2024 Hyundai Palisade vs 2025 Cadillac Escalade

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 much to enjoy about the vehicle overall. In Canada, the Palisade was available in two trims: Urban and Ultimate Calligraphy, with the latter offering a luxurious feel thanks to features like an artificial suede headliner, quality upholstery, and sophisticated interior design elements.

In contrast, the 2025 Cadillac Escalade embodied old-school Cadillac luxury with its updated design, further distinguishing itself from its platform-sharing siblings, the Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban and GMC Yukon/Yukon XL. The Escalade's new front end brought it stylistically closer to Cadillac's EV lineup, featuring large vertical headlights and tall, vertical taillights reminiscent of classic Cadillac tailfins. The availability of 24-inch wheels added to its imposing presence, while the interior boasted a screen-centric design with a massive 55-inch display, enhancing its high-tech appeal.

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade was powered by a 3.8-litre V6 engine, delivering 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. It featured an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive in Canada, with a towing capacity of 2,268 kilograms. The Palisade offered several driving modes, including Eco, Comfort, Sport, Smart, and Snow, and its AWD system could be locked for off-road conditions. Despite its firm suspension, the Palisade provided a comfortable ride and demonstrated surprising agility on winding roads. However, its real-world fuel economy was less impressive, averaging 15.0 L/100 km during testing.

The 2025 Cadillac Escalade, meanwhile, dropped its diesel engine option, leaving only the 6.2-litre V8 engine with 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. The Escalade-V variant boasted a supercharged V8 with 682 hp and 653 lb-ft of torque. All models featured a 10-speed automatic transmission, with four-wheel drive standard in Canada. The Escalade's performance was bolstered by Magnetic Ride Control damping and optional air suspension, though it couldn't match the handling of some luxury competitors. The brakes, while adequate, could be upgraded with a Performance Upgrade Package for enhanced stopping power.

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade offered a comfortable and well-equipped interior, with premium Nappa leather upholstery in the Ultimate Calligraphy trim. Standard features included heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and a dual-panel sunroof. The Palisade's configurable storage solutions and spacious second-row seating added to its practicality. With a hands-free power tailgate and generous cargo space, the Palisade was well-suited for family use, offering 509 litres of cargo space behind the third row and up to 2,447 litres with the seats folded.

The 2025 Cadillac Escalade provided ample interior space, with seating for up to eight and a choice between short and long-wheelbase configurations. The Escalade ESV offered additional cargo space and third-row legroom. The standard-length model boasted 722 litres of cargo space behind the rear seats, expanding to 3,412 litres with the seats folded. The Escalade's towing capacity was competitive, though it lacked some of the towing features offered by rivals. The interior featured power liftgate and power-folding seats for easy reconfiguration.

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade came equipped with a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel and touchscreen infotainment system, supporting Bluetooth, SiriusXM, and wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Ultimate Calligraphy trim included wireless charging and a 12-speaker Harman Kardon sound system. Additional tech features included a digital rearview mirror, semi-autonomous remote parking, and an excellent head-up display, though it struggled with polarized sunglasses.

The 2025 Cadillac Escalade featured a cutting-edge 55-inch display spanning the dashboard, incorporating digital instruments and infotainment controls. A 19-speaker AKG audio system was standard, with a 36-speaker upgrade available. The Escalade retained wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and its tech interface was user-friendly despite its complexity. The optional Executive Second Row Package added rear-seat entertainment and comfort features, enhancing the luxury experience for passengers.

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade was equipped with a comprehensive suite of driver assistance systems, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and lane-keep assist. Highway Driving Assist provided a hands-on driving system for highway travel, and the Palisade earned a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS. However, NHTSA crash test results were incomplete at the time of writing.

The 2025 Cadillac Escalade offered standard driver assist features such as adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and a 360-degree camera system. GM's Safety Alert Seat provided tactile warnings, and Super Cruise allowed for hands-free driving on mapped roads. While crash test ratings were unavailable, the Escalade's safety features were comprehensive and included teen driver monitoring.