2024 Hyundai Palisade vs 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade stood out with its distinctive styling, setting it apart from the typical family-friendly SUVs. While its design might not have appealed to everyone, those who appreciated its aesthetics likely found other aspects of the vehicle to their liking. The Palisade was available in several trims, including the SE, SEL, XRT, Limited, Calligraphy, and the new Calligraphy Night Edition, with prices ranging from $36,650 to $53,850, excluding the destination charge. The Calligraphy Night Edition, which we tested, featured a blacked-out appearance with dark chrome and gloss black exterior trim, badges, and wheels, available only in Abyss Black or Hyper White paint colors. Its interior exuded luxury with a black theme, leather with artificial suede inserts, and an artificial suede headliner, making it feel like a high-end SUV.

In contrast, the 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan underwent a complete redesign, marking the beginning of its third generation. It adopted a sleek, modern look inspired by VW's electric vehicles, particularly noticeable in the front with narrower headlights and a plastic trim element reminiscent of the ID.4 EV. The top SEL R-Line trim featured illuminated VW badges and a light bar for added impact. The grille appeared larger, with smaller actual openings and prominent air intakes. The Tiguan's side profile showcased a sportier tapering hatch, a longer hood, and shorter overhangs, giving it a sportier silhouette. The rear featured a single bar taillight and oversized plastic trim on the bumper, echoing the front design. Inside, the Tiguan embraced modernization with a minimalist dashboard, a digital instrument panel, and a tablet-like infotainment display, offering a more spacious and streamlined interior.

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade was powered by a 3.8-liter V6 engine, delivering 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. It featured an eight-speed automatic transmission, with front-wheel drive as standard and all-wheel drive available. The Palisade boasted a maximum towing capacity of 5,000 pounds and eight inches of ground clearance. It offered various driving modes, including Eco, Comfort, Sport, Smart, and Snow, with the ability to lock the AWD system for off-road conditions. The V6 engine provided ample power and smooth acceleration, while the transmission consistently found the right gear. The AWD system effectively distributed power on dirt and gravel roads, and the Palisade achieved an EPA-estimated 21 mpg in combined driving, though our testing showed 18.8 mpg in Comfort mode. The Calligraphy Night Edition featured acoustic window glass, ensuring a quiet ride, and the suspension offered a firm yet comfortable experience. The Palisade displayed surprising agility on winding roads, with predictable handling and reliable brakes.

The 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan featured a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, producing 201 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque. It came with an eight-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive, with Volkswagen's 4Motion all-wheel drive available on all models and standard on the top SEL R-Line trim. The Tiguan's acceleration was expected to be similar to its predecessor, reaching 60 mph in approximately 8.5 seconds. The drivetrain delivered power smoothly and linearly, with confident highway acceleration. The braking system provided a smooth stop, and the suspension favored comfort while maintaining composure on winding roads. The Tiguan's cabin was quiet, with minimal tire and wind noise. While not sporty, the Tiguan was well-tuned for a balance of performance and comfort. A more powerful Turbo version was anticipated for 2026, offering increased output for spirited drivers, along with a teased hybrid powertrain.

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade offered a range of seating options, with cloth seats in the base SE trim and various leather options in higher trims. Heated and power-adjustable front seats were standard on all but the SE trim, with additional features like a heated steering wheel, ventilated front seats, and memory settings available on higher trims. The Calligraphy Night Edition provided a comfortable experience with its premium materials and features. The Palisade's interior boasted configurable storage, including a console-top tray, a large storage bin, and a wireless smartphone charger. Second-row passengers enjoyed captain's chairs with optional heating and ventilation, while the third row offered decent comfort and roominess. The Palisade provided 18 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expandable to 86.4 cubic feet with the seats folded.

The 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan returned without a third row, resulting in increased second-row legroom by 1.5 inches. The interior featured traditional buttons instead of capacitive-touch controls, improving usability. The center console offered ample storage, with cupholders, a smartphone slot, and a deep armrest bin. Cargo capacity was not finalized, but the new Tiguan appeared to have a smaller cargo area than its predecessor. The angled liftgate limited loading of bulkier items, but deep pockets behind the wheel humps provided convenient storage. The Tiguan featured remote seatback releases and a power liftgate, with hands-free operation on higher trims.

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade offered a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel and a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system with navigation. It 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 on SEL trim and above. The Palisade featured a 12-speaker Harman Kardon premium sound system, a digital key function, a digital rearview mirror, and a semi-autonomous remote parking system. The head-up display provided navigation instructions and safety feature status.

The 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan came standard with a digital instrument panel and a 12.9-inch infotainment touchscreen, with a 15-inch display available on higher trims. It offered wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with a wireless phone charger in the center armrest bin. The Tiguan featured a volume knob for easy control and a new Atmospheres feature for mood enhancement. The standard audio system had seven speakers, with a 12-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio system available on the top trim. VW's Car-Net system provided remote monitoring and control, plus a Wi-Fi hotspot.

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade was equipped with Hyundai's SmartSense collection of driving assistance systems, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, and more. Highway Driving Assist paired adaptive cruise control with curve speed control and lane-centering assist. The Palisade earned a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS, with incomplete crash test results from the NHTSA.

The 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan's crash test results were not yet available. It featured standard advanced safety features such as frontal collision warning, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, and more. The Emergency Assist system automatically slowed the vehicle if the driver was incapacitated. Higher trims added a head-up display, surround-view camera system, traffic sign reader, and semi-automated parking system. The safety features functioned well during testing, with no false alarms or over sensitivity issues.