How to Compare Hyundai SUVs: 2023 Palisade vs 2023

If you are shopping for a midsize SUV, how would you decide between these two? How would you decide between the Santa Fe, Santa Fe Hybrid, and Plug in Hybrid? We’ve got answers in this 2023 Palisade vs Santa Fe comparison.

1. Hyundai Brand Reputation

   If reputation matters to your shopping habits, then Hyundai is definitely a good match for you. According to US News and World Report, Hyundai is the 2023 Best SUV Brand. Adding weight to the argument, a recent Motor Trend article declared that Hyundai is the hottest carmaker in the business worldwide.

   Hyundai has been on the rise for years. Now it’s doing better than Subaru, Mazda, Nissan and basically all of its Japanese rivals, writes Motor Trend. The brand is firmly established as one of the best and brightest today.

2. Hyundai SUV Reliability

   JD Power has put the spotlight on reliability for decades. In terms of Hyundai, this has been especially noticeable in recent years. In 2022, the brand did well overall in the dependability survey. Significantly, the flagship Hyundai SUV earned accolades as the most reliable premium midsize SUV.

   That is a big plus for those who are looking at the 2023 Hyundai Palisade. It’s an equally positive sign for future Santa Fe owners. After all, it was consistency that helped Hyundai earn the Top SUV Brand designation.

3. Critic Rankings

   If your concern is whether or not these two vehicles are equal matches in quality and design, you can look at critic rankings. At US News and World Report, the 2023 Hyundai Palisade and Santa Fe are #2 and #4 among midsize SUVs.

   The flagship Hyundai SUV has been a Car and Driver Editors Choice and has earned a Consumer Guide Best Buy. At Kelley Blue Book (KBB), the Santa Fe Hybrid and Santa Fe Plug in Hybrid are #1 on their class lists. The standard Santa Fe earned a KBB Best Buy Award in the midsize SUV class.

4. Visual Sophistication

   To paraphrase a Motor Trend critic, Hyundais are visually sophisticated. Whether looking at the Palisade or Santa Fe Hyundai SUVs, there is a complexity in design that speaks to modern living.

   Interiors are quite organized, and they are well-appointed even at entry level price points. Exteriors balance design boldness with a more subtle cosmopolitan vibe. The Limited and Calligraphy level take shoppers into luxury territory without the luxury brand price penalty.

5. Size and Spaciousness

   For larger families, consumers can choose a 7 or 8 seat Palisade with 3 rows of seating. While this flagship has a generous cargo hold, it is a smaller one than the standard cargo hold on the Santa Fe. Still, this is typical for the 3 row class. The Palisade easily challenges the Kia Telluride and other 3 row SUVs.

   

   The 2023 Santa Fe has a spacious second row like the Palisade and its cargo hold is much larger at 36 cu ft. If you don’t need a third row of seating, you won’t feel like you’ve missed a thing by choosing the Santa Fe.

6. Performance and Driving Fun

   The 2023 Hyundai Palisade is a big rig that needs a potent powertrain. Drivers can feel confident behind the wheel with 291 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque at their command. There’s a refinement to its handling that allows the Palisade driver to lean into fun on the open road.

   Santa Fe shoppers have four performance choices. The most exciting is certainly the turbo four. With 311 pound-feet of torque, it is the quickest midsize Hyundai SUV. Whether you are looking at the Santa Fe HEV or PHEV, racier horsepower and torque are certainly incentives to go green. The base engine is a serious contender in its class.

   Large Hyundai SUVs Ranked By Horsepower

   1. 2023 Hyundai Palisade: 291 horsepower, 262 lb-ft

   2. 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Turbo: 281 horsepower, 311 lb-ft

   3. 2023 Santa Fe PHEV: 261 horsepower, 224 lb-ft

   4. 2023 Santa Fe Hybrid: 226 horsepower, 195 lb-ft

   5. 2023 Santa Fe:191 horsepower, 181 lb-ft

7. Fuel Efficiency

   As you can see from the list below, the standard gas-powered models can earn 27 or 28 mpg on the highway. This is perfectly respectable for these large SUVs. The Santa Fe Hybrid really kicks the savings up a notch, allowing you to drive further with fewer stops for gas.

   Hyundai Plug In Hybrids are definitely the most frugal this model year. Represented in their outstanding MPG-equivalent, there’s an electric driving range of more than 30 miles. That’s enough for the Santa Fe PHEV to handle daily commutes without using gasoline.

   Large Hyundai SUVs Ranked by Fuel Economy

   1. 2023 Santa Fe Plug In Hybrid mpge: 78 Combined

   2. 2023 Santa Fe Hybrid mpg: 36/31 Hwy/City

   3. 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe mpg: 28/25 Hwy/City

   4. 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Turbo mpg: 28/22 Hwy/City

   5. 2023 Hyundai Palisade mpg: 27/20 Hwy/City

8. Driver Assistance

   Hyundai SUV models are equipped with advanced driver assistance. As the top SUVS in the lineup, the Palisade and Santa Fe start out with all the most important systems. This means you’ll have everything from lane keeping assist to an autobrake to help you avoid crash scenarios.

   Highway Driving Assist is a semi-automated system that combines adaptive cruise control with lane monitoring. A remote parking system allows you to get out and use your keyfob to put this big SUV in its place.

Conclusion

The Palisade and Santa Fe represent two sides of the same coin. They are equally well appointed from the most affordable to the most luxurious. On the other hand, drivers focused on performance or green living have more choices with the Santa Fe.

San Tan Hyundai is happy to offer these remarkable SUVS side by side in our inventory. Please take time to test drive. It’s guaranteed to be a fun experience.