2024 Lincoln Nautilus vs 2024 Hyundai Palisade

The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus was available in Premiere, Reserve, or Black Label trims, showcasing a sophisticated and streamlined exterior design. Its new grille, reminiscent of Mercedes-Benz's bifurcated design, featured LED lighting that extended through the grille, illuminating the Lincoln star logo. The rear mirrored this horizontal aesthetic with a full-width animated LED light bar and dual exhaust ports. The interior was the highlight, with a massive full-width screen as its crown jewel. The materials used were of excellent quality, featuring ambient lighting, open-pore wood, and fine leather. The piano key shifter style, a Lincoln tradition since the mid-1950s, was a notable design element. An optional Jet Appearance Package added two-tone paint, black exterior trim, and unique interior bits for an additional $3,000.

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade stood out with its distinctive styling, setting it apart from other family-friendly SUVs. Available in SE, SEL, XRT, Limited, Calligraphy, and the new Calligraphy Night Edition trims, the Palisade offered a range of prices from $36,650 to $53,850, excluding the $1,395 destination charge. The Calligraphy Night Edition, with its blacked-out appearance and all-wheel drive, featured dark chrome and gloss black exterior trim, badges, and wheels. The interior boasted an artificial suede headliner, quality upholstery, metal speaker grilles, and a sophisticated design, making it feel like a luxury SUV. The Palisade's interior was praised for its comfort and luxury, especially in the higher trims.

The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus came standard with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The hybrid option, available for an additional $1,500, offered 310 horsepower, 295 lb-ft of torque, and an EPA estimated 30 mpg in combined driving. The hybrid's range exceeded 600 miles, making it a great option for long drives. All Nautilus models featured all-wheel drive and five drive modes, with the adaptive suspension enhancing the driving experience. The hybrid's continuously variable transmission (CVT) was surprisingly smooth, avoiding the typical droning associated with CVTs.

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade was equipped with a 3.8-liter V6 engine generating 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The Palisade offered a maximum towing capacity of 5,000 pounds and eight inches of ground clearance. Several driving modes were available, including Eco, Comfort, Sport, Smart, and Snow. The AWD system could be locked for off-road conditions, although the Palisade was better suited for more traveled paths. The V6 engine provided satisfying acceleration, and the transmission was always in the right gear. The Palisade's AWD system expertly distributed power based on traction and conditions. The EPA estimated 21 mpg in combined driving for the AWD model, although real-world testing showed an average of 18.8 mpg in Comfort mode.

The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus offered power-adjustable, heated, and cooled front seats across all trims, with the Black Label model featuring Lincoln's 24-way Perfect Position front seats. These seats were praised for their comfort, with a massage function that remained active until manually turned off. The rear seats provided 43 inches of legroom, accommodating taller passengers comfortably. The Lincoln Rejuvenate feature combined massage, lighting, and screen images to create different moods. Cargo space was ample, with 36 cubic feet behind the second row and 71 cubic feet with the seats folded down in the Premiere trim. The Nautilus was available only with seating for five, prioritizing cargo space over additional seating.

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade offered a range of seating options, from cloth seats in the base SE trim to premium Nappa leather with microfiber inserts in the Calligraphy Night Edition. Heated, power-adjustable front seats were standard on all but the SE trim, with additional comfort features available in higher trims. The Calligraphy Night Edition featured an Ergo Motion massage function for the driver. The Palisade's interior was praised for its configurable storage options and comfort in the second and third rows. The hands-free power tailgate, standard from the SEL trim, was a convenient feature, although it could be turned off if not needed. The Palisade provided 18 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 86.4 cubic feet with the second and third rows folded.

The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus featured a stunning 48-inch curved display, with a digital dash for the driver and customizable sections for various information. An 11.1-inch touchscreen handled basic infotainment duties, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. HVAC controls were accessible via permanent icons on the screen, although adjusting the vents required navigating through menus. The steering wheel controls were touch-sensitive, displaying audio and ADAS controls on the curved screen. The Nautilus included Google Maps, Alexa Built-in, gaming, web browsing, and over-the-air updates. Wireless charging and USB-A and -C ports were standard throughout the cabin.

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade offered a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel, available with the SEL Premium option package or higher trims. All Palisades featured a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system with navigation, 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. The Palisade's native technology included a voice recognition system, although it struggled with specific music requests. Bluelink+ provided connected services at no cost for original owners. The Harman Kardon premium sound system, standard on higher trims, delivered excellent sound quality. Additional technologies included a digital key function, digital rearview mirror, semi-autonomous remote parking system, and an available head-up display.

The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus came equipped with the Lincoln CoPilot 360 suite of ADAS features, including lane-keeping assist, park assist, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and emergency braking. The hands-free/eyes-up Blue Cruise 1.2 technology was available on all trims, with a 90-day trial for Premiere and Reserve trims and four years included with the Black Label. Blue Cruise combined adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist, with automatic lane-change assist and In-Lane Repositioning features. The 2024 Nautilus had not yet been rated by the NHTSA, but the 2023 model received high scores for crash protection. The IIHS rated the 2024 Nautilus as "Good" in crashworthiness.

The 2024 Hyundai Palisade featured the 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 (HDA) paired adaptive cruise control with curve speed control and lane-centering assist. The SEL Premium package added lane-change assist, front parking sensors, front cross-traffic alert, and evasive steering assist. The Palisade Limited, Calligraphy, and Calligraphy Night Edition offered three layers of blind-spot safety. The 2024 Palisade earned a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS, although some crash tests were incomplete.