How the 2023 Hyundai Tucson and 2023 Hyundai Palisade Compare

Both the 2023 Hyundai Tucson small crossover and the 2023 Hyundai Palisade full-size SUV are incredibly attractive options for families looking to travel in comfort. Both vehicles have spacious interiors when compared to the rest of the segment, both come with great standard features and both come with AWD, although only the Palisade gets this as standard. If you are considering an upgrade to a Hyundai crossover or SUV but are unsure on size, whether you’re looking for power over efficiency or are just starting out on your journey, hopefully the following will help guide your decision. 

Size Matters

Both the Tucson and the Palisade offer welcome passenger and cargo space, but if you’re looking to move a family of five – or perhaps four plus a pet – then the Palisade is the more reasonable choice. It offers three rows of seating as standard with space for up to eight passengers. For its part, the Tucson has room for five as well as a 60/40 split folding second row for even more storage. The Hybrid or plug-in hybrid (PHEV) versions of the Tucson do require room for their batteries, but you still get no less than 1,875 litres of rear cargo space while the Palisade offers over 2,400 L with the rear seats folded.

Powertrain Variety

If big, deep-chested naturally-aspirated power is what you’re after, then the 3.8 L V6 that comes standard in the Palisade ($50,706) is the engine for you. Power is rated at 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque and it all gets transmitted smoothly to the front wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission with manual mode. That power also helps the Palisade tow up to 2,268 kilograms. 

That’s not to say the Tucson ($31,156) is a slouch in the powertrain department, of course. It has a variety of engine choices (as well as front- or all-wheel-drive), with the base 2.5 L four-cylinder engine making 187 hp and 178 lb-ft of torque with an eight-speed automatic transmission.

Upgrading to either the Hybrid ($42,756) or plug-in hybrid model ($43,031) also upgrades the gas engine to provide a 1.6 L turbocharged four-cylinder good for 180 hp and 195 lb-ft with a six-speed auto. Opting for the PHEV also provides up to 53 kilometres of emission-free electric driving. If you can plug in at home to either a household outlet or level II charge box, your Tucson PHEV can become a Tucson EV if your average daily commute is a short one. 

Standard Features and pricing

Both the Tucson and the Palisade come standard with heated front seats, blind spot monitor, cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning and lane keep assist but the Palisade does trump the Tucson with standard cooled front seats, second-row audio controls, heads-up display and even a seat massage. 

Either way, with the Hyundai Tucson or Hyundai Palisade, you’re in good hands with premiere engineering, advanced powertrains and all the features any family needs. Come visit us for a drive, and you’ll see that you can’t go wrong with either.