission, with standard paddle shifters, provided smooth handling. In Canada, the Palisade came with standard all-wheel drive, which proved capable during off-road tests. While not suited for rock-crawling, the Palisade offered a comfortable ride and a towing capacity of up to 2,268 kilograms. Its fuel economy was rated at 12.6 L/100 km in the city, 9.5 on the highway, and 11.2 combined.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia featured a hybrid powertrain, combining a twin-turbo V6 engine with an electric motor, producing 427 horsepower and 583 lb-ft of torque. This marked a significant increase over its predecessor. The Sequoia's fuel economy improved to 11.7 L/100 km combined with 4WD. In Canada, the Sequoia came with standard 4WD, featuring a part-time system with selectable modes. The 10-speed automatic transmission operated smoothly, and the Sequoia's on-road handling was adequate. The SR5 TRD Off-Road model offered adventure-ready features, including unique tires and an off-road suspension. The Sequoia's towing capacity reached 4,137 kilograms, with several towing-related upgrades available.

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade offered ample space for seven or eight passengers, with generous legroom across all rows. The passenger volume measured 4,397 litres, and the second-row seating facilitated easy access to the third row. The Palisade's cargo space ranged from 509 litres behind the third row to 2,447 litres with all but the front-row seats folded. A hands-free smart liftgate was standard on most trims. The interior featured HVAC vents in all rows, numerous cupholders, and a compact layout of physical buttons and knobs. Dual-zone climate control was standard.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia provided a maximum of 2,460 litres of cargo space with both rear rows folded. The second-row seats were easy to move for third-row access, but the third-row seats did not fold flat due to the hybrid powertrain's battery pack. This affected headroom and legroom, with the latter ranging from 713 to 855 mm in the third row. The Sequoia's second-row captain's chairs were wide but lacked bolstering. The interior also featured automatic power-deploying running boards, aiding entry for shorter passengers.

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade boasted a 12.3-inch colour touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and navigation. A premium Harman Kardon audio system was standard on higher trims. The Palisade supported multiple Bluetooth connections and offered numerous USB ports for charging. The Ultimate Calligraphy trim included a wireless charger and a colour head-up display. Hyundai's Bluelink system provided remote accessibility and management features, allowing users to control heated or cooled seats remotely.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia featured wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with an 8-inch touchscreen on the SR5 trim and a 14-inch screen on higher trims. The Toyota Audio Multimedia system prioritized functionality over flashiness. A 12.3-inch driver information display was standard across all trims, and the Panoramic View monitor was included on higher trims. The Capstone trim featured a 10-inch colour head-up display and a 14-speaker JBL Premium Audio system.

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade earned a Top Safety Pick+ from the IIHS. It came with Hyundai's Smart Sense suite, including forward collision avoidance, lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control. Blind-spot collision avoidance and rear cross-traffic collision avoidance were standard. The Ultimate Calligraphy trim featured Highway Driving Assist II and a full-display digital rearview mirror. Safe exit warning and rear seat occupant alert were standard across all trims.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia included the Toyota Safety Sense 2.5 suite as standard, featuring a pre-collision system, lane-departure alert, and adaptive cruise control. Front and rear parking sensors with automatic braking and blind-spot monitoring were also standard. The only optional driver aid was a trailer backup guide with Straight-Path Assist, available on higher trims. The Sequoia had not been rated by the IIHS or NHTSA, but the similar Tundra earned a Top Safety Pick+.