Picking between two crossovers in today’s market can be really tough. The 2022 Hyundai Palisade and the 2022 Toyota Highlander are strong contenders, but the similarities are numerous, and the differences are few. Consumer Reports reviewed both SUVs and had trouble picking a favorite between them, but ultimately one of them eeked out the win.
2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid | Toyota
What are the best SUVs in 2022?
Picking the best SUV might be impossible. There are too many different kinds of SUVs and applications in which to use them to pick the objectively best one. That said, Consumer Reports scored the Kia Telluride a 97/100, making it the highest-scoring SUV on the site.
The 2022 Hyundai Palisade and the 2022 Toyota Highlander may not be the first options you think of for the best SUVs, except maybe TrueCar. It’s not that these two SUVs aren’t great; they are. It’s just that it’s easy to forget the greatness of these models because they get a little lost in the shuffle.
Neither the Highlander nor the Palisade has anything truly unique that stands out, but neither has any glaring issues either. This made consumer Reports rank them both well and nearly identically. Picking the winner between the two is a tough choice indeed, but impossible.
Is the 2022 Toyota Highlander a good SUV?
Consumer Reports gave the 2022 Toyota Highlander an impressive 88/100, making it the second-highest ranked midsize SUV on Consumer Reports.
This ranking makes plenty of sense. The Toyota Highlander is a midsize SUV able to seat up to eight people in its three-row configuration. The Highlander’s two engines – a 2.5-liter four-cylinder hybrid and a 3.5-liter V6 – provide plenty of power to move the three-row SUV with ease.
Consumer Reports says how much it liked the Highlander’s interior because of a mix of high-end materials and fine attention to detail. The Highlander also has a subtle suspension for a smooth, almost luxurious ride. Comfortable seats, little road noise, and the Toyota Safety Sense 2.5 system define the Highlander’s cabin.
The only real cons for the 2022 Toyota Highlander are sub-par fuel economy for the V6 and a slightly clumsy feel in the corners. The 3.5-liter V6 makes 295 hp. This amount of power paired with a heavy three-row SUV makes the Toyota Highlander only get 22 mpg combined. However, the Toyota Highlander Hybrid‘s 2.5-liter four-cylinder gets an amazing 35 mpg combined.
How much does the 2022 Toyota Highlander cost?
Toyotas aren’t the cheapest cars on the market, but their reliability and toughness have allowed prices to climb over the years slowly. The 2022 Toyota Highlander MSRP starts at $35,405 before fees and tops out at $50,960 before fees and options. While this is a bit more than the Palisade, CR thinks the Highlander is well priced.
Is the 2022 Hyundai Palisade better than the 2022 Toyota Highlander?
The 2022 Hyundai Palisade parked by some trees | Hyundai
The 2022 Hyundai Palisade scored 87/100 on Consumer Reports. This is also a phenomenal score earning the Palisade third place in the midsize SUV category. Compared to the Toyota Highlander’s multiple engine options, the Palisade’s only engine is a less-efficient 3.8-liter V6 making 291 hp and getting 21 mpg combined. Although this is a bit of a con for the 2022 Hyundai Palisade, CR only had two issues with the Hyundai.
The first, like the Highlander, is the lack of agility from the Palisades chassis. The second issue was a minor annoyance with the gear selector. The gear selector is a push-button system that CR testers said was hard to see, requiring drivers to look down at the center stack instead of keeping their eyes on the road. It doesn’t help that the button are gray against a gray console.
Even though the 2022 Hyundai Palisade has a few minor flaws, CR still loved the overall package enough to rank it just one point short of the 2022 Toyota Highlander. The Hyundai Palisade is step-for-step with the Toyota Highlander, besides having only one engine and some control layout issues.
How much does the 2022 Hyundai Palisade cost?
Hyundai made its name by selling affordable economy cars and SUVs before the brand stepped up into the semi-luxury group. That said, Hyundais aren’t all that cheap anymore, but it’s still cheaper than the Highlander with a starting price of $33,350. The top trim starts at $48,740 before fees and options.
Which SUV should you choose?
The 2022 Toyota Highlander | Toyota
Although Consumer Reports did rank the Toyota Highlander above the Hyundai Palisade, picking between these two SUVs is like shooting at a big target; it’s hard to miss. These SUVs are so similar in so many ways that you are likely to be happy with either. And the differences between these two models aren’t major things that would affect most buyers. The differences offer buyers a way to make the decision easier.
No matter which way you go, you can rest because Consumer Reports also struggled to pick the winner between the 2022 Toyota Highlander and the 2022 Hyundai Palisade.
Keyword: Consumer Reports Struggled to Pick Best SUV Between the 2022 Hyundai Palisade and the 2022 Toyota Highlander