Judging by the price of the 2022 Hyundai Palisade and 2022 Honda Pilot, these two are direct competitors for the family wallet. Both have good reputations and enjoy high rankings from automotive journalists. Let’s take a look to see how they compare in spaciousness, features, performance, and more.
The Art of Spaciousness
The Pilot and Palisade both seat up to eight people. Obviously this type of vehicle is needed by big families. It’s also desirable for those who regularly host the team carpool. In both, the 7-seat alternative has second-row captain’s chairs.
As for your children’s seating, the Honda Pilot has four full LATCH attachments and two upper-tether attachments, covering all six seats on the second two rows. 2022 Pilots have standard window shades. Offering window shades on the Limited trim level, the standard Palisade has only three full LATCH attachments and one upper-tether attachment, covering four out of six seats on the second two rows. This indicates that the Pilot gives parents more flexibility when placing infant carriers and toddler car seats.
When looking at the numbers, it seems like the Palisade is the bigger vehicle. The cargo volume behind the front row is 86.4 cubic feet compared to 83.9 cubic feet in the Pilot. However, a closer inspection reveals something interesting. The Pilot has more space when you compare the area behind the second row. Both have an underfloor storage space.
The Honda Pilot has a slightly more spacious third row. This could really matter. After all, you could be transporting teenagers with long legs, and that extra space may mean less whining and more peace on the road.
A Look at Features and Trims
For 2022, the Palisade has four trim levels whereas the Pilot has five. The Pilot EX-L has a complete touch screen system with special connectivity for Apple and Android phones. Looking at the Palisade SE, it also has these features, although it reserves the power driver’s chair for the SEL edition. Furthermore, the Palisade SEL edition has only dual-zone automatic climate controls whereas the Pilot’s standard offering is the more desirable tri-zone automatic system.
As for driver assistance, the list for the two SUVs is very similar. Crash avoidance warnings and emergency braking attempt to address frontal collision dangers. For side crash dangers, both have a blind spot monitor and an active lane assist system.
Hyundai adds a drowsiness monitor for the driver. Honda includes its exclusive road departure warning and assistance system. To highlight another difference, Honda’s backup camera has the ability to show three views compared to the typical one-view camera on the Hyundai.The 2022 Pilot now has standard tilt-down rearview mirrors for easier reverse maneuvers when parking.
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Both have a power liftgate, although it is now standard on the Honda for the 2022 model year. Honda has also made Walk Away Auto Lock standard as part of its Smart Entry system.
These three-row SUVs offer an intercom system on higher trim levels. Honda calls its system the CabinTalk® In-Car PA System, and it is designed to allow parents to talk to the children on the third row without having to turn around or raise their voice.
A Drivability Comparison
For parents, how the SUV drives is a big deal. In both SUVs, clearly an effort has been made to provide the power and maneuverability needed in a bigger vehicle that seats so many people. The Hyundai Palisade has an advantage with 291-horsepower over the Honda Pilot’s 282-horsepower V6.
However the Palisade’s curb weight is about 300 pounds more than the Pilot, which evens out the advantage a bit. Furthermore, the Pilot’s nine-speed automatic transmission has an advantage over the Palisade’s eight-speed automatic. Both SUVs have a 262 lb-ft torque rate.
Perhaps these reasons account for the fact that the Pilot has one of the best sprint times among SUVs this size. It can spring from zero to 60 miles per hour in seven seconds. There are some smaller vehicles that can’t beat that.
The Pilot’s gas mileage is another plus for the Honda vs the Hyundai. The Pilot earns an extra mile per gallon in city driving. That’s significant savings for a busy family on the go.
The front-wheel drive Pilot can tow 3,500 pounds. With all-wheel drive, the Pilot gains Honda’s Intelligent Torque Management System. It can tow 5,000 pounds, putting it on par with the all-wheel drive Palisade. The Pilot’s top payload capacity is 1,625 pounds while the Palisade’s top figure is 1,605 pounds.
Conclusion
In the end, it’s the little things that count. That’s why this comparison gives the nod to the Honda Pilot over the Hyundai Palisade. The Pilot slides ahead a bit in every category, and it clearly has lower ownership costs compliments of better fuel economy.