Compare the2024 Dodge DurangoVS 2024 Hyundai Palisade

The Durango has standard Active Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Palisade doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Both the Durango and the Palisade 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, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available all wheel drive, crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems and front and rear parking sensors.

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

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Durango has a standard 850-amp battery. The Palisade only offers a 800-amp battery.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Dodge vehicles are better in initial quality than Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Dodge first in initial quality, above the industry average. With 48 more problems per 100 vehicles, Hyundai is ranked 17th.

The Durango’s optional 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 4 more horsepower (295 vs. 291) than the Palisade’s 3.8 DOHC V6. The Durango’s optional 5.7 V8 produces 69 more horsepower (360 vs. 291) and 128 lbs.-ft. more torque (390 vs. 262) than the Palisade’s 3.8 DOHC V6.

As tested in Motor Trend the Dodge Durango V8 is faster than the Hyundai Palisade:

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Durango V8’s fuel efficiency. The Palisade doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

Both the Durango V6 and the Palisade have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. All Durango V6s 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 Durango has 5.8 gallons more fuel capacity than the Palisade (24.6 vs. 18.8 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

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

The Durango’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 Durango stops shorter than the Palisade:

For better traction, the Durango has larger standard tires than the Palisade (265/60R18 vs. 245/60R18). The Durango R/T Tow N Go’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Palisade (295/45R20 vs. 245/60R18).

The Durango R/T Tow N Go’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.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the Durango can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Palisade doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The Durango offers an optional 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 Durango offers an available 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 Durango has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Palisade doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Durango’s wheelbase is 5.6 inches longer than on the Palisade (119.8 inches vs. 114.2 inches).

The Durango’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (50% to 50%) than the Palisade’s (56% to 44%). This gives the Durango more stable handling and braking.

The Durango R/T 4x4 handles at .80 G’s, while the Palisade Limited HTRAC pulls only .74 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Durango R/T 4x4 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Palisade Limited HTRAC (27.4 seconds @ .64 average G’s vs. 28.3 seconds @ .63 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Durango has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Palisade (8.1 vs. 7.9 inches), allowing the Durango to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

As tested by Car and Driver while cruising at 70 MPH, the interior of the Durango GT 4x4 is quieter than the Palisade Limited HTRAC (67 vs. 69 dB).

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

The Durango’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Palisade’s (6200 vs. 5000 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Hyundai Palisade is only 5000 pounds. The Durango 4x4 offers up to a 8700 lbs. towing capacity.

The Durango V8 4WD 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 Durango can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Palisade can’t be towed flat on the ground.

The engine in the Durango 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 Durango’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 Durango’s driver can lower the front 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.

The Durango’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 Durango has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the Palisade.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Durango is less expensive to operate than the Palisade because it costs $327 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Durango than the Palisade, including $206 less for a water pump, $177 less for a muffler, $30 less for front brake pads, $160 less for fuel injection, $61 less for a fuel pump, $28 less for a timing belt/chain and $518 less for a power steering pump.