2022 Hyundai Palisade vs 2023 BMW X7

The 2022 Hyundai Palisade stood as Hyundai's flagship SUV, replacing the Santa Fe XL and marking a significant evolution in design. It featured an elegant and striking exterior, shedding any past criticisms of Hyundai's designs being unimaginative. The Palisade boasted distinctive lines, a prominent grille, and expressive LED lighting, creating a signature look. Its interior was equally polished, with high-quality materials and a horizontally arrayed screen. The spacious cabin offered a third row suitable for adults on short rides and a second row with either a bench or captain's chairs, providing near-luxury levels of fit and finish.

In contrast, the 2023 BMW X7 received a mid-cycle makeover, adopting a bolder design inspired by the BMW 7 Series sedan. The front-end styling was polarizing, with LED accent lights and a recessed headlight design. While the sides and rear remained largely unchanged, the interior saw significant updates, including a curved glass housing for the digital instrument panel and infotainment touchscreen. The X7's interior materials were of premium quality, with options for leather upholstery and various wood trims. Despite its weight, the X7 maintained a sturdy build, offering a modern and elegant appearance.

The 2022 Hyundai Palisade featured a naturally aspirated 3.8-liter V6 engine, producing 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. This engine, equipped with gasoline direct injection and dual variable valve timing, provided a baritone rumble and quick acceleration without turbo lag. The Palisade's fuel efficiency was estimated at 19 mpg city/26 mpg highway for FWD models and 19 mpg city/24 mpg highway for AWD models. It offered a smooth ride with four-wheel independent suspension and a self-leveling system on higher trims. The Palisade could tow up to 5,000 pounds with trailer brakes.

The 2023 BMW X7 lineup began with the xDrive40i model, featuring a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six engine with a 48-volt mild hybrid system, delivering 375 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque. The M60i model upgraded to a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 engine, producing 523 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque. Both engines were paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. The X7's V8 engine provided potent acceleration, reaching 60 mph in 4.5 seconds. Despite its nearly 6,000-pound weight, the X7 offered composed handling and a firm yet comfortable ride.

The 2022 Hyundai Palisade excelled as a minivan replacement, offering comfortable seating and ample storage throughout the cabin. The third row provided easy access and cupholders, while the second-row captain's chairs were notably comfortable. The front row featured multiple storage compartments, including a center console with two compartments and a locking glove box. Luggage space measured 18.0 cubic feet behind the third row, expanding to 45.8 cubic feet with the third row folded and 86.4 cubic feet with both rows down. The Palisade's gear selector used a compact shift-by-wire setup, and higher trims offered luxury features like a dual-panel sunroof and premium Nappa leather upholstery.

The 2023 BMW X7 offered abundant space, with the second row accommodating taller passengers and a large sunroof enhancing the airy feel. Accessing the third row required the power-operated middle row to slide and tilt, providing a large opening. The third row could hold average-sized adults, though thigh support was limited. Cargo space measured 12.8 cubic feet behind the third row, expanding to 48.6 cubic feet with the third row stowed and 90.4 cubic feet with the middle seats folded. The X7 featured a split tailgate and a button to lower the suspension for easier loading. Front-seat passengers had ample storage, including a large center console bin.

The 2022 Hyundai Palisade showcased Hyundai's technological prowess, with a standard display audio system on S and SEL models and a 1920 x 720 color touchscreen on Limited and Calligraphy models. The infotainment system included wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, HD Radio, and satellite radio. The Limited and Calligraphy models featured a 630-watt Harman Kardon premium audio system with 12 speakers and Clari-Fi music restoration technology. The Palisade offered multiple USB ports, a Qi wireless charging pad, and a 115-volt power outlet. Higher trims included a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and Hyundai's Blue Link connected car system.

The 2023 BMW X7 featured the latest iDrive infotainment system, which received mixed reviews. While basic functions like temperature adjustments and audio controls were straightforward, many physical buttons were replaced by touchscreen controls, complicating tasks like adjusting seat settings and adaptive cruise control. BMW attempted to address this with voice commands, but they were not always efficient. The X7's infotainment system was less intuitive than previous iterations, with a need for more physical buttons and user-friendly menus.

The 2022 Hyundai Palisade boasted a comprehensive list of safety features, earning it a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS and a five-star rating from the NHTSA. It included seven airbags, three-point seat belts, LATCH anchors, and active head restraints. Standard active safety features encompassed anti-lock braking, electronic stability control, blind-spot collision avoidance, rear cross-traffic collision-avoidance, and adaptive cruise control. Higher trims offered additional features like forward-looking parking sensors and Highway Driving Assist.

The 2023 BMW X7 lacked crash test results from the NHTSA and IIHS, but it offered a robust suite of safety features. Standard features included frontal collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, lane departure warning, and adaptive headlights. The M60i trim added a surround-view camera system, with options for adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist. The X7's safety features performed reliably, with no false alarms or unpredictable responses.