Space. It's what you want most out of a family SUV. (That and convenience, utility, flexibility, safety, and tech, of course.) So, you go visit a car dealer near you, test drives some big-boy utes, and put your John Hancock on a lease or finance contract. Done and done.
If only choosing a large SUV for the fam were that easy, right? Instead, you spend countless hours researching which 3-row model to bag. On your quest for info, you undoubtedly land right here, comparing the pros and cons of the Hyundai Palisade and Mazda CX-9. Which one will it be? The 8-passenger Palisade, with its expansive interior, high-tech features, and lower sticker price? Or the CX-9, with its station wagon-like styling and cozy cabin?
May the best family SUV win.
Cargo & Passenger Space
We'll cut to the chase: The 2023 Hyundai Palisade is far and away the better and more spacious SUV for parents. Across the board, Palisade offers about 20% more cargo room than the CX-9. Imagine all the extra items you can store with that 20%—strollers, pack-n-plays, soccer equipment, you name it.
Here's how Palisade vs. CX-9 cargo volume breaks down, in case you like nerding out with numbers:
|
2023 Palisade SE |
|
2023 CX-9 Touring |
|
86.4 cu ft |
1st Row (max) |
71.2 cu ft |
|
45.8 cu ft |
2nd Row |
38.2 cu ft |
|
18.0 cu ft |
3rd Row |
14.4 cu ft |
Not only can you store more "stuff" in the Hyundai Palisade, but you can also accommodate more beating hearts. Palisade's cabin offers 155.3 cubic feet of passenger volume, which is nearly 15% more than CX-9's 135.8 cubic feet.
Knees, shoulders, and heads also fare better inside Palisade's large interior. In fact, not a single CX-9 seat can compete against its Palisade counterpart. Check it:
|
2023 Palisade SE |
|
2023 CX-9 Touring |
|
40.7" / 40.1" / 37.8" |
Headroom (1st/2nd/3rd) |
40.1" / 38.5" / 35.4" |
|
44.1" / 42.4" / 31.4" |
Legroom (1st/2nd/3rd) |
41.0" / 39.4" / 29.7" |
|
61.2" / 60.8" / 55.2" |
Shoulder Room (1st/2nd/3rd) |
57.9" / 58.1" / 53.1" |
|
58.1" / 57.7" / 43.7" |
Hiproom (1st/2nd/3rd) |
56.7" / 57.4" / 40.1" |
|
155.3 cu ft |
Passenger Volume |
135.8 cu ft |
As an added knock to the CX-9, it only comes with 6 or 7 seats, while the Palisade can be equipped with either 7 (due to a pair of 2nd-row captain's chairs) or 8 seats.
Safety
Both the Palisade and CX-9 are exceptionally equipped to keep passengers protected. They've each received the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award, as well as 5-star overall safety ratings from the NHTSA.
As two of the safest SUVs on the market, they share many of the same safety features, such as lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring and warning, and collision-avoidance assist, to name a few. The Palisade offers just a little more peace of mind thanks to the following tech and features:
Let's be honest: Kids aren't great at recognizing their surroundings, to say the least. With Hyundai's Safe Exit Assist system engaged, your children won't be able to open the rear doors willy-nilly. If the system detects an approaching vehicle, it will lock the back doors, preventing passengers from turning your 4-door SUV into a 3-door SUV—or worse.
Busy parents can be forgetful—that's just part of the gig. With Hyundai's Rear Occupant Alert system, even the busiest of parents will have a guardian angel watching over their shoulders. ROA alerts drivers to check the back seat before exiting the vehicle. If movement is detected (Palisade SEL trims and up) after the driver exits, the vehicle will sound the alarm and even send push notifications to the owner's smart device.
Watch the video below to see how Safe Exit Assist and Rear Occupant Alert work to keep your children (and pets) protected.
Driver Attention Warning
Standard on all Hyundai Palisade trims, Driver Attention Warning, as its name suggests, monitors drivers for signs of inattentiveness. This includes drowsiness, texting, or being generally distracted.
Mazda CX-9 offers its own version (Driver Attention Alert) of this safety system, though it's only available on CX-9 Carbon Edition trims and up—that's approximately a $9,000 upgrade compared to the base Palisade SE.
Technology
When you're spending north of $30,000 or even $40,000 for a family SUV, you expect more than safety and space—you crave the high-end, make-other-parents-green-with-envy technology. Both the CX-9 and Palisade deliver that in droves, though most would agree that the Hyundai Palisade is more parent-friendly thanks to several exclusive features.Using your Palisade key fob, you can command the SUV to pull in and out of tight parking spots without even being in the driver's seat. It's almost as if we lived in the future, or something.
Enormous 12.3" Touchscreen
CX-9's standard 10.25" color display is fine—for ants. Palisade's 12.3" touchscreen is bigger, brighter, and far easier on the eyes. It pairs perfectly with the 12.3" digital gauge cluster, too.
Tired of raising your voice just to be heard? If you just said "yes," then it's official: You're a parent. With Hyundai Palisade's Driver Talk intercom system, you can speak at a normal volume and, like magic, be heard through the cabin's speakers.
Rear Seat Quiet Mode
Got a normally restless newborn or toddler? This is the SUV feature you need. With Rear Seat Quiet Mode activated, speakers in the back are muted, allowing Baby to catch some Z's. Up front, however, you can still rock out—just at a much lower volume.
Watch the video below to see how both Driver Talk and Rear Seat Quiet Mode operate.
Head-up Display (HUD)
The available Head-up Display in the Palisade helps drivers keep their attention where it should be: The road. All important details are projected onto the windshield, including speed and speed limit, turn-by-turn directions, recognized traffic signs, driver-assist warnings, and more. You can even adjust settings (change colors, brightness, etc.).
Hyundai Digital Key 2 Touch
When you buy or lease a Hyundai Palisade, you can make use of the all-new Hyundai Digital Key 2 Touch. This added layer of convenience allows you to unlock, lock and start the SUV using only your smart device (iPhone, Apple Watch, Samsung devices, etc.). Best of all, you can send a "shared key" to other drivers on a temporary or semi-permanent basis. Got a teen with a license? Then this is a great feature for you.
The Mazda CX-9 does not include any of the smile-inducing features above. To top it off, the Palisade comes with America's Best Warranty. Perhaps that's why Palisade has claimed a spot on KBB's Best Three-Row SUV for Families list for three years in a row.
