Compare the2025 Toyota Grand HighlanderVS 2025 Hyundai Palisade

For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Grand Highlander 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 Grand Highlander has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Palisade doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Both the Grand Highlander and the Palisade have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front wheel drive, 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.

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 Toyota Grand Highlander is safer than the Palisade:

There are over 47 percent more Toyota dealers than there are Hyundai dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Grand Highlander’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota second in reliability, above the industry average. With 51 more problems per 100 vehicles, Hyundai is ranked 13th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in overall reliability. Hyundai is ranked 11th.

The Grand Highlander’s standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder produces 48 lbs.-ft. more torque (310 vs. 262) than the Palisade’s 3.8 DOHC V6. The Grand Highlander Hybrid Max’s standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 71 more horsepower (362 vs. 291) and 138 lbs.-ft. more torque (400 vs. 262) than the Palisade’s 3.8 DOHC V6.

As tested in Car and Driver the Grand Highlander Hybrid Max 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid is faster than the Hyundai Palisade:

On the EPA test cycle the Grand Highlander gets better mileage than the Palisade:

Regenerative brakes improve the Grand Highlander Hybrid’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Palisade doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The Grand Highlander offers an available 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.

The Grand Highlander stops shorter than the Palisade:

For better traction, the Grand Highlander has larger tires than the Palisade (255/65R18 vs. 245/60R18).

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Grand Highlander’s wheelbase is 1.9 inches longer than on the Palisade (116.1 inches vs. 114.2 inches).

The Grand Highlander’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (52% to 48%) than the Palisade’s (56% to 44%). This gives the Grand Highlander more stable handling and braking.

The Grand Highlander Platinum AWD 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 Grand Highlander Limited AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Palisade Limited HTRAC (27.4 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 28.3 seconds @ .63 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Grand Highlander’s turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the Palisade’s (38.1 feet vs. 38.7 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Grand Highlander has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Palisade (8 vs. 7.9 inches), allowing the Grand Highlander to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Grand Highlander Platinum AWD is quieter than the Palisade Limited HTRAC:

The Grand Highlander has .8 inches more front headroom, .1 inches more rear headroom, 2.1 inches more third row legroom, 2 inches more third row hip room and 2.3 inches more third row shoulder room than the Palisade.

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

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

The Grand Highlander’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Palisade’s standard rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the Grand Highlander the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Palisade can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Grand Highlander’s standard Smart Key System allows you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Proximity Key standard on the Palisade doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear door.

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

Both the Toyota Grand Highlander and Hyundai Palisade offer exterior mirrors that can be folded to provide convenience. The Grand Highlander offers available power folding mirrors, which allow for easy, one-touch folding or unfolding at the driver’s discretion. This provides added convenience when maneuvering or parking, as well as when walking past the parked vehicle. In comparison, the Palisade’s foldable mirrors are manual, requiring the driver to get out and physically fold them once parked and unfold them before getting in.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Toyota Grand Highlander and the Hyundai Palisade, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Grand Highlander was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2024. The Palisade has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.