2024 Kia Sorento vs 2025 Hyundai Palisade

The 2024 Kia Sorento underwent a significant visual update, aligning more closely with its siblings like the Telluride and EV9. The redesign featured a robust new front end, enhanced taillights, and a more upscale cockpit. The exterior boasted a large grille, vertically-stacked LED headlights, and new wheel designs, giving the Sorento a more imposing presence. Inside, the dashboard was revamped for a cleaner look, with combined gauge and infotainment displays under a single pane of glass. The materials used in the cabin were upgraded, offering a more luxurious feel, especially in higher trims with options like faux open-pore wood grain and quality stitching.

The 2025 Hyundai Palisade distinguished itself with bold design choices, moving away from rugged styling cues to a more angular and technical look. The interior of the Palisade was equally impressive, with even the base SE trim offering a modern and upscale feel. Higher trims featured premium leather, artificial suede, and other luxury touches. The Palisade was equipped with thoughtful details like USB ports in the front seatbacks, smartphone storage pockets, and drink holders accessible to children. The Palisade was available in seven trim levels, with prices ranging from $37,200 to $54,500, excluding destination charges.

The 2024 Kia Sorento retained most of its mechanical components, with the base engine being a 2.5-liter four-cylinder producing 191 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque. This engine struggled with the Sorento's weight, resulting in a sluggish performance. The EX and higher trims featured a turbocharged 2.5-liter engine with 281 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque, offering a more spirited drive. The Sorento was available in front-wheel drive, with all-wheel drive as an option. The X-Line and X-Pro trims provided enhanced off-road capabilities, with the X-Pro offering improved engine cooling and a higher towing capacity of 4,500 pounds.

The 2025 Hyundai Palisade came with a 3.8-liter V6 engine delivering 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. The eight-speed automatic transmission provided smooth shifts, and the Palisade had a towing capacity of 5,000 pounds. The Palisade's ride was firm at lower speeds but softened at higher speeds, offering a comfortable driving experience. The powertrain was praised for its refinement and satisfying performance, although it was not the most fuel-efficient option. The Palisade's handling was commendable, with well-calibrated brakes and a reasonable feel for the road.

The 2024 Kia Sorento offered a comfortable cabin in the first two rows, but the third row was tight, with only 29.6 inches of legroom. The Sorento provided more room than smaller models like the Mitsubishi Outlander and Volkswagen Tiguan, and it was not much less spacious than larger alternatives like the Toyota Highlander. The Sorento's cargo space was limited with the third row in use, offering only 12.6 cubic feet, but folding it down increased the capacity to 38.5 to 45 cubic feet, depending on the trim.

The 2025 Hyundai Palisade featured three rows of seats, with the third row being usable by adults. The Calligraphy trim offered premium leather, power-adjustable front seats, and a massaging driver's seat. The second-row captain's chairs were heated and ventilated, providing excellent comfort. The third row was also heated, a rarity in this segment. The Palisade offered generous storage space, with a Smart Liftgate for easy access. Cargo space behind the third row was 18 cubic feet, expanding to 48.8 cubic feet with the third row folded, and a maximum of 86.4 cubic feet with all seats down.

The 2024 Kia Sorento featured a single-pane, twin-screen setup for its gauge and infotainment displays. The new infotainment system, called "Connected Car Navigation Cockpit" (CCnC), prioritized popular features on the home screen. All models had a 12.3-inch screen, with SX and SX-Prestige trims getting a second 12.3-inch digital display. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, and the system supported over-the-air updates. The SX-Prestige models offered a Bose 12-speaker surround sound system and Digital Key 2.0 for keyless access.

The 2025 Hyundai Palisade's technology was functional but starting to show its age compared to newer models. The Palisade had a 12.3-inch digital driver display and a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, but required a cable for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The system included Bluetooth support, wireless charging, and Bluelink+ connected services. The voice recognition system was impressive, and the Harman Kardon audio system provided excellent sound. The Palisade also featured a head-up display and a surround-view camera system.

The 2024 Kia Sorento's Drivewise suite included a comprehensive list of standard and optional safety features. Standard features included adaptive cruise control, forward automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and blind-spot monitoring. Optional features included navigation-based adaptive cruise control and Highway Driving Assist 2. The Sorento had not been fully evaluated by the IIHS or NHTSA for 2024, but previous models received good ratings.

The 2025 Hyundai Palisade's SmartSense package offered a range of standard safety features, including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and blind-spot monitoring. Higher trims added features like a surround-view camera and Remote Smart Parking Assist. The Palisade received a Top Safety Pick from the IIHS through 2024, but a poor rating in a new test prevented it from receiving the accolade in 2025. The NHTSA gave the Palisade five-star frontal impact and four-star rollover resistance ratings.