2024 Hyundai Palisade vs 2025 Toyota Sienna

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 equally appealing. 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. The Ultimate Calligraphy trim, which was tested, provided a sense of luxury uncommon in mass-market midsize family SUVs.

In contrast, the 2025 Toyota Sienna, despite Toyota's efforts to add style, retained the classic minivan look. Its trapezoidal grille and upswept body lines gave it a unique appearance, but it still resembled a minivan. The Sienna's design included narrow taillights and a rear end that mirrored the front's cinched look. The Platinum package introduced new flower-petal wheel designs, but the Sienna remained a practical choice for those prioritizing interior space over style. The test vehicle, a top-of-the-line Limited with the Platinum package, featured a new woodgrain finish, though opinions on its aesthetics varied.

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. The Palisade's towing capacity reached 2,268 kilograms, and it offered 20.3 centimetres of ground clearance. Various driving modes, including Eco, Comfort, Sport, Smart, and Snow, allowed for adaptability in different conditions. The Palisade excelled in providing power and acceleration, with the transmission consistently in the right gear. Its AWD system effectively distributed power on dirt and gravel roads. However, real-world fuel economy was less impressive, averaging 15.0 L/100 km in Comfort mode. The Palisade's suspension offered a firm yet comfortable ride, and it displayed unexpected agility on mountain roads.

The 2025 Toyota Sienna featured a hybrid powertrain with a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine and a continuously variable transmission. It offered 245 net horsepower, which, while not substantial, was compensated by the immediate torque from the electric assist motor. The Sienna's hybrid system prioritized fuel economy, with an official rating of 6.6 L/100 km in combined driving. However, during testing, it averaged 8.9 L/100 km. The Sienna's handling was predictable but not particularly engaging, with squishy steering in curves. The brakes showed signs of strain during hard-braking events. The Sienna XSE offered a sportier look and suspension, but overall, the Sienna prioritized a smooth, absorbent ride over driving excitement.

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade offered a comfortable interior with premium Nappa leather upholstery in the Ultimate Calligraphy trim. It featured heated and ventilated front seats with memory settings, a heated steering wheel, and heated rear seats. The Palisade's interior was well-equipped with configurable storage options, including a large storage bin and wireless smartphone charging. Second-row passengers enjoyed excellent comfort, with captain's chairs available. The third-row seat was more spacious than many rivals, and the hands-free power tailgate added convenience. The Palisade provided 509 litres of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 2,447 litres with the second and third rows folded.

The 2025 Toyota Sienna focused on practicality, with power-adjustable and heated front seats. However, the cushions felt hard during long drives. The Platinum's second-row captain's chairs with ottoman-style leg rests were popular with passengers. The Sienna's third-row seat accommodated adults comfortably, and the sliding side doors facilitated easy access. Storage space was generous, though finding secure spots for large water bottles was challenging. The Sienna offered 949 litres of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 2,860 litres with the seats stowed. However, its maximum cargo capacity was less than rivals due to the non-removable second-row seats.

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

The 2025 Toyota Sienna's higher-spec models featured a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel and touchscreen display for the Toyota Audio Multimedia system. The Limited with Platinum package included a four-zone climate control system, a 10-inch head-up display, and a digital rearview mirror. The TAM system offered connected services with varying subscription periods. The digital assistant responded well to commands, and the system supported Apple and Amazon Music. The Sienna's JBL premium audio system had excessive bass, but the four-zone climate control was appreciated. The digital rearview camera and surround-view camera added convenience.

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-keeping assist. Highway Driving Assist provided adaptive cruise control with lane-centring assist. The Palisade earned a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS, though NHTSA crash tests were incomplete.

The 2025 Toyota Sienna featured Toyota Safety Sense 2.0, which included forward collision warning, pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. The Sienna's safety systems generally performed well, though the adaptive cruise control required vigilance in urban areas. The Sienna added a rear-seat reminder system for 2025. The NHTSA gave the Sienna a five-star overall rating, but its frontal crash-test result was four stars, with three stars for driver protection.