It can be difficult to find the right vehicle that suits your lifestyle and driving needs with so many options in the market. Should you prioritize comfort over technology? Why not have both? Our team at Huffines Hyundai Plano understands this challenge, so we’ll make it easier with a side-by-side comparison. Let’s see how the 2024 Hyundai PALISADE and Toyota Highlander stack up against each other.
Interior and Technology Features
If you appreciate interior comforts for you and your passengers, you’ll love the heated and ventilated front- and second-row seats of the 2024 Hyundai PALISADE. Heated seats are available for the PALISADE’s third-row seats to keep rear passengers warm and cozy. The Toyota Highlander has heated seats available for the second row but not for the third row.
Both SUVs offer standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and Qi-compatible wireless smartphone charging is available on select trims. The 2024 PALISADE and Highlander feature several USB ports throughout the cabin interior to keep everyone’s devices charged. Despite these similarities, the PALISADE’s infotainment touch screen is much more impressive than the Highlander’s. The standard high-resolution touch screen on the Hyundai SUV is 12.3 inches. The Toyota’s standard touch screen is 8 inches, with a 12.3-inch screen available.
Cargo and Seating Capacities
The 2024 Hyundai PALISADE and Toyota Highlander are third-row midsize SUVs with seven- to eight-passenger seating capacities, depending on the trim. While they have this in common, the PALISADE is 2 inches longer than the Highlander. The Hyundai SUV has a 114.2-inch wheelbase, offering extra room for passengers, while the 2024 Highlander only has a 112.2-inch wheelbase.
Your passengers will enjoy 40.1 inches of headroom in the second row of the 2024 PALISADE. Tall passengers may feel squished in the second row of the Highlander, with only 39.4 inches of headroom in the second row. Passengers in the third row of the Toyota SUV will feel cramped with only 28 inches of legroom. The Hyundai PALISADE offers a roomy 31.4-inch legroom in the third row. However, both midsize SUVs feature an available power moonroof or sunroof to make the cabin feel more open and spacious.
Regarding convenience, the 2024 Hyundai PALISADE features reclining and power-folding third-row seats. The third-row seats of the Toyota fold down, too; you just have to do it manually. The Highlander gives more cargo volume behind the second row, with 48.4 cubic feet, compared to the PALISADE’s 45.8 cubic feet. However, the Hyundai SUV offers a better overall cargo capacity with 86.4 cubic feet behind the first row, perfect for lugging around sports equipment or camping gear. The Toyota SUV only provides 84.3 cubic feet behind the first-row seats.
Exterior Styling
As you browse our new car inventory, a vehicle will likely catch your eye thanks to its exterior styling. Take the redesigned 2024 Hyundai PALISADE, for example. It commands attention with its smooth, sleek look that exudes luxury from front to end. The cascading grille, integrated turn signals, and unique LED lights give the PALISADE a bold fascia. The 2024 Toyota Highlander presents a sporty body that takes on a more conventional look but lacks a refined appearance. It also has a smaller grille that’s less pronounced than the PALISADE’s, giving the Highlander’s fascia a congested feel.
Both SUVs feature a roof spoiler that helps control airflow over the vehicle’s top. They also offer available 20-inch alloy wheels. The 2024 PALISADE features a hands-free smart power liftgate that automatically opens when it senses the proximity key within 3 feet of the vehicle. The 2024 Highlander also features a power liftgate, but it is foot-activated only.
Engine Specs and Performance
Both midsize SUVs offer dynamic engines capable of providing the vehicles with plenty of power to get you where you need to go. The 2024 Hyundai PALISADE features a 3.8-liter gas-powered engine delivering 291 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. The 2024 Toyota Highlander has a 2.4-liter gas-powered engine that outputs 265 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. The PALISADE and Highlander’s engines mate with an eight-speed automatic transmission with front- or all-wheel-drive options.
When it comes to fuel economy, the 2024 Toyota Highlander gets better gas mileage than the Hyundai PALISADE. The Highlander achieves an EPA-estimated 29 mpg on the highway with front-wheel drive. The Toyota SUV also has a hybrid engine option that can reach 35 mpg. The PALISADE only gains an EPA-estimated 26 mpg on the highway when paired with front-wheel drive.
Important Safety Features
Vehicular safety is essential to protecting you and your passengers to ensure you reach your destination safely. Both 2024 SUVs offer key standard features, including forward collision assist with pedestrian detection, smart cruise control, and highway driving assist. While both vehicles have blind-spot monitoring, the 2024 PALISADE has an available Blind-Spot View Monitor. This system allows you to see what is next to you in your sideview mirror when you use your turn signal so you can change lanes safely.
Innovative safety features on the Hyundai PALISADE boost the vehicle’s reliability. The Driver Attention Warning detects drowsiness or inattentive driving and alerts you to keep your eyes on the road. The Safe Exist Assist uses an audio and visual warning to prevent people from exiting the vehicle into oncoming traffic.
This PALISADE also features Rear Occupant Alert, a system that honks the horn, flashes the lights, and sends a notification to your smartphone if it detects motion in the back seat. Plus, the 2024 PALISADE has an available digital rearview mirror, offering a digital, unobstructed view of traffic behind you. These impressive safety features do not exist on the 2024 Highlander.
2024 Hyundai PALISADE vs. Toyota Highlander: Which Is Better?
Although the Toyota Highlander gets better gas mileage, the Hyundai PALISADE remains on top. Its modern conveniences significantly outweigh the Highlander’s, from available voice commands to heated third-row seats. The PALISADE also features Hyundai’s SmartSense driver-assist system, an innovative network of cameras and sensors that keep you and your passengers safe on the road. Want to learn more about the 2024 Hyundai PALISADE? Contact one of our sales professionals at Huffines Hyundai Plano. We can also help you save money on your next SUV purchase with our global incentives program.