2024 Hyundai Palisade vs 2025 Jeep Wrangler

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 admire in other aspects of the vehicle. In Canada, the Palisade was available in two trims: Urban and Ultimate Calligraphy, priced at $57,431 and $61,031, respectively, including destination charges. The Ultimate Calligraphy trim, which was tested, featured luxurious touches such as an artificial suede headliner, quality upholstery, and sophisticated interior elements, making it feel like a luxury SUV.

In contrast, the 2025 Jeep Wrangler Sport S, with its black-on-black-on-black colour scheme, was less about luxury and more about rugged functionality. Despite the initial disappointment with the colour choice in a tropical climate, the Wrangler's appeal lay in its design rooted in a World War II military vehicle and its capability to traverse almost any terrain. The Wrangler was available in various trims in Canada, with prices ranging from $42,995 to $80,085. The Sport S model tested had a few options, including a turbocharged four-cylinder engine, bringing its MSRP to $66,070. The Wrangler's interior was functional, with a focus on durability and utility, rather than luxury.

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade was equipped with a 3.8-litre V6 engine, producing 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. It featured an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive in Canada. The Palisade offered a maximum towing capacity of 2,268 kilograms and 20.3 centimetres of ground clearance. Various driving modes, including Eco, Comfort, Sport, Smart, and Snow, were available, with the option to lock the AWD system for off-road conditions. The V6 engine provided ample power and smooth acceleration, while the transmission was responsive. The Palisade's suspension was tuned for a firmer ride, offering excellent handling on mountain and canyon roads. However, its real-world fuel economy was less impressive, averaging 15.0 L/100 km in Comfort mode.

The 2025 Jeep Wrangler offered a choice between a 3.6-litre V6 engine with a six-speed manual transmission and a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The latter produced 270 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. The turbocharged engine was more fuel-efficient, with a rating of 11.0 L/100 km in combined driving. The Wrangler's standard four-wheel drive, high ground clearance, and generous approach and departure angles made it capable off-road. However, its ride was rough, and the steering felt disconnected. The Wrangler's fuel economy averaged 12.3 L/100 km during testing, and its three-star rollover resistance rating from the NHTSA was a concern.

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade offered a comfortable and well-appointed interior, with premium Nappa leather upholstery in the Ultimate Calligraphy trim. It featured heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and a dual-panel sunroof. The Palisade provided ample storage options, including configurable storage between the front seats and a sizable bin under the centre armrest. Second-row passengers enjoyed excellent comfort, with optional captain's chairs and standard rear climate control. The third-row seat was more spacious than most rivals, and the hands-free power tailgate added convenience. The Palisade offered 509 litres of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 2,447 litres with the seats folded.

The 2025 Jeep Wrangler's high ground clearance and narrow door openings made entry and exit challenging. The Sport S trim's cloth upholstery was comfortable, and the Convenience Group option added heated front seats and a heated steering wheel. Rear-seat legroom was adequate, but taller passengers needed to be cautious of plastic hooks on the front seatbacks. Storage space was limited, with small items often ending up in cupholders. Accessing the cargo area required opening the tailgate and lifting the rear window, which could be inconvenient. The four-door model offered 897 litres of cargo space, expandable to 2,050 litres with the rear seat folded.

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade featured a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel and touchscreen infotainment system with navigation. It supported Bluetooth, SiriusXM, and wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Ultimate Calligraphy trim included wireless charging and a 12-speaker Harman Kardon sound system. Hyundai's Bluelink connected services were standard, offering remote engine starting and emergency assistance. Additional technologies included a digital rearview mirror, semi-autonomous remote parking, and a head-up display.

The 2025 Jeep Wrangler's Uconnect 5 infotainment system included a 12.3-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and SiriusXM preparation. The Sport S trim had an eight-speaker stereo, with a nine-speaker Alpine system optional. Jeep Connect offered adventure guides and GPS trail logs for off-road navigation. The Convenience Group pack added a 7-inch digital display, passive entry, and remote engine starting. Rear parking sensors were available in the Safety Group package.

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade came equipped with a comprehensive suite of driving assistance systems, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and lane-keep assist. Highway Driving Assist was standard, providing adaptive cruise control and lane-centring assist. The Palisade earned a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS and a five-star side-impact rating from the NHTSA.

The 2025 Jeep Wrangler included side curtain airbags as standard equipment. Advanced driver assistance systems were optional, with blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert available on most trims. Forward collision warning was limited to the Sahara trim. The Wrangler received a four-star frontal-impact rating and a three-star rollover resistance rating from the NHTSA. The IIHS rated it Good for side-impact protection but Marginal for small overlap frontal-impact.