Compared: 2024 Volkswagen Atlas vs. 2024 Hyundai Palisade
We find out which one of these three-row family haulers outdoes the competition.
Volkswagen | Hyundai
QuickTakes:
The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas and 2024 Hyundai Palisade are their brand's flagship family haulers, and they compete in the hotly contested three-row SUV market. For the 2024 model year, the Atlas features upgraded tech and refreshed styling. The Palisade rolls into 2024 largely unchanged from last year but remains a value in the segment.
Hyundai
The Palisade Is Slightly Cheaper Than the Atlas, With a More Diverse Range of Trims
Head to head, the Palisade is more affordable, with a starting price of about $38,000 and six trim levels. The XRT trim starts at about $43,000, and features roof crossbars, larger wheels, unique lower bumpers, and a dark grille. The Calligraphy is a luxurious trim, with the standard edition ringing up just under $52,000, while at around $55,000, the blacked-out Calligraphy Night sits at the top of the Palisade range. While the Calligraphy Night also includes standard all-wheel drive (AWD), expect to pay about $2,000 to upgrade from front-wheel drive (FWD) on other trims.
On the other hand, the Atlas starts slightly higher at around $39,000 for the SE trim. Five other trims can be found, including the $50,000 SEL, which adds standard AWD, leather seating surfaces, and a panoramic sunroof. The SEL Premium R-Line adds sporty visual touches, a 360-degree top-down camera view, and parking assist, all for a little more than $54,000. VW's 4Motion AWD is standard on the Peak Edition SE with Technology and above. It's a $1,900 upgrade for the base SE and SE with Technology models, which come with standard front-wheel drive (FWD).
Hyundai
Ride Quality, Space, and Standard Equipment Are All Significant Factors
Passenger comfort is an arms race between these two SUVs. The Atlas offers standard heated front seats and leatherette upholstery. The Hyundai comes standard with cloth seating surfaces, with leather available as an upgrade, but also offers optional heated seats in the third row and second-row captain's chairs as standard on certain trims. On most tiers, VW offers a second-row captain's chair upgrade for about $700.
With 6.3 inches of ground clearance, the Atlas trails behind the Palisade, which features 8.0 inches. That 1.7-inch advantage can allow the Palisade greater capability off-road. The Hyundai also offers a slightly larger center infotainment screen (12.3 inches compared with the 12.0-inch unit in the Atlas) but a less voluminous cabin, as the Atlas' 96.6 cubic-feet of cargo room behind the front seats handily beats the Palisade's 86.4. Externally, the Atlas has some advantages, including its standard roof rails, which are available only on upgraded Palisade trims.
Volkswagen
The Atlas Eeks Out a Fuel Economy Win
Three-row SUVs are known for many things, but fuel efficiency generally isn't one of them. Neither the Atlas or the Palisade flip the script in that regard. The VW is slightly more efficient, with the FWD model scoring an average of 20/27/23 mpg city/highway/combined, while the AWD variant drops to 19/26/22 mpg.
Results fall further in the Hyundai camp, as the FWD Palisade consumes 19/26/22 mpg, and its AWD counterpart achieves the lowest results at 19/24/21 mpg.
All vehicle pricing includes MSRP plus destination charges (set at the time of publication), and will be rounded to the nearest thousand.
