Compare the2023 Subaru AscentVS 2023 Hyundai Palisade

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

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Subaru Ascent have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Hyundai Palisade doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

The Ascent has standard Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Palisade doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Ascent. But it costs extra on the Palisade.

Both the Ascent and the Palisade have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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, available blind spot warning systems, around view monitors, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

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

	Ascent	Palisade
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Compression	8 lbs.	42 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	210	333
Neck Injury Risk	33%	35%
Leg Forces (l/r)	35/30 lbs.	351/306 lbs.

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 Subaru Ascent is safer than the Hyundai Palisade:

	Ascent	Palisade
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	.5 inches	.7 inches
Abdominal Force	73 lbs.	113 lbs.
Hip Force	274 lbs.	303 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	81	189
Spine Acceleration	27 G’s	36 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	149	223
Hip Force	637 lbs.	724 lbs.

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

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Subaru Ascent is safer than the Palisade:

	Ascent	Palisade
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Torso	GOOD	GOOD
Torso Max Deflection	.98 in	1.18 in
Pelvis	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	915 lbs.	1026 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Torso Max Deflection	1.18 in	1.46 in
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Pelvis Force	201 lbs.	491 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

Reliability

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Ascent has a standard 190-amp alternator. The Palisade’s 180-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru 6 places higher in reliability than Hyundai.

Engine

The Ascent’s 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder produces 15 lbs.-ft. more torque (277 vs. 262) than the Palisade’s 3.8 DOHC V6.

As tested in Motor Trend the Subaru Ascent is faster than the Hyundai Palisade:

	Ascent	Palisade
Zero to 60 MPH	6.9 sec	7.1 sec
Quarter Mile	15.2 sec	15.3 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	90.5 MPH	89.1 MPH

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the Ascent lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability without compromising ground clearance. The Palisade doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Ascent gets better fuel mileage than the Palisade AWD (20 city/26 hwy vs. 19 city/25 hwy).

Transmission

The Ascent has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Palisade doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

The Ascent’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.

The Ascent stops much shorter than the Palisade:

	Ascent	Palisade
70 to 0 MPH	176 feet	182 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	114 feet	129 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	136 feet	137 feet	Consumer Reports

Suspension and Handling

The Ascent’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (54.2% to 45.8%) than the Palisade’s (56% to 44%). This gives the Ascent more stable handling and braking.

The Ascent Touring handles at .80 G’s, while the Palisade Limited AWD pulls only .74 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Ascent Touring executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.1 seconds quicker than the Palisade Limited AWD (27.2 seconds @ .64 average G’s vs. 28.3 seconds @ .63 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Ascent’s turning circle is .7 feet tighter than the Palisade’s (38 feet vs. 38.7 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Ascent has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Palisade (8.7 vs. 7.9 inches), allowing the Ascent to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Ascent Limited is quieter than the Palisade Limited AWD:

	Ascent	Palisade
Full-Throttle	70 dB	74 dB
70 MPH Cruising	64 dB	69 dB

Passenger Space

The Ascent has .5 inches more front headroom, .3 inches more third row legroom, 2.2 inches more third row hip room and 2 inches more third row shoulder room than the Palisade.

The front step up height for the Ascent is .3 inches lower than the Palisade (17.7” vs. 18”). The Ascent’s rear step up height is 1.4 inches lower than the Palisade’s (18.1” vs. 19.5”).

Cargo Capacity

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Ascent. The Palisade doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Servicing Ease

The engine in the Ascent 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.

Ergonomics

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Ascent’s available exterior PIN entry system (not available on Ascent Base). 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.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Ascent has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Palisade doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Ascent 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.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Ascent owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Ascent will cost $250 to $2275 less than the Palisade over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Ascent is less expensive to operate than the Palisade because it costs $181 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Ascent than the Palisade, including $46 less for a water pump, $398 less for a muffler, $74 less for front brake pads, $166 less for fuel injection, $130 less for a fuel pump, $688 less for a timing belt/chain and $922 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Subaru Ascent will be $1781 to $4310 less than for the Hyundai Palisade.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Subaru Ascent and the Hyundai Palisade, based on reliability, safety and performance.

Motor Trend performed a comparison test in its May 2020 issue and they ranked the Subaru Ascent Touring two places higher than the Hyundai Palisade Limited AWD.