Hyundai Palisade vs. Toyota Highlander: We Break Down The Differences

Published October 28, 2021
in Model Info

Three-row SUVs continue to dominate the market because it’s the perfect size that meets most people’s needs - from regular commuting to long family road trips. Two of the most sought-after three-row SUVs in the market today are the Toyota Highlander and Hyundai Palisade.

If you’re in the market for a crossover SUV that offers good value proposition and reliability ratings, you’ve likely trimmed down your choices between the Hyundai Palisade vs. Toyota Highlander.

Today, we take a look at two popular crossover SUVs and see how they stack against each other. Check out our comparison guide below before heading down to your local dealership.

Exterior Design

Chances are, the 2021 Toyota Highlander’s styling won’t probably change how you look at SUVs. Over the years, the Highlander received some minor exterior design updates, and the 2021 version carries on the design cues of its predecessors. However, the 2021 Highlander does look more athletic than the old-fashioned Highlanders of yesteryears.

Buyers do have a more stylish option if they get the new sporty XSE trim that boasts larger 20-inch wheels, black accents, and an overall aggressive exterior. This sportier trim also features a lower air intake and angled headlights.

On the other hand, the 2021 Hyundai Palisade carves out its new niche with its unique styling. Arguably, it’s one of the most uniquely designed crossover SUVs as of late. One of the first things you’ll notice about the Palisade’s style is its ‘stately’ look. The 2021 Palisade looks ceremonious, thanks to the generous helping of chrome trims and accents.

Due to its distinctive but polarizing style, the Palisade may not be for everyone as opposed to the Highlander’s more mainstream appeal.

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Interior Design and Cargo Space

Of course, you can’t have a head-to-head between the Hyundai Palisade vs. Toyota Highlander without comparing their interior and cargo capabilities.

Right from the get-go, you’ll see that the 2021 Hyundai Palisade was designed for comfort. It can comfortably seat eight passengers for the SE and SEL trims and seven in the Limited and Calligraphy models. The first and second row offers 40.4 inches and 41 inches of legroom, respectively. Plus, the third row is easily accessed via a one-touch button located in the second row.

Behind the front seats lies a cargo space of 86 cubic feet which can accommodate 33 carry-on suitcases. When the second row is in the upright position, and the third row is folded, you have a cargo space of 46 cubic feet.

The Palisade’s interior design feels cohesive, and Hyundai has done a great job of making things look premium even on the lower trims. Simulated wood, piano lacquer trims, and faux metal accents are some of the many smart interior design choices here.

Conversely, the 2021 Highlander’s L and LE trims can seat eight passengers by using the second and third rows’ bench seats. When you need maximum cargo space, the Highlander provides 84.3 cubic feet of space with the second-row seats folded down. Behind the third row is a cargo space of 16 cubic feet with a shallow storage compartment under the cargo floor.

Unfortunately, the Highlander’s interior fell short when compared to the Palisade, although the materials are better than previous iterations. The soft-touch surfaces provide a feeling of quality to the cabin, but some components feel plastic and flimsy. Also, the asymmetrical dashboard layout is pedestrian and makes the interior look unfinished.

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Infotainment and Connectivity

For family SUVs, the infotainment systems and connectivity features are two of the most important factors to consider. Fortunately, both vehicles offer enough bells and whistles for in-car entertainment.

The Highlander comes with an 8-inch touchscreen display standard on most of the trims, except Limited and Platinum. Available is the massive 12.3-inch touchscreen display which is a breeze to configure but unfortunately suffers from plenty of glare. The 2021 Highlander offers the following infotainment and connectivity features:

Apple Carplay
Android Auto
SiriusXM
Amazon Alexa
In-car Wi-Fi (with subscription)
Bluetooth

Audiophiles will love the optional 11-speaker JBL audio system, but it requires a bit of tuning since the default settings were muddy.

On the flip side, the 2021 Palisade comes standard with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment display. There’s also an optional 10.25-inch touchscreen for the SEL trim and standard on the Limited and Calligraphy models. The 2021 Palisade’s top-shelf infotainment system offers the following:

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration
SiriusXM
Built-in navigation
Blue Link connected services
In-car intercom

Although the Palisade features an intuitive and responsive touchscreen display, there are some glaring feature omissions like the in-car Wi-Fi. But its other advanced features like Driver Talk and Quiet Mode more than make up for it, especially for parents.

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Safety Features

Hyundai Palisade vs. Toyota Highlander, which is the safer family-hauling vehicle?

The IIHS gave the 2021 Hyundai Palisade the “Top Safety Pick+” award and has scored ‘Good’ on just about every safety test category. Every 2021 Palisade is equipped with Hyundai’s proprietary technology called SmartSense - a suite of advanced driving assistance systems.

Some of the most noteworthy safety and driver assistance features of Palisade include:

Adaptive cruise control
Forward-collision warning
Lane departure warning
Lane-keep assist
Front automatic emergency braking
Driver monitoring system

Higher trims get additional advanced safety techs such as blind-spot warning, rear-cross traffic warning, 360-degree surround-view cameras, and more.

Same with the Palisade, the 2021 Toyota Highlander is also a “Top Safety Pick+” by the IIHS and scoring high marks across all safety and crashworthiness tests. On top of its excellent safety scorecard, the Highlander offers a wide array of safety features at a standard level through its Toyota Safety Sense 2.5+ suite, including:

Adaptive cruise control
Automatic emergency braking
Lane departure warning
Lane centering assistance
Road sign recognition
Automatic high beam
Forward collision warning

As you can see, if safety is your priority, you can’t go wrong with either SUV.

Hyundai Palisade vs. Toyota Highlander: Which Midsize SUV is Superior?

Both SUVs are fantastic family-haulers and very comparable.

In terms of interior design and cargo, the 2021 Hyundai Palisade is the runaway winner. The Highlander’s dull interior and cramped third-row seats just pale in comparison to the Palisade’s gorgeous interior design and generous cargo space and legroom.

However, Toyota has a reputation for reliability, and that extends to the mighty Highlander. It also offers an impressive hybrid model that delivers excellent fuel economy and resale value.

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