Compare the2026 Subaru Ascent VS 2027 Hyundai Palisade

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, front and rear 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, available around view monitors 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
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars

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

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.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Ascent second among upper midsize suvs in their 2025 Initial Quality Study. The Palisade isn’t in the top three.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai With 10 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Subaru higher than Hyundai.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2026 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru second in overall reliability. Hyundai is ranked 12th.

The Ascent’s 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder produces 17 lbs.-ft. more torque (277 vs. 260) than the Palisade’s standard 3.5 DOHC V6.

As tested in Car and Driver the Subaru Ascent is faster than the Hyundai Palisade V6:

	Ascent	Palisade
Zero to 60 MPH	6.8 sec	8.1 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	18.6 sec	20.9 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	7.4 sec	8.4 sec
Passing 30 to 50 MPH	3.9 sec	4 sec
Passing 50 to 70 MPH	5 sec	5.8 sec
Quarter Mile	15.4 sec	16.1 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	92 MPH	89 MPH
Top Speed	130 MPH	129 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.

On the EPA test cycle the Ascent gets better mileage than the Palisade:

			MPG
Ascent
	AWD	2.4 turbo flat-4	19 city/26 hwy
		Limited/Touring/Onyx 2.4 turbo flat-4	19 city/25 hwy
Palisade
	AWD	3.5 DOHC V6	18 city/24 hwy
		XRT Pro 3.5 DOHC V6	16 city/22 hwy

The Ascent has 1.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the Palisade Hybrid’s standard fuel tank (19.3 vs. 18.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

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.

The Ascent stops much shorter than the Palisade:

	Ascent	Palisade
70 to 0 MPH	176 feet	181 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	114 feet	128 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	136 feet	149 feet	Consumer Reports

For better traction, the Ascent has larger tires than the Palisade (245/60R18 vs. 235/65R18).

The Ascent Premium’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Palisade’s standard 65 series tires.

The Ascent Touring handles at .80 G’s, while the Palisade XRT PRO pulls only .76 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Ascent Touring executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.8 seconds quicker than the Palisade XRT PRO (27.2 seconds @ .64 average G’s vs. 29 seconds @ .57 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Ascent’s turning circle is 1 foot tighter than the Palisade XRT PRO’s (38 feet vs. 39 feet). The Ascent’s turning circle is 1.2 feet tighter than the Palisade’s (38 feet vs. 39.2 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Ascent has a 1.3 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Palisade (8.7 vs. 7.4 inches), allowing the Ascent to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Ascent’s minimum ground clearance is .3 inch higher than on the Palisade XRT PRO (8.7 vs. 8.4 inches).

As tested by Car and Driver while under full throttle, the interior of the Ascent Limited is quieter than the Palisade Calligraphy HTRAC (70 vs. 72 dB).

The Ascent has .5 inches more rear hip room, .6 inches more third row hip room and 1.6 inches more third row shoulder room than the Palisade.

The front step up height for the Ascent is 1.4 inches lower than the Palisade (17.7” vs. 19.1”). The Ascent’s rear step up height is 1.2 inches lower than the Palisade’s (18.1” vs. 19.3”).

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.

While the Palisade Hybrid can only tow 4000, any Ascent can tow a minimum of 5000 pounds.

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 the accessory belts are in front.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Subaru service is better than Hyundai. J.D. Power ranks Subaru third in service department satisfaction. With a 66% lower rating, Hyundai is ranked 30th.

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 exterior PIN entry system. The Palisade doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its Bluelink 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 Subaru Ascent has a standard Homelink wireless remote control system for garage door operation and device management, conveniently located on the rear view mirror. Homelink® eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries. Hyundai charges extra for Homelink® on the Palisade.

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