Compare the2022 Hyundai PalisadeVS 2021 Toyota 4Runner

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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Both the Palisade and 4Runner have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Palisade has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The 4Runner’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Palisade are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The 4Runner doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tests front crash prevention systems. With a score of 6 points, IIHS rates the Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist in the Palisade as “Superior.” The 4Runner scores zero, and is rated by the IIHS as having no effective frontal crash prevention.

The Palisade Limited/Calligraphy has a standard Multi-view Camera System to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The 4Runner only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The Palisade’s blind spot warning system uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. The 4Runner doesn’t offer a system to reveal objects in the driver’s blind spots.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Palisade’s standard cross-path warning system uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The 4Runner doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.

For better protection of the passenger compartment, the Palisade uses safety cell construction with a three-dimensional high-strength frame that surrounds the passenger compartment. It provides extra impact protection and a sturdy mounting location for door hardware and side impact beams. The 4Runner uses a body-on-frame design, which has no frame members above the floor of the vehicle.

Both the Palisade and the 4Runner have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors and available all wheel drive.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Hyundai Palisade is safer than the Toyota 4Runner:

	Palisade	4Runner
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	160	267
Neck Injury Risk	19%	47%
Neck Stress	161 lbs.	438 lbs.
Neck Compression	42 lbs.	54 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	94/151 lbs.	488/468 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	3 Stars
HIC	333	367
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.7 inches
Neck Injury Risk	35%	57%
Neck Stress	132 lbs.	271 lbs.
Neck Compression	43 lbs.	58 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	351/306 lbs.	453/353 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

A significantly tougher test than their original offset frontal crash test, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH small overlap frontal offset crash tests. In this test, where only 25% of the total width of the vehicle is struck, results indicate that the Hyundai Palisade is safer than the 4Runner:

	Palisade	4Runner
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
Restraints	GOOD	GOOD
Head Neck Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Head injury index	109	142
Peak Head Forces	0 G’s	0 G’s
Steering Column Movement Rearward	0 cm	12 cm
Chest Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Hip & Thigh Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Femur Force R/L	1.2/1.4 kN	3.9/2.4 kN
Hip & Thigh Injury Risk R/L	0%/0%	1%/0%
Lower Leg Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Tibia index R/L	.38/.35	.95/.85
Tibia forces R/L	1.4/1.3 kN	5/2.9 kN

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Hyundai Palisade is safer than the Toyota 4Runner:

	Palisade	4Runner
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	25	41
Chest Movement	.7 inches	1.1 inches
Abdominal Force	113 G’s	179 G’s
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	36 G’s	36 G’s
Hip Force	189 lbs.	381 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Max Damage Depth	14 inches	20 inches
HIC	223	507
Hip Force	724 lbs.	895 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, with its optional vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Palisade its highest rating: “Top Pick Plus” for 2021, a rating granted to only 63 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The 4Runner is not even a standard “Top Pick.”

Warranty

The Palisade comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The 4Runner’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Palisade 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Toyota covers the 4Runner. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the 4Runner ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The Palisade’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the 4Runner’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Palisade for 1 year and 11000 miles longer than Toyota pays for maintenance for the 4Runner (3/36,000 vs. 2/25000).

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2020 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are better in initial quality than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai 10th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 24 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is ranked 19th, below the industry average.

Engine

The Palisade’s 3.8 DOHC V6 produces 21 more horsepower (291 vs. 270) than the 4Runner’s 4.0 DOHC V6.

As tested in Car and Driver the Hyundai Palisade is faster than the Toyota 4Runner:

	Palisade	4Runner
Zero to 60 MPH	6.9 sec	7.8 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	17.6 sec	22 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	7.5 sec	7.8 sec
Quarter Mile	15.3 sec	16.1 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	93 MPH	88 MPH
Top Speed	132 MPH	105 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Palisade gets better mileage than the 4Runner:

			MPG
Palisade
	FWD	3.8 DOHC V6	19 city/26 hwy
	AWD	3.8 DOHC V6	19 city/24 hwy
4Runner
	RWD	4.0 DOHC V6	16 city/19 hwy
	AWD	4.0 DOHC V6	16 city/19 hwy

In heavy traffic or at stop lights the Palisade’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be disabled at the start of a trip with its optional disable switch. The 4Runner doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Hyundai Palisade higher (5 out of 10) than the Toyota 4Runner (3). This means the Palisade produces up to 16.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the 4Runner every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the Hyundai Palisade, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a five-speed automatic is available for the 4Runner.

Brakes and Stopping

The Palisade stops much shorter than the 4Runner:

	Palisade	4Runner
70 to 0 MPH	177 feet	201 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	129 feet	138 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	137 feet	145 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

The Palisade’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the 4Runner’s standard 70 series tires. The Palisade’s optional tires have a lower 50 series profile than the 4Runner Limited/Nightshade’s 60 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Palisade has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the 4Runner.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Hyundai Palisade has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Toyota 4Runner has a solid rear axle, with a non-independent rear suspension.

