2024 Hyundai Palisade vs 2025 INFINITI QX80

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade stood out with its distinctive styling, setting it apart from other family-friendly SUVs. While its design might not have appealed to everyone, those who appreciated its aesthetics likely found much to enjoy about the vehicle. The Palisade was available in several trims, including the new Calligraphy Night Edition, which featured a blacked-out appearance and luxurious interior touches like an artificial suede headliner and quality upholstery, giving it a sophisticated feel akin to a luxury SUV.

In contrast, the 2025 INFINITI QX80 underwent its first redesign since 2017, growing slightly in size and retaining its body-on-frame architecture. The QX80 showcased more expressive styling, particularly at the front, with a large grille and stacked-headlight setup. The rear end maintained its general shape but featured full-width LED taillights. The interior received a high-tech makeover with a large horizontal display and ambient lighting, although some shiny black plastic trim detracted from the premium feel.

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade was powered by a 3.8-liter V6 engine producing 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. It offered several driving modes and a maximum towing capacity of 5,000 pounds. The Palisade's AWD system provided excellent traction on various surfaces, and the vehicle averaged 18.8 mpg in testing. The ride was firm yet comfortable, with good handling and braking performance.

The 2025 INFINITI QX80 featured a new twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 engine, delivering 450 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, replacing the previous V8. A nine-speed automatic transmission enhanced its performance, making it feel more energetic. The QX80 offered air suspension with adaptive damping, providing a compliant ride and adjustable ride height. Despite its size, the QX80's handling was average, and the air suspension struggled to completely smooth out bumps.

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade offered a range of seating options, from cloth to premium Nappa leather with microfiber inserts. The interior was well-equipped with heated and ventilated seats, configurable storage, and a spacious third row. Cargo space was generous, with up to 86.4 cubic feet available. The hands-free power tailgate added convenience, although it could be turned off if not needed.

The 2025 INFINITI QX80 provided increased cargo space, with up to 101 cubic feet available. It featured power-folding seats and a power liftgate for easy reconfiguration. Passenger space was ample, with increased legroom in the first and third rows. The QX80 offered heated, ventilated, and massaging seats, enhancing comfort across all rows. Its towing capacity reached 8,500 pounds, surpassing many competitors.

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade came with a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, supporting Apple CarPlay and Android Auto via USB-A. It included Bluelink+ connected services, a Harman Kardon sound system, and advanced features like a digital key and semi-autonomous parking. The head-up display provided useful driving information, although it struggled with polarized sunglasses.

The 2025 INFINITI QX80 featured dual 14.3-inch screens for the instrument cluster and infotainment, with a smaller touchscreen for additional controls. It integrated Google apps for navigation and voice recognition, while supporting wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The QX80's sound system varied by trim, with up to 24 speakers available. It offered a 360-degree camera system with multiple viewing angles and advanced safety features.

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade was equipped with Hyundai's SmartSense suite, including forward-collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, and Highway Driving Assist. It earned a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS, although some crash test results were incomplete.

The 2025 INFINITI QX80 included standard safety features like forward collision warning and blind-spot monitoring. It offered ProPilot Assist for highway driving, with hands-free capabilities on higher trims. Crash-test ratings were unavailable at the time of publication.