2023 Toyota Sequoia vs 2024 Hyundai Palisade

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia was a striking presence on the road, with its bold design inspired by the Toyota Tundra pickup truck. The SUV's exterior featured a traditional grille and front bumper, which distinguished it from the Tundra's more unconventional look. Inside, the Sequoia shared many design elements with the Tundra, offering an industrial theme with luxurious touches like leather, wood, and metallic finishes, especially in the upscale Capstone trim. The 14-inch Toyota Audio Multimedia infotainment system dominated the dashboard, and the interior's cream white-over-black two-tone colour scheme added a touch of elegance. However, some materials reminded occupants of the Sequoia's pickup truck origins.

In contrast, the 2024 Hyundai Palisade stood out with its distinctive styling, making it easily recognizable among family-friendly SUVs. Available in Urban and Ultimate Calligraphy trims, the Palisade offered a luxurious feel, especially in the Ultimate Calligraphy version, which featured premium Nappa leather and an artificial suede headliner. The interior exuded sophistication with quality upholstery, metal speaker grilles, and striped dashboard and door trim. The Palisade's design and features made it feel like a luxury SUV, appealing to those who appreciated a refined and comfortable driving experience.

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia was equipped with a powerful hybrid powertrain, featuring a twin-turbocharged 3.5-litre V6 engine, a 10-speed automatic transmission, a 36-kilowatt electric motor/generator, and a 1.87 kilowatt-hour nickel-metal hydride battery pack. This setup delivered an impressive 437 horsepower at 5,200 rpm and 583 pound-feet of torque at 2,400 rpm. The Sequoia's towing capacity was a notable 4,137 kilograms, a significant improvement over the previous model. Fuel efficiency was also enhanced, with a rating of 11.7 L/100 km in combined driving. The Sequoia offered various driving modes, including Eco, Comfort, Normal, Sport, and Sport+, allowing drivers to tailor the driving experience to their preferences. However, the regenerative braking system felt unresponsive at times, and the steering was slow, requiring effort in tight spaces.

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade featured a 3.8-litre V6 engine producing 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel drive was standard in Canada, and the Palisade had a towing capacity of 2,268 kilograms. The SUV offered several driving modes, including Eco, Comfort, Sport, Smart, and Snow, with the ability to lock the AWD system for off-road conditions. The Palisade's V6 engine provided satisfying acceleration, and the transmission was responsive. Fuel consumption was rated at 11.1 L/100 km in combined driving, though our test loop averaged 15.0 L/100 km. The Palisade's suspension was tuned for a firm yet comfortable ride, and it displayed surprising agility on winding roads. The brakes performed well under stress, and the overall driving experience was enjoyable.

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia excelled on highways, offering a quiet cabin with comfortable front seats, a JBL premium audio system, and a triple-zone climate control system. The Sequoia's interior featured power-deploying running boards, a panoramic glass moonroof, and second-row captain's chairs. However, the third-row seat was less comfortable due to its high floor and low roof. Cargo space was limited, with only 325 litres behind the third row, expandable to 631 litres by sliding the seat forward. Folding the third-row seats increased capacity to 1,387 litres, and with the second-row seats down, the Sequoia offered 2,460 litres of cargo space, though this was less than its predecessor.

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade provided a comfortable and well-appointed interior, with artificial leather upholstery in the Urban trim and premium Nappa leather in the Ultimate Calligraphy trim. The Palisade featured heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and a dual-panel sunroof. Configurable storage options were available, and second-row passengers enjoyed ample comfort with a rear climate control panel and USB charging ports. The third-row seat was more spacious than many competitors, and the hands-free power tailgate added convenience. The Palisade offered 509 litres of cargo space behind the third row, expandable to 1,297 litres with the third-row seats folded, and 2,447 litres with the second-row seats down.

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia featured a new Toyota Audio Multimedia infotainment system, with an 8-inch touchscreen in the base trim and a 14-inch touchscreen in higher trims. The system included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, though glare on the display was an issue. The Intelligent Assistant responded to voice commands, but there were occasional glitches. The Capstone trim included a 10-inch head-up display and a surround-view camera system, though the digital rearview mirror had limitations with polarized sunglasses. The Sequoia's parking sensors and automatic rear braking system were effective in preventing accidents.

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade came with a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel and a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system with navigation. The system supported Bluetooth, SiriusXM, and a rear-seat Quiet Mode, though Apple CarPlay and Android Auto required a USB-A cable. Hyundai's Bluelink connected services were included with a three-year subscription, offering features like remote engine starting and SOS emergency assistance. The Palisade's Harman Kardon premium sound system provided excellent audio quality, and additional technologies included a digital rearview mirror, a semi-autonomous remote parking system, and a head-up display.

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia came standard with Toyota Safety Sense 2.5, which included forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-centring assist, adaptive cruise control, automatic high-beam headlights, and road sign recognition. Additional safety features included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and Safety Connect services. The Sequoia's adaptive cruise control and lane-centring assist systems were effective, though the lane-departure warning system was occasionally irritating. Crash test ratings were not available, but the Tundra, on which the Sequoia is based, received high ratings from the IIHS.

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade was equipped with a comprehensive suite of driving assistance systems, including forward-collision warning with pedestrian and cyclist detection, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, and more. Highway Driving Assist was standard, providing a hands-on driving system for highway travel. The rear-seat reminder system used ultrasonic sensing to alert drivers of movement inside the vehicle. The Palisade earned a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS, though some crash test results were incomplete.