2024 Hyundai Palisade vs 2025 Toyota Sienna

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade stood out with its distinctive styling, setting it apart from the typical family-friendly SUVs. While its bold design might not have appealed to everyone, those who appreciated its aesthetics likely found much to admire in other aspects of the vehicle. The Palisade was available in several trims, including the SE, SEL, XRT, Limited, Calligraphy, and the new-for-2024 Calligraphy Night Edition. Prices ranged from $36,650 to $53,850, excluding the $1,395 destination charge. The Calligraphy Night Edition, with its all-wheel drive and blacked-out appearance, was offered only in Abyss Black or Hyper White paint colors, paired with a luxurious black interior featuring leather and artificial suede inserts. The interior's sophistication, with quality upholstery, metal speaker grilles, and a decadent artificial suede headliner, made the Palisade feel like a luxury SUV.

In contrast, the 2025 Toyota Sienna, while attempting to break away from the traditional minivan mold, still retained its box-on-wheels design to maximize interior space. The Sienna's trapezoidal grille and upswept body lines gave it a unique look, but it remained unmistakably a minivan. The Platinum trim level introduced new flower-petal wheel designs and was available in the new Magnetic Gray paint color. Prices for the Sienna ranged from $40,980 to $57,940, including the $1,495 destination charge. The interior updates for 2025 included a new woodgrain finish, though opinions on its aesthetics varied. Despite its attempts at style, the Sienna prioritized practicality, offering seating for up to eight and a hands-free power liftgate for convenience.

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade was powered by a robust 3.8-liter V6 engine, delivering 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. This engine was paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, driving the front wheels unless upgraded to an all-wheel-drive model. The Palisade boasted a maximum towing capacity of 5,000 pounds and offered eight inches of ground clearance. It featured multiple driving modes, including Eco, Comfort, Sport, Smart, and Snow, with the ability to lock the AWD system for off-road conditions. Despite its power, the Palisade was best suited for more traveled paths, as it wasn't designed for challenging terrain. The V6 engine provided satisfying acceleration, and the transmission was adept at selecting the right gear. The AWD system distributed power effectively on dirt and gravel roads, and the SUV averaged 18.8 mpg in Comfort mode during testing. The Palisade's suspension offered a firm yet comfortable ride, with excellent visibility and a top-down surround-view camera aiding in city driving. On mountain roads, it displayed surprising athleticism, with predictable handling and reliable brakes.

The 2025 Toyota Sienna, on the other hand, featured a hybrid powertrain with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The standard front-wheel drive could be upgraded to an all-wheel-drive system with an additional rear-mounted electric motor. The hybrid system produced a net horsepower of 245, which, while not particularly high, was sufficient for the Sienna's needs. The electric assist motor provided immediate torque, preventing the minivan from feeling sluggish. The Sienna excelled in fuel economy, with an EPA rating of 36 mpg in combined driving, though it averaged 26.3 mpg during testing. The hybrid powertrain was quiet in city and highway driving, but the CVT's noise was noticeable during hard acceleration. The Sienna's handling was secure but not particularly engaging, with a smooth and absorbent ride. The brakes, however, showed signs of strain during a mountain descent. The Sienna XSE offered a sportier look and suspension, but overall, the driving experience was more about comfort than excitement.

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade offered a range of seating options, with the base SE trim featuring cloth seats and higher trims offering various levels of leather upholstery. The Calligraphy Night Edition test vehicle boasted premium Nappa leather with microfiber inserts, providing a comfortable and luxurious experience. Heated and ventilated front seats were available, with memory settings and an adjustable thigh support cushion for the driver in the Limited trim. The Calligraphy trim added an Ergo Motion massage function for the driver. The Palisade's interior was well-equipped with configurable storage options, including a large storage bin, wireless smartphone charger, and USB charging ports. Second-row passengers enjoyed captain's chairs with optional heating and ventilation, while the third row offered decent comfort and roominess. The hands-free power tailgate, standard from the SEL trim, provided convenience, though it could be turned off if not needed. The Palisade offered 18 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 86.4 cubic feet with the second-row seats folded.

The 2025 Toyota Sienna focused on practicality, with power-adjustable, heated, and ventilated front seats wrapped in perforated leather. However, the cushions felt hard after extended driving. The Platinum trim's second-row captain's chairs with ottoman-style leg rests were popular with passengers, and the refrigerated compartment added convenience. The third-row seat accommodated adults comfortably, and the sliding side doors facilitated easy loading and unloading. Storage space was generous, though finding secure spots for large water bottles was challenging. The Sienna offered 33.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 101 cubic feet with the second-row seats adjusted. However, the Sienna's cargo capacity was less than its rivals due to the inability to remove the second-row seats. Toyota's research suggested that most minivan owners didn't maximize space by removing seats, but for those needing maximum load space, the Sienna might not have been the best choice.

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade featured a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel and a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system with navigation. The system supported Bluetooth connectivity for two devices, Bluelink+ connected services, Wi-Fi access, SiriusXM satellite radio, and a rear-seat Quiet Mode. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto required a USB-A cable, but wireless charging was standard from the SEL trim. The Harman Kardon premium sound system provided excellent audio quality, and additional technologies included a digital key function, digital rearview mirror, and a semi-autonomous remote parking system. The head-up display offered valuable information, though it didn't work well with polarized sunglasses.

The 2025 Toyota Sienna's higher-spec models came with a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel and a 12.3-inch touchscreen for the Toyota Audio Multimedia (TAM) system. The Platinum trim featured a four-zone automatic climate control system, a 10-inch head-up display, and a camera-based digital rearview mirror. The TAM system offered five connected services plans, with varying complimentary subscription periods. The digital assistant in the Drive Connect plan responded well to commands, and the system supported Apple and Amazon Music accounts. The JBL premium audio system, however, produced excessive bass and sounded muddy. The four-zone climate control system was appreciated, and the digital rearview camera offered zoom capabilities. The HUD provided useful information, though blind-spot warnings were not communicated.

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade was equipped with the SmartSense collection of driving assistance systems, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and more. Highway Driving Assist (HDA) paired adaptive cruise control with curve speed control and lane-centering assist. The SEL Premium package added features like front parking sensors and a surround-view camera system. The Palisade earned a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS, though NHTSA crash tests were incomplete.

The 2025 Toyota Sienna featured TSS 2.0, an older version of Toyota's safety suite, which some drivers preferred for its less intrusive technology. TSS 2.0 included forward collision warning, lane departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. The Sienna's lane-centering assist performed well, but the adaptive cruise control required vigilance in urban areas. The 2025 model added a rear-seat reminder system, alerting drivers to movement in the cabin. The Sienna received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA, but its frontal crash-test result was four stars, with a three-star rating for driver protection in a frontal impact.