The Palisade offers an optional automatic rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The 4Runner doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Palisade’s wheelbase is 4.4 inches longer than on the 4Runner (114.2 inches vs. 109.8 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Palisade is 3.6 inches wider in the front and 3.9 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the 4Runner.

The Palisade Limited AWD handles at .81 G’s, while the 4Runner TRD Off-Road pulls only .71 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Palisade Limited AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.2 seconds quicker than the 4Runner TRD Off-Road (28.3 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 29.5 seconds @ .55 average G’s).

Chassis

The Hyundai Palisade may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 250 to 350 pounds less than the Toyota 4Runner.

Unibody construction lowers the Palisade’s center of gravity significantly without reducing ground clearance. This contributes to better on the road handling and better off-road performance and stability. In addition, unibody construction makes the chassis stiffer, improving handling and reducing squeaks and rattles. The 4Runner uses body-on-frame design instead.

The design of the Hyundai Palisade amounts to more than styling. The Palisade has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .33 Cd. That is lower than the 4Runner (.36) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Palisade get better fuel mileage.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Palisade Limited AWD is quieter than the 4Runner TRD Off-Road:

	Palisade	4Runner
At idle	38 dB	43 dB
Full-Throttle	74 dB	76 dB
70 MPH Cruising	69 dB	69 dB

Passenger Space

The Palisade has standard seating for 8 passengers; the 4Runner can only carry up to 7.

The Palisade has 27.3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the 4Runner (155.3 vs. 128).

The Palisade has 1.4 inches more front headroom, 2.4 inches more front legroom, 1.6 inches more front hip room, 3.4 inches more front shoulder room, 1.5 inches more rear headroom, 9.5 inches more rear legroom, 2 inches more rear hip room, 3 inches more rear shoulder room, 3.5 inches more third row headroom, 2.1 inches more third row legroom and .4 inches more third row hip room than the 4Runner.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Palisade’s middle and third row seats recline. The 4Runner’s third row seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The Palisade’s cargo area provides more volume than the 4Runner.

	Palisade	4Runner
Behind Third Seat	18 cubic feet	9 cubic feet

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Palisade easier. The Palisade’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 29.6 inches, while the 4Runner’s liftover is 30.7 inches.

The Palisade’s cargo area is larger than the 4Runner’s in almost every dimension:

	Palisade	4Runner
Length to seat (3rd/2nd/1st)	20.8”/49”/82.5”	n.a./42”/66.3”
Max Width	53.7”	57.7”
Min Width	43.4”	42.4”
Height	30.5”	39.5”

A control in the cargo area automatically lowers the Palisade’s second row seats and pressing a button automatically lowers or raises the Palisade’s (not available on SE) optional third row seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The 4Runner doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Palisade’s power liftgate can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Palisade’s power liftgate can also be opened or closed by pressing a button. The 4Runner doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening liftgate.

Servicing Ease

A maintenance reminder system is standard on the Palisade to save the owner time and money by calculating maintenance intervals based on odometer mileage. This takes the guesswork out of keeping your vehicle in top condition and helps it last longer. Toyota doesn’t offer a maintenance reminder on the 4Runner.

Ergonomics

The Palisade SEL/Limited/Calligraphy has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The 4Runner doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The Palisade (except SE)’s optional Easy Access Seat glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The 4Runner doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Palisade Limited/Calligraphy has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The 4Runner doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Palisade’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The 4Runner’s parking brake has to released manually.

The power windows standard on both the Palisade and the 4Runner have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Palisade is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The 4Runner prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Palisade’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The 4Runner’s power mirror and cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The Palisade has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The 4Runner doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

The Palisade Limited/Calligraphy’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The 4Runner’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Palisade has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the 4Runner only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Palisade’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the 4Runner’s headlights are rated “Poor.”

The Palisade has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. The 4Runner has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the Limited/TRD Pro/Nightshade.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Palisade to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The 4Runner doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The Palisade’s power mirror controls are mounted on the armrest for easy access. The 4Runner’s power mirror controls are on the dash where they are possibly hidden by the steering wheel and are awkward to manipulate.

When the Palisade with available tilt-down mirrors is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The 4Runner’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

Both the Palisade and the 4Runner offer available heated front seats. The Palisade also offers optional heated second row seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated second row seats aren’t available in the 4Runner.

Standard air conditioned seats in the front and second seat rows keep the Palisade Limited/Calligraphy’s passengers comfortable and take the sting out of hot leather in summer. The 4Runner doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats for the second row.

On extremely cold winter days, the Palisade’s optional (except SE) heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The 4Runner doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Hyundai Palisade (except SE) offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The 4Runner doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Palisade owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Palisade with a number “8” insurance rate while the 4Runner is rated higher at a number “10” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Palisade is less expensive to operate than the 4Runner because typical repairs cost much less on the Palisade than the 4Runner, including $106 less for a water pump, $174 less for a starter, $25 less for a fuel pump and $708 less for a timing belt/chain.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Hyundai Palisade, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Toyota 4Runner isn't recommended.