2024 Hyundai Palisade vs 2024 Lexus TX

The 2024 Lexus TX, based on the Toyota Grand Highlander, convincingly served as a luxury SUV with its upscale appearance. The test model, featuring Luxury trim, boasted impressive 22-inch silver-finished wheels, enhancing its presence. The TX's styling was more conservative compared to other Lexus models, appealing to those who previously found the brand's design off-putting. The TX lineup included the TX 350, TX 500h F Sport Performance, and TX 550h+ plug-in hybrid, with prices ranging from $55,050 to $69,350, excluding the TX 550h+ which was expected to start over $75,000. The TX 350, likely the volume seller, offered a turbocharged four-cylinder engine with FWD or AWD options. The test vehicle, priced at $67,869, featured FWD, Luxury trim, and various packages, though its dark Peppercorn interior felt too dim despite the panoramic sunroof. Overall, the TX 350 Luxury model's interior was sufficiently luxurious for a Lexus badge.

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade stood out with its distinctive styling, setting it apart from other family-friendly SUVs. Available in SE, SEL, XRT, Limited, Calligraphy, and the new Calligraphy Night Edition trims, prices ranged from $36,650 to $53,850, excluding the $1,395 destination charge. The test vehicle, a Calligraphy Night Edition, featured Hyper White paint and carpeted floor mats, with an MSRP of $55,930. The Night Edition came exclusively with AWD and a blacked-out appearance, including dark chrome and gloss black exterior trim. Inside, it offered a black interior with leather and artificial suede inserts. The Palisade's interior, especially in the Night Edition, exuded luxury with its artificial suede headliner, quality upholstery, and sophisticated design. The loaded Palisade felt like a luxury SUV, offering a comfortable and upscale experience.

The 2024 Lexus TX 350 was equipped with a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 275 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque. Despite initial skepticism about its suitability for a midsize luxury SUV, the engine performed adequately for typical driving scenarios with up to four passengers. Lexus claimed the TX 350 could accelerate to 60 mph in eight seconds (7.8 seconds with AWD), though it felt quicker due to its torque delivery. The EPA rated the TX 350 FWD at 23 mpg in combined driving, but during testing, it averaged 20.4 mpg. AWD, costing an additional $1,600, offered slightly quicker acceleration and improved traction in adverse conditions. The TX 350's suspension provided a balanced ride, firm enough to convey road surface details while ensuring comfort. The steering was accurate, and the interior remained quiet on highways. However, the brake pedal felt too soft, though it was easy to modulate for smooth stops.

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade featured a 3.8-liter V6 engine, delivering 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The Palisade's maximum towing capacity was 5,000 pounds, with eight inches of ground clearance. It offered multiple driving modes, including Eco, Comfort, Sport, Smart, and Snow, with the AWD system lockable for off-road conditions. The V6 engine provided ample power and satisfying acceleration, with the transmission consistently in the right gear. The AWD system adeptly distributed power on dirt and gravel roads. The EPA estimated 21 mpg in combined driving for the AWD Palisade, but testing averaged 18.8 mpg in Comfort mode. Higher trims added acoustic window glass, enhancing highway quietness. The Palisade's suspension offered a firm yet comfortable ride, with excellent visibility aiding city driving. It displayed unexpected agility on mountain roads, with predictable handling and reliable brakes. Overall, the Palisade delivered a pleasurable driving experience, though real-world fuel economy was less impressive.

The 2024 Lexus TX addressed previous shortcomings in Lexus's three-row SUVs. The TX 350 Luxury model featured premium semi-aniline leather and artificial suede upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, and a heated steering wheel. The standard second-row bench seat could be replaced with heated and ventilated captain's chairs. While the front seats lacked a massage function, they offered a supportive driving position. The second-row seat, though less welcoming, provided adequate comfort with triple-zone climate control and USB ports. The third-row seat was habitable for adults, offering better leg support and visibility than previous models. However, sliding the second-row seat forward for third-row comfort compromised second-row legroom. The TX offered numerous storage options, though some lacked lining, potentially causing noise. Cargo space measured 20.2 cubic feet behind the third row, expanding to 57.4 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 97 cubic feet with the second row down.

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade offered a range of seating options, from cloth seats in the base SE trim to premium Nappa leather with microfiber inserts in the Calligraphy Night Edition. Heated, power-adjustable front seats were standard on most trims, with additional comfort features available on higher trims. The Calligraphy Night Edition provided a comfortable experience, though memory settings and comfort functions were limited to the driver. The Palisade's configurable storage included a console-top tray, a large storage bin, and a wireless charger. Second-row passengers enjoyed captain's chairs with optional heating and ventilation, while the third row offered decent comfort and roominess. The Palisade's smart tailgate feature, standard from SEL trim, provided hands-free access but could be inconvenient in certain situations. Cargo space measured 18 cubic feet behind the third row, expanding to 45.8 cubic feet with the third row down, and 86.4 cubic feet with the second row folded.

The 2024 Lexus TX featured an optional Technology Package, including a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel, head-up display, digital rearview mirror, surround-view camera, and semi-autonomous parking assist. However, the package replaced marked steering wheel controls with unmarked ones, requiring drivers to reference the head-up display, which was often invisible with polarized sunglasses. The Lexus Interface infotainment system, with a 14-inch touchscreen, offered a three-year Drive Connect subscription, providing cloud-based navigation and a digital assistant with natural voice recognition. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, with seamless connectivity. The TX also included 10-year subscriptions to Service Connect and Safety Connect, offering features like automatic collision notification and remote engine starting. The optional 21-speaker Mark Levinson PurePlay surround-sound system delivered impressive audio quality.

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade offered a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel, available with the SEL Premium package or higher trims. All Palisades featured a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system with navigation, Bluetooth connectivity, Bluelink+ connected services, Wi-Fi access, SiriusXM satellite radio, and rear-seat Quiet Mode. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto required a USB-A cable, with wireless charging standard from SEL trim. Bluelink+ provided connected services at no cost for original owners, including remote engine starting and emergency assistance. The 12-speaker Harman Kardon premium sound system, standard on higher trims, offered excellent sound quality. Additional technologies included a digital key function, digital rearview mirror, semi-autonomous remote parking, and an excellent head-up display with navigation instructions and blind-spot warnings.

The 2024 Lexus TX came equipped with the Lexus Safety System+ 3.0 (LSS+ 3.0), featuring adaptive cruise control with curve speed adjustment, forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, intersection assist, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-centering assist, road sign assist, and automatic high-beam headlights. Proactive Drive Assist, part of LSS+ 3.0, offered braking and steering assistance but was not entirely transparent in operation. The TX also included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and a safe exit assist system, with optional front and rear parking sensors, front cross-traffic alert, and traffic jam assist. The traffic jam assist system provided hands-free driving at low speeds on approved highways, though no higher-speed hands-free system was available. LSS+ 3.0 generally performed smoothly and effectively, though it slowed too dramatically when other vehicles cut in, causing frustration for following drivers.

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade featured the SmartSense collection 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, intersection assist, safe exit assist, automatic high-beam headlights, rear parking sensors, and a rear-seat reminder system. Highway Driving Assist (HDA) paired adaptive cruise control with curve speed control and lane-centering assist, offering a hands-on driving system for highways. The SEL Premium package added lane-change assist, front parking sensors, front cross-traffic alert, evasive steering assist, and a surround-view camera system. Higher trims offered three layers of blind-spot safety, including a head-up display with blind-spot notifications. The 2024 Palisade earned a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS, though NHTSA crash tests were incomplete, with top ratings for side-impact collisions and a four-star rollover resistance rating.