2024 Toyota Land Cruiser vs 2023 Hyundai Palisade

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade, as Hyundai's largest SUV, had a striking presence on the road, further enhanced by its 2023 styling update. The new front fascia, with its bold strokes and squared-off grille, gave the Palisade a more commanding look. Standard LED accents, daytime running lights, and headlights added to its modern appeal, while the top Calligraphy trim featured premium rear accent lighting and a unique glossy black and chrome grille. The new XRT trim introduced a dark grille and black 20-inch wheels, adding a rugged touch. The interior of the Calligraphy trim was stylish, with premium Nappa leather and a dual-pane sunroof brightening the space. The Palisade offered a range of seating configurations, with heated and ventilated seats available in higher trims, ensuring comfort for all passengers.

The 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser, known for its iconic design, retained its boxy shape and flat roof, reminiscent of its predecessors. Each of the three trims featured details that paid homage to past models, such as the heritage grille and round headlights. The Land Cruiser's lighting was fully LED, aligning with modern standards. The interior of the mid-grade model was comfortable, with cushy seats and padded center console, emphasizing both comfort and capability. The base trim had cloth seats, while the top trim featured real leather with unique logos. The Land Cruiser's cabin was designed for off-road functionality, with easy access to key features and a focus on driver comfort.

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade was powered by a 3.8-liter V6 engine, producing 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. This made it more powerful than competitors like the Mazda CX-9 and Volkswagen Atlas, and slightly more so than the Honda Pilot and Nissan Pathfinder. The Palisade's eight-speed automatic transmission could be controlled with paddle shifters, and front-wheel drive was standard, with all-wheel drive available for an additional cost. The Palisade excelled in towing, with a capacity of up to 5,000 pounds, and offered a comfortable ride, though it wasn't suited for serious off-roading. Fuel economy was competitive, with front-wheel-drive models achieving 19 mpg city, 27 highway, and 22 combined.

The 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser featured a hybrid powertrain, combining a 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with a 48-hp electric motor, producing a total of 326 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque. It had an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard full-time four-wheel drive, with a two-speed transfer case for high and low range. The Land Cruiser's off-road capabilities were enhanced by features like the Multi-Terrain Select system, automatic limited-slip differential, and a push-button disconnect for the front sway bar. The updated CRAWL control function allowed for precise low-speed navigation over challenging terrain, making the Land Cruiser a formidable off-road vehicle.

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade offered ample space for passengers, with seating for seven or eight. It provided 44.1 inches of legroom in the front row, 42.4 in the second, and 31.4 in the third, surpassing the Toyota Highlander. The Palisade's cargo space was generous, with 18 cubic feet behind the third row, 45.8 behind the second, and 86.4 with all but the front seats folded. The interior was designed for convenience, with HVAC vents in all rows, numerous cupholders, and a well-organized center console. The hands-free smart liftgate was standard on all but the base trim, adding to the Palisade's practicality.

The 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser, based on the Prado, had two rows of seating, with headroom measuring 36.1 inches in the front and 35.3 in the back. Legroom was 33.0 inches in the front and 26.7 in the rear. The center console was designed for off-road functionality, with easy access to key features. The cargo area offered 37.5 cubic feet of space, with a raised load floor and a rubber mat for easy cleaning. The Land Cruiser's trunk included a 120-volt AC outlet and USB-C ports in higher trims, enhancing its practicality for outdoor adventures.

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade was equipped with advanced technology, including a 12.3-inch color touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and navigation. A premium 12-speaker Harman Kardon sound system was available in higher trims. The Palisade offered remote accessibility features through Hyundai's Bluelink system, allowing drivers to view vehicle information and control certain functions remotely. The Digital Key 2 Touch, compatible with Apple and Samsung devices, was standard on SEL models and up, providing a convenient alternative to the physical key.

The 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser featured the Multi-Terrain Monitor system, standard on higher trims, which was invaluable on the off-road course. The 12.3-inch center touchscreen display was well-suited for infotainment purposes, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto standard. The base trim had an 8-inch display and a six-speaker sound system, while higher trims offered a 10-speaker system or the option to upgrade to a 14-speaker JBL premium sound system. The Premium Package added features like a head-up display and a digital rear-view mirror, enhancing the Land Cruiser's technology offerings.

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade had not been rated by the IIHS for 2023, but the 2022 model earned a Top Safety Pick+ award. The Palisade came with Hyundai's Smart Sense suite of safety features, including forward collision avoidance, driver attention warning, and lane-keeping assist. Blind-spot collision avoidance and rear cross-traffic collision avoidance were newly standard. The Palisade also offered Highway Driving Assist I and II, with the latter available on higher trims, providing advanced driver assistance.

The 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser had not been rated by the IIHS or NHTSA, but Toyota's safety record provided some confidence. The Land Cruiser came standard with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, which included adaptive cruise control, lane-departure alert, and lane-tracing assist. The Premium Package added lane-keep assist, front cross-traffic alert, and traffic jam assist to the middle trim, with these features standard on the First Edition.