Kia and Hyundai are updating their popular Telluride and Palisade SUVs for 2023. The two SUVs are very much the same, have been sales leaders for each dealership, and are praised for their reliability.
Both have a strong, 291-hp V6, a smooth ride, big and good looks, and stylish modern interiors. They have the same five-year, 60,000-mile warranty, with a 100,000-mile powertrain warranty. They both can seat eight.
They look large, but aren’t quite as big as a Yukon. Instead, these Korean corporate cousins are classified as mid-size SUVs, and compete with the VW Atlas, Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander.
But what are the differences between the Paliride and Tellusade?
It comes down to styling
For more 2023 Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride information we will have to wait until they are fully revealed on April 13. We don’t expect the company to mess with the success these two have shared in 2023.
The 2022 Palisade is more of a traditional SUV
2022 Hyundai Palisade | Hyundai
The Palisade is big, good selling, SUV that earns top marks for its luxury, smoothness, and power. It starts at $33,350, and all-wheel-drive is optional. It can seat up to eight people.
While the Telluride is more angular, and has styling more like a Range Rover, the Palisade looks more like it competes with SUVs like the Honda Pilot or GMC Acadia.
Consumer Reports gives the Hyundai a total of score of 87, which is great, but not as good as the Telluride’s. Though it’s the same SUV, the predicted reliability of the Palisade as well as predicted owner satisfaction scores are one tick lower than the Kia’s.
The only beefs that Consumer Reports have about the Palisade, however, are that the touchscreen is far from the driver and the gear selector is confusing to use at first.
The Hyundai can be ordered in the ulta-lux Calligraphy package that features lots of chrome accents, a dual-panel sunroof, LED taillights and quilted leather seats.
While both SUVs can seat eight, only the Hyundai can be ordered with a power third row seat.
The Telluride is more urban warrior
Dark Moss 2022 Kia Telluride | Kia
The 2022 Telluride starts at $32,790. All-wheel-drive is a $2,000 option. THE big difference on the inside is the Kia gets a 10.25-inch infotainment screen, compared to the Hyundai’s eight-inch screen.
Consumer Reports gives the Telluride a stellar score of 97, and praised the SUV for its predicted reliability, owner satisfaction and room. It’s a large SUV and was dinged a bit for its agility. Overall, it’s a sales hit that seems to hit the mark with American consumers.
The Telluride can come in an eight-passenger version, which comes with a bench seat in back. A seven-passenger version is also available that has second-row captains chairs.
The Telluride’s styling is a bit more urban-warrior than the Hyundai’s. It seems to be styled to appeal more to the Ikea set than the Palisade’s traditional wood-and-chrome look. For example, the Telluride can be ordered in a “murdered out,” or all-black version, called the Night Sky.
It comes in four trims. While front wheel drive is standard, AWD is optional.
What will the twins look like in 2023?
2023 Kia Telluride | Kia
he 2023 Palisade will have a wider grille with new LED composite lights on the front end that promise a “sharp-edged, technical appeal” the company said. It will also bring new multi-spoke alloy wheels that “fill the wheel openings,” which means that the wheels and tires will likely grow. Today you can order 20-inch wheels on the Calligraphy package.
The new look of the 2023 Telluride sneak-peek image shows some new design elements, including pairs of vertical LED market light stripes and a new grille. The silhouette also looks a bit taller and rounder than the current version.
Both sill still be offered with three rows of seating.
Both have been successful sales leaders for the Korean company, and we’re not expecting Kia and Hyundai to mess with a good thing.
Keyword: Palisade or Telluride? They’re the same, aren’t they?