SUV Rivalry Heats Up: Hyundai Palisade vs. Honda Pilot – Who Wins?

Hyundai, which has built up its capabilities by launching numerous SUV models, proved its experience and efforts by successfully launching the large SUV Palisade. With its sturdy body, driving performance, excellent ride comfort, and reliable design, it has quickly established itself as South Korea’s representative SUV.

Of course, Japan’s automobile technology is excellent and is famous for its durability, so it is renowned for vehicles that can be driven for a long time without minor problems. Among these, the large SUV Pilot launched by Honda is also the same. Let’s compare two vehicles in the same segment and find out the pros, cons, and information regarding the successor model.

The Pilot is slightly larger, but the Palisade offers more diverse engine configurations

First, let’s take a look at the Honda Pilot. For the Pilot, which returned as a 4th-generation redesigned model in August 2023, it has featured a length of 5,090 mm (200.4 inches), a height of 1,805 mm (71.1 inches), a width of 1,995 mm (78.5 inches), and a wheelbase of 2,890 mm (113.8 inches). On the other hand, the Palisade is slightly smaller than the Pilot at 4,995 mm (196.7 inches) in length, 1,750 mm (68.9 inches) in height, 1,975 mm (77.8 inches) in width, and 2,900 mm (114.2 inches) in wheelbase.

Looking at the powertrain, the Honda Pilot produces 289 horsepower in a single 3.5 gasoline trim. Fuel efficiency is 8.4 km/l (19.8 mpg), which is neither exceptional nor poor. On the other hand, in the case of Palisade, the engine lineup is diverse, giving you a wide range of options. Customers can choose between 2.2 diesel and 3.8 gasoline engines, which produce outputs of 202 horsepower and 295 horsepower, respectively.

The Pilot’s interior has significantly improved
But it’s still lacking compared to the Palisade

The interior of the Pilot is equipped with a 10.2-inch digital instrument panel and a 9-inch navigation system. Although it looks a bit clunky, it is a significant improvement compared to the interior of existing Japanese vehicles. The third-row seats also provide ample space, and the advantage is that no additional work is required when camping in the vehicle or ordinary camping, as the seats are foldable and do not require flattening.

The interior of the Palisade can be said to be something that a pilot cannot compete with. It has various options unique to South Korean vehicles that cannot be found in imported cars, including a 12.3-inch cluster, proving its competitiveness. While the price of the Pilot starts at $41,295, the Palisade has a base price of $36,400, making it cost-competitive.

Redesigned Palisade model to be launched imminently
A hybrid version is expected to be added

Also worth noting is that the redesigned model of the Palisade is scheduled to be released in the first quarter of 2025. It is expected that the newly released Palisade will be able to add up to a 9-seater model of 3+3+3. In addition, panoramic curved displays and other advanced specifications are expected to be applied in various ways.

Due to emission regulations, the previously available diesel engine version is expected to be discontinued. However, recent reports indicate the introduction of a hybrid powertrain version. We have also compared the Hyundai Palisade, a flagship Korean SUV, with the Japanese Honda Pilot, finding that it holds its own against traditional SUVs.