2024 Hyundai Palisade vs 2024 Toyota Sequoia

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade stood out with its distinctive styling, setting it apart from the typical family-friendly SUVs. While its design might not have appealed to everyone, those who appreciated its aesthetics likely found other aspects of the vehicle to their liking. The Palisade was available in several trims, including the SE, SEL, XRT, Limited, Calligraphy, and the new Calligraphy Night Edition, with prices ranging from $36,650 to $53,850, excluding the $1,395 destination charge. The Calligraphy Night Edition, which we tested, featured a blacked-out appearance with dark chrome and gloss black exterior trim, badges, and wheels, available only in Abyss Black or Hyper White paint colors. Inside, it boasted a luxurious feel with a black interior featuring leather and artificial suede inserts, an artificial suede headliner, and sophisticated interior details that made it resemble a luxury SUV.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia shared its platform with the Tundra pickup, and both vehicles exhibited similar design cues, such as hexagonal grilles and muscular stances. The Sequoia's appearance varied significantly with exterior color choices, with our Capstone model featuring more chrome brightwork and presented in Celestial Silver. This gave it a somewhat dated appearance, reminiscent of a "cop car." However, with a different color like Solar Octane orange and black accents, it transformed into a more rugged "Tonka truck" look. Inside, the Sequoia closely resembled the Tundra and other contemporary Toyota vehicles, with a blocky, geometric dashboard layout and physical controls for volume and climate. The Capstone trim featured semi-aniline leather upholstery, while other trims offered different seating materials. The Sequoia's interior was spacious, with power-adjustable front seats and a power-tilt and -slide moonroof standard on higher trims.

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade was equipped with a 3.8-liter V6 engine producing 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive was standard, but all-wheel drive was available, offering a maximum towing capacity of 5,000 pounds and eight inches of ground clearance. The Palisade featured multiple driving modes, including Eco, Comfort, Sport, Smart, and Snow, and the AWD system could be locked for off-road conditions. However, it was best suited for less challenging terrain. The V6 engine provided ample power and smooth acceleration, with the transmission always in the right gear. The AWD system distributed power effectively on dirt and gravel roads. The EPA rated the AWD Palisade at 21 mpg combined, but our testing showed an average of 18.8 mpg in Comfort mode. The Palisade's suspension offered a firm yet comfortable ride, with excellent visibility and a top-down surround-view camera aiding in city driving. It displayed surprising agility on winding roads, with predictable handling and reliable brakes.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia was exclusively offered in a hybrid format, featuring Toyota's iForce MAX hybrid powertrain. This combined a twin-turbo V6 engine with an electric motor, delivering 437 horsepower and 583 lb-ft of torque, a significant increase over its V8 predecessor. Fuel economy improved to 20 mpg combined with four-wheel drive. The Sequoia TRD Pro was available only with 4WD, featuring a part-time system with 4Hi, 4Lo, and 2WD options, along with a skid plate. Other trims offered 4WD as an option for an additional $3,000. The 10-speed automatic transmission operated smoothly, and on-road handling was adequate for the class. The TRD Off-Road package added adventure-ready features like all-terrain tires, a skid plate, and off-road suspension with Bilstein shocks. The Sequoia's maximum towing capacity increased to 9,520 pounds, with towing-related upgrades available. However, the power-extending trailer tow mirrors obstructed the view for shorter drivers.

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade offered a range of seating options, with the base SE trim featuring cloth seats and higher trims offering H-Tex artificial leather, real leather, or premium Nappa leather with microfiber inserts. Heated and power-adjustable front seats were standard on most trims, with additional comfort features like a heated steering wheel, ventilated front seats, and memory settings available on higher trims. The Calligraphy Night Edition provided a luxurious experience with its simulated suede seat inserts and black interior. The Palisade's interior was well-designed, with configurable storage options, including a console-top tray, a large storage bin, and a wireless smartphone charger. Second-row passengers enjoyed captain's chairs with optional heating and ventilation, while the third row offered more comfort and space than many rivals. The Palisade's cargo space ranged from 18 cubic feet behind the third row to 86.4 cubic feet with all seats folded.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia Capstone trim featured automatic power-deploying running boards, making it easier for shorter individuals to enter the vehicle. Inside, the Sequoia offered a maximum of 86.9 cubic feet of cargo space with both second- and third-row seats folded. The second-row seats did not slide, but they were easy to move for third-row access. The third-row seats could be folded at the push of a button, but they did not create a flat load floor due to the hybrid powertrain's battery pack. This affected headroom and legroom, with the third row being less comfortable for taller passengers. Second-row captain's chairs were available on higher trims, but they lacked bolstering for support. The Sequoia's interior dimensions placed it behind some rivals in terms of legroom, but it offered a spacious front row.

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade featured a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel available with the SEL Premium package or higher trims. All Palisades came with a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system with navigation, supporting Bluetooth connectivity for two devices, Bluelink+ connected services, Wi-Fi access, SiriusXM satellite radio, and a rear-seat Quiet Mode. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto required a USB-A cable, but wireless charging was standard on SEL trim and above. The Harman Kardon premium sound system provided excellent audio quality, and additional technologies included a digital key function, a digital rearview mirror, and a semi-autonomous remote parking system. The head-up display offered valuable information but was incompatible with polarized sunglasses.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia Capstone trim was equipped with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, accessible through an 8-inch touchscreen on the SR5 trim and a 14-inch touchscreen on higher trims. The Toyota Audio Multimedia infotainment system prioritized functionality over flashy design. The Sequoia featured a full-color 12.3-inch driver-information display and a Panoramic View monitor as standard. The 10-inch color head-up display was standard on Capstone and available on Platinum trim. The 14-speaker JBL Premium Audio system was available on Limited and standard on higher trims, providing excellent sound quality.

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade came with Hyundai's SmartSense collection of driving assistance systems, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, and more. Highway Driving Assist (HDA) paired adaptive cruise control with lane-centering assist for highway travel. The Palisade Limited, Calligraphy, and Calligraphy Night Edition offered additional blind-spot safety features. The 2024 Palisade earned a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS, but NHTSA crash tests were incomplete.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia featured the Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) 2.5 suite of safety and driver-assistance features as standard on all trims. This included a pre-collision system, lane-departure alert, adaptive cruise control, and more. The Sequoia's blind-spot monitoring system included Trailer Merge Warning. The Tow Technology Package added a digital rearview mirror and trailer backup guide. The 2024 Sequoia had not been rated by the IIHS or NHTSA, but the similar 2024 Toyota Tundra earned a Top Safety Pick+ designation.