2024 Toyota RAV4 vs 2023 Hyundai Palisade

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade, as Hyundai's largest SUV, had a commanding presence on the road, further enhanced by its 2023 styling update. The new front fascia, with its bold strokes and squared-off grille, framed the new headlights, giving the SUV a stronger and more assertive look. LED accents, daytime running lights, and headlights were standard across the lineup, with LED taillights standard on SEL and higher trims. The top Calligraphy trim stood out with premium rear accent lighting, body-color bumpers, and a unique glossy black and chrome grille. The new XRT trim featured a dark grille, roof cross rails, and black 20-inch wheels, adding to its rugged appeal. The Palisade's interior was equally impressive, with premium Nappa leather in the Calligraphy trim and a dual-pane sunroof that brightened the cabin. The horizontal quilting and dash lines were reminiscent of luxury brands, and the seating configurations allowed for either seven or eight passengers, depending on the trim.

The 2024 Toyota RAV4 aimed to project a tough exterior, with its aggressive angularity and dual exhaust outlets hinting at performance. The TRD Off-Road model, which topped the lineup, featured Army Green color, digital rearview mirror, and advanced technology and weather packages. The RAV4's interior was all about practicality, with storage shelves, trays, and oversized rubberized control knobs. The TRD Off-Road trim included SofTex artificial leather upholstery and an eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat. The RAV4 could comfortably seat four adults, with the rear seat offering good legroom and footroom. The cargo area was spacious, with 37.6 cubic feet available with the seats up and 69.8 cubic feet with them folded down. The RAV4's interior was designed for utility, with easy-clean surfaces and robust door handles.

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 power was routed to the front wheels by default, with all-wheel drive (AWD) available as an option. The HTRAC AWD system proved capable on a muddy off-road course, although the Palisade was not designed for rock-crawling. It offered a comfortable ride and could tow up to 5,000 pounds. Fuel economy for the front-wheel-drive model was 19 mpg city, 27 highway, and 22 combined, while the AWD version achieved 19 city, 25 highway, and 21 combined.

The 2024 Toyota RAV4 featured a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, delivering 203 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. The engine required high revs to access maximum power, and an eight-speed automatic transmission powered the front wheels, with a torque-vectoring AWD system available. The TRD Off-Road model came with exclusive off-road suspension tuning, an underbody skid plate, and all-terrain tires. Multi-Terrain Select offered various driving modes, but the TRD Off-Road shared the same ground clearance as other RAV4 models. The off-road suspension provided a smooth ride on imperfect pavement, and the RAV4's steering and brakes were well-tuned for its purpose. The RAV4's fuel economy was rated at 28 mpg combined, with the test vehicle averaging 26.6 mpg during evaluation.

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade offered ample space for passengers, with 44.1 inches of legroom in the front row, 42.4 in the second, and 31.4 in the third. Passenger volume measured 155.3 cubic feet, and the Palisade's third-row access was facilitated by a one-touch seat slide. 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-row seats folded flat. The Palisade featured HVAC vents in all three rows and provided two cupholders per person. The center console included a phone holder and space for a bag, while the layout of physical buttons and knobs was intuitive.

The 2024 Toyota RAV4's interior focused on practicality, with storage shelves, trays, and oversized rubberized control knobs. The TRD Off-Road trim featured SofTex artificial leather upholstery and an eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat. The RAV4 could comfortably seat four adults, with the rear seat offering good legroom and footroom. The cargo area was spacious, with 37.6 cubic feet available with the seats up and 69.8 cubic feet with them folded down. The RAV4's interior was designed for utility, with easy-clean surfaces and robust door handles.

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade boasted advanced technology, with a 12.3-inch color touchscreen infotainment system standard across all trims. It included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, navigation, HD Radio, SiriusXM, and Bluetooth connectivity. A premium 12-speaker Harman Kardon sound system was available in SEL models and standard in Limited and Calligraphy. The Palisade also featured a 4.2-inch color driver info display, or a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster in higher trims. Hyundai's Bluelink connected vehicle system was standard, offering remote accessibility and management features. The Palisade was the first vehicle to get Digital Key 2 Touch, allowing owners to use a compatible iPhone, Apple Watch, or Samsung device to unlock, start, and drive the car.

The 2024 Toyota RAV4 featured the Toyota Audio Multimedia system, with a standard 8-inch and available 10.5-inch touchscreen display. It included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and five connected services plans. Service Connect and Safety Connect were included free for ten years, while Remote Connect and Drive Connect were complimentary for one year. Wi-Fi Connect transformed the RAV4 into an internet hotspot, with a free three-month data plan. The infotainment system was sophisticated, but some users found the lack of a multi-panel Home screen and the light font on the display to be drawbacks. The RAV4 also offered a JBL premium audio system and an optional digital rear-view mirror.

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade earned a Top Safety Pick+ from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in 2022, and the 2023 model was expected to maintain high safety standards. It came with Hyundai's Smart Sense suite of safety features, including forward collision avoidance, driver attention warning, high beam assist, and lane-keeping and lane-following assist. Blind-spot collision avoidance and rear cross-traffic collision avoidance were standard on all trims. The Palisade also featured navigation-based Smart Cruise Control, Highway Driving Assist, and a full-display digital rearview mirror.

The 2024 Toyota RAV4 was equipped with Toyota Safety Sense 2.5 (TSS 2.5), a comprehensive collection of advanced driver-assistance systems. However, the base LE trim did not include a blind-spot monitoring system with rear cross-traffic alert. TSS 2.5 was adequate, but the lane-centering assist and adaptive cruise control systems were better suited for straighter highways. The RAV4 lost its Top Safety Pick award from the IIHS due to a Marginal rating in the small overlap frontal-impact crash test and an Acceptable rating in the side-impact test.