Hyundai Palisade vs. Ford Explorer

In the Hyundai Palisade, when you select bench seating for the middle row, you can welcome up to eight riders on board. With the Ford Explorer, you’ll reach the maximum with seven passengers.

More passengers can fit in the Hyundai since you’ll have a passenger volume of 155.3 cubic feet. The Ford Explorer only offers 152.7 cubic feet of passenger volume.

You’ll also get more hip and shoulder room to get comfortable in the Palisade than in the Explorer. Let’s take a look:

The Hyundai Palisade and the Ford Explorer come standard with cloth seating surfaces. While both vehicles offer premium leather seating options, do you get a steering wheel to match? Yes! However, the Hyundai offers either an available leather-wrapped or a two-tone leather-wrapped steering wheel. Only one choice exists in the Ford—an available leather-wrapped steering wheel.

Want to call for attention in the Palisade? Use the available Driver Talk in-car intercom. Announce a rest stop or ask the troops to lower the noise level. You can’t do this in the Ford—unless you shout.

If you want a snapshot of your Hyundai’s operations, skip looking down and view the optional Head-up Display instead. See your current speed, upcoming directions, and more projected onto the windshield. Unfortunately, the Ford doesn’t offer a comparable system.

The console may already harbor several items, from kids’ toys and tissues to chilly weather garb. What you don’t need in your SUV is yet another piece of clutter. Hyundai heeded your plea with wireless Android Auto™ and Apple CarPlay® integration—smartphone connection without cords. You’ll be untangling wires in your Ford for the same connectivity.

Innovative safety features pop up when you least expect it in the Hyundai. The Driver Attention Warning system monitors your driving behavior. If it senses a pattern of distracted or drowsy driving, it nudges you to take a break. You won't find this safety feature in the Ford.

Two additional systems provide an extra level of protection once you arrive at your destination. Although they come standard in the Palisade, you won’t even find them available in the Explorer. For example, Safe Exit Assist alerts you to any cars passing your door when you’re poised to open it.

The available Ultrasonic Rear Occupant Alert gives you a visual alert to double-check the back seat to see if you’ve left anything—or anyone—there. Overhead, ultrasonic sensors will detect movement. If you’ve already locked or parked the car, multiple alarms will activate to inform you that a pet or a person may still be in the car.