Compare the2024 Hyundai PalisadeVS 2023 Land Rover Discovery Sport

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Hyundai Palisade are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Land Rover Discovery Sport doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

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 Discovery Sport doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Palisade Calligraphy has standard Parking Collision Avoidance Assist that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

The Palisade (except SE/XRT) offers an optional Multi-view Camera System to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Discovery Sport 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.

Both the Palisade and the Discovery Sport have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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 and available all wheel drive.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Palisade its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 29 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Discovery Sport has not been tested, yet.

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

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Palisade 6 years and 50,000 miles longer than Land Rover covers the Discovery Sport. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Discovery Sport ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

The Palisade’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Discovery Sport’s (7 vs. 6 years).

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Palisade for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Hyundai will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Land Rover doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Discovery Sport.

There are over 4 times as many Hyundai dealers as there are Land Rover dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Palisade’s warranty.

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 24 points higher than the Discovery Sport.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are better in initial quality than Land Rover vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai above average in initial quality. With 15 more problems per 100 vehicles, Land Rover is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Land Rover vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in reliability, above the industry average. With 136 more problems per 100 vehicles, Land Rover is ranked 32nd.

The Palisade’s 3.8 DOHC V6 produces 45 more horsepower (291 vs. 246) than the Discovery Sport’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the Palisade gets better mileage than the Discovery Sport:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Hyundai Palisade uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Discovery Sport requires premium, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Palisade has 1.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the Discovery Sport (18.8 vs. 17.7 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

For better traction, the Palisade has larger tires than the Discovery Sport (245/60R18 vs. 235/60R18).

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

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Palisade’s wheelbase is 6.3 inches longer than on the Discovery Sport (114.2 inches vs. 107.9 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Palisade is 3 inches wider in the front and 3.1 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Discovery Sport.

The Palisade Calligraphy HTRAC executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Discovery Sport S (27 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 27.4 seconds @ .64 average G’s).

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

The Palisade has 1.2 inches more front headroom, 5 inches more front legroom, 3.9 inches more front shoulder room, 1.4 inches more rear headroom, 4.3 inches more rear legroom, 4.9 inches more rear shoulder room, 3.4 inches more third row headroom, 5.8 inches more third row legroom and 8.1 inches more third row shoulder room than the Discovery Sport.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Palisade’s middle and third row seats recline. The Discovery Sport 5-Passenger doesn’t offer reclining middle row seats and no Discovery Sport model offers reclining third row seats.

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

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

The Palisade and the Discovery Sport with 5+2 Seating have standard second row automatic folding seats. The Palisade Limited/Calligraphy’s third row seats also fold up or down at the press of a button. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer automatic folding third row seats.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Palisade’s liftgate can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The Palisade’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Discovery Sport’s (5000 vs. 4409 pounds).

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 Discovery Sport doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Palisade has standard extendable sun visors. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer extendable visors.

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

The Palisade SEL/XRT/Limited/Calligraphy has standard heated front seats and second and third row heated seats also avaiable, which keep the driver and passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Land Rover doesn’t offer heated seats in the third row of the Discovery Sport.

Optional air conditioned front and second row seats keep the Palisade’s passengers comfortable and take the sting out of hot leather in summer. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Palisade Calligraphy has standard massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Discovery Sport.

The Palisade (except SE/XRT) offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Palisade Calligraphy’s Remote Smart Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Smart Parking Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The Palisade is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

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

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Palisade second among upper midsize suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Discovery Sport isn’t in the top three.

The Hyundai Palisade outsold the Land Rover Discovery Sport by almost 13 to one during 2022.