Compare the2022 Hyundai PalisadeVS 2022 Acura MDX

Both the Palisade and MDX 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 MDX’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.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Palisade 4WD’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The MDX doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

Both the Palisade and the MDX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

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 MDX’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Palisade 4 years and 30,000 miles longer than Acura covers the MDX. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the MDX ends after only 6 years or 70,000 miles.

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

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Palisade for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Hyundai will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Acura doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the MDX.

There are over 3 times as many Hyundai dealers as there are Acura dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Palisade’s warranty.

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Palisade’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the MDX’s camshafts. If the MDX’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Palisade’s reliability 35 points higher than the MDX.

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 Acura vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai 10th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 32 more problems per 100 vehicles, Acura is ranked 23rd, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Acura vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai 7th in reliability, above the industry average. With 7 more problems per 100 vehicles, Acura is ranked 10th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Acura vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Hyundai 22 places higher in reliability than Acura.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Hyundai Palisade is faster than the Acura MDX:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Hyundai Palisade uses regular unleaded gasoline. The MDX requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Palisade stops shorter than the MDX:

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

The Palisade’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (56% to 44%) than the MDX’s (58% to 42%). This gives the Palisade more stable handling and braking.

For better maneuverability, the Palisade’s turning circle is 1.8 feet tighter than the MDX’s (38.7 feet vs. 40.5 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Palisade has a greater minimum ground clearance than the MDX (7.9 vs. 7.3 inches), allowing the Palisade to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Palisade has standard seating for 8 passengers; the MDX can only carry 7.

The Palisade has 16.2 cubic feet more passenger volume than the MDX (155.3 vs. 139.1).

The Palisade has 2.2 inches more front headroom, 2.5 inches more front legroom, 2 inches more rear headroom, 3.9 inches more rear legroom, .5 inches more rear shoulder room, 1.6 inches more third row headroom, 2.3 inches more third row legroom and 3.1 inches more third row hip room than the MDX.

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

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 MDX doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

The Palisade’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the MDX’s (5000 vs. 3500 pounds).

The power windows standard on both the Palisade and the MDX 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 MDX prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

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 MDX doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats for the second row.

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