Compare the2023 Ford ExpeditionVS 2023 Hyundai Palisade

The middle row seatbelts optional on the Expedition inflate when a collision is detected, helping to spread crash forces over a much larger area of the body and limiting head and neck movement. This can help prevent spinal and internal injuries. The Palisade doesn’t offer inflatable seatbelts.

Both the Expedition and the Palisade have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

The Ford Expedition weighs 862 to 1452 pounds more than the Hyundai Palisade. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

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

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

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 Ford Expedition is safer than the Hyundai Palisade:

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

There are almost 4 times as many Ford dealers as there are Hyundai dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Expedition’s warranty.

The Expedition has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The Palisade doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Ford vehicles are better in initial quality than Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Ford above average in initial quality. With 18 more problems per 100 vehicles, Hyundai is rated below average.

The Expedition’s standard 3.5 turbo V6 produces 89 more horsepower (380 vs. 291) and 208 lbs.-ft. more torque (470 vs. 262) than the Palisade’s 3.8 DOHC V6. The Expedition Limited/KR/Platinum’s standard 3.5 turbo V6 produces 109 more horsepower (400 vs. 291) and 218 lbs.-ft. more torque (480 vs. 262) than the Palisade’s 3.8 DOHC V6. The Expedition Timberline/Stealth Performance’s standard 3.5 turbo V6 produces 149 more horsepower (440 vs. 291) and 248 lbs.-ft. more torque (510 vs. 262) than the Palisade’s 3.8 DOHC V6.

As tested in Motor Trend the Ford Expedition (base engine) is faster than the Hyundai Palisade:

Both the Expedition and the Palisade have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. All Expeditions have a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily. A disable switch costs extra on the Palisade.

The Expedition has 4.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the Palisade (23.2 vs. 18.8 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Expedition has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Palisade doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

A 10-speed automatic is standard on the Ford Expedition, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Palisade.

For better stopping power the Expedition’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Palisade:

The Expedition’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Palisade are solid, not vented.

For better traction, the Expedition has larger standard tires than the Palisade (265/70R18 vs. 245/60R18). The Expedition’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Palisade (285/45R22 vs. 245/60R18).

The Expedition’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Palisade’s optional 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Expedition offers optional 22-inch wheels. The Palisade’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

The Ford Expedition’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Hyundai Palisade only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The Expedition has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Palisade; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

The Expedition offers an optional driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Palisade’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The Expedition’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The Palisade doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Expedition’s wheelbase is 8.3 inches longer than on the Palisade (122.5 inches vs. 114.2 inches).

The Expedition XLT 4x4 handles at .76 G’s, while the Palisade Limited HTRAC pulls only .74 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Expedition XLT 4x4 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Palisade Limited HTRAC (27.6 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 28.3 seconds @ .63 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Expedition has a 1.9 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Palisade (9.8 vs. 7.9 inches), allowing the Expedition to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Expedition Timberline’s minimum ground clearance is 2.7 inches higher than on the Palisade (10.6 vs. 7.9 inches).

The front grille of the Expedition uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Palisade doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Expedition Timberline/Limited/King Ranch/Platinum uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Palisade doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Expedition has 16.6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Palisade (171.9 vs. 155.3).

The Expedition has 1.3 inches more front headroom, 4.1 inches more front hip room, 3.7 inches more front shoulder room, 4.9 inches more rear hip room, 4 inches more rear shoulder room, 4.7 inches more third row legroom, 7.7 inches more third row hip room and 9 inches more third row shoulder room than the Palisade.

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

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

A standard locking glovebox keeps your small valuables safer in the Expedition. The Palisade doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The Expedition’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the liftgate door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The Palisade’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

The Expedition’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Palisade’s (6000 vs. 5000 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Hyundai Palisade is only 5000 pounds. The Expedition offers up to a 9300 lbs. towing capacity.

The Expedition 4x4 with optional equipment can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Expedition can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Palisade can’t be towed flat on the ground.

The engine in the Expedition is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Palisade. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because there are no rear spark plugs and the accessory belts are in front.

The Expedition’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Palisade does not have an oil pressure gauge.

On a hot day the Expedition’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Palisade can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Expedition’s available exterior PIN entry system. The Palisade doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its Blue Link can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

The Expedition’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Palisade SE/SEL/XRT’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Expedition has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning is only available on the Palisade SEL/Limited/Calligraphy.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Expedition is less expensive to operate than the Palisade because it costs $145 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Expedition than the Palisade, including $318 less for a water pump, $250 less for a muffler, $97 less for front brake pads, $200 less for a starter, $245 less for fuel injection, $218 less for a fuel pump, $89 less for front struts, $249 less for a timing belt/chain and $407 less for a power steering pump.