But decades into their decline, they've been largely replaced by the three-row, midsize SUV as the vehicle of choice for families.
I recently had the chance to drive two of the most popular offerings to hit the market in recent years, the Hyundai Palisade and the Subaru Ascent, to see how they stack up against one another.
The Ascent is a capable family hauler with a well-designed cabin and a punchy turbocharged boxer engine that comes standard with Subaru's Symmetrical All-Wheel-Drive system.
But the Palisade, Hyundai's first effort at a three-row family SUV, is my pick. It's superbly executed, delivering a truly luxurious experience along with great cabin tech and a smooth V6 engine.
Here's a closer look at how the two stack up against one another.
Which is a better deal?A 2024 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy and a 2024 Subaru Ascent Touring.
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The base 2024 Subaru Ascent starts at $34,195, while the Hyundai Palisade SE starts at starts at $36,650.
Despite starting at a lower price, the Ascent comes standards with Subaru's signature Symmetrical All-Wheel-Drive system while all-wheel-drive is a $2,000 option on the Hyundai.
As a result, you'll need to pay at least $38,650 for an all-wheel-drive Palisade or roughly $4,500 more than the comparable Ascent.
At the other end of the spectrum, the top-spec Ascent Touring starts at $48,495. With fees, my test car clad in Dark Mahogany Pearl paint carried an as-tested price of $49,931.
The Palisade lineup features six trim levels topping out at $53,850.
My fully loaded Palisade test car starts came with a very similar as-tested price of $53,650.
Which one looks better?The 2024 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy and 2024 Subaru Ascent Touring.
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The Ascent and the Palisade both debuted in 2019 and received a mid-cycle refresh in 2023, including updated styling and improved tech.
Subaru eschewed the original Ascent's anonymous but conservatively handsome styling for a much more edgy and aggressive look, punctuated by a large chrome bar across the front grille, redesigned angular LED headlights, and bumper cover. The Ascent's updated looks work for me, but it may not be everyone's cup of tea.
However, the Palisade's new parametric jewel-style front grille takes the cake for me. It's a front facia that's both futuristic and elegant.
Which one is larger?The Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy
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The Ascent and the Palisade have virtually identical external dimensions.
The Ascent is 0.1 inches longer and 2.7 inches taller than the Palisade, which is about two inches wider than the Ascent.
However, the Ascent's longer hood means the Palisade actually has a roomier cabin with 155.3 cubic feet of interior passenger volume versus 150.2 cubic feet for the Subaru.
How much ground clearance do they have? The Ascent and its a boxy side profile.
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The Palisade boasts 7.9 inches of minimal ground clearance, which falls behind the Subaru Ascent's 8.7 inches.
Both SUVs can tow up to 5,000 lbs when fitted for an optional tow hitch and trailer brakes.
Turbocharged boxer or V6 power?The Hyundai Palisade's V6 (top) and the Subaru Ascent's turbocharged boxer four-cylinder.
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Subaru and Hyundai approached propulsion very differently.
Power for the Ascent comes from Subaru's F24F 2.4-liter turbocharged boxer four-cylinder engine. It produces a strong 260 horsepower and 277 ft. lbs. of torque and is mated to Subaru's Lineartronic continuously variable transmission (CVT).
The only engine available on the Palisade is Hyundai's 3.8-liter, naturally aspirated Lambda II V6 engine. The 3.8-liter V6, shared with the Kia Telluride, produces 291 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. It's paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission.
Both test cars delivered identical EPA fuel economy figures of 21mpg in combined highway and city driving.
How do they drive?The Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy's Nappy leather-trimmed cabin.
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Although neither would be mistaken for sports cars, both family haulers offer a confident, surefooted driving experience.
Despite returning identical acceleration times, the Ascent feels more aggressive and punchy off the line, while the Palisade is smooth and linear.
The most noticeable difference between the two is their transmissions.
The Palisade's 8-speed automatic does an efficient and effective job, but the Ascent's continuously variable transmission is the weakest point in its drivetrain.
The Ascent can feel abrupt or have a tendency to surge when accelerating at lower speeds. In addition, the transmission emits a whining noise when you start up its engine. The noise, reminiscent of a dying torque converter on a traditional automatic, disappears once the vehicle reaches normal operating temperature.
Even though the transmission delivers power normally when emitting the disconcerting noise, it feels grossly out of place in a $50,000 SUV.
Which has a nicer cabin?The Palisade's (Top) and Ascent's front dash.
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Subaru and Hyundai did great work with the Ascent and Palisade cabins.
Both cabins are thoughtfully designed with excellent ergonomics and a great mix of useful storage.
Even though the Ascent's interior is solidly constructed with high-quality materials, the Palisade's cabin exuded a level of luxury the Subaru couldn't reach.
The Palisade stands out for its quiet, isolating ride, design features like the airplane seat-style wing-out headrests, and creature comforts like the massaging ergo-motion driver seat.
Simply put, the Ascent Touring feels like a mainstream family SUV with upgrades like Nappa leather seats and woodgrain accents. On the other hand, the Palisade Calligraphy feels like a luxury SUV room for the whole family.
Which SUV has more room for passengers?The Palisade's (Top) and the Ascent's rear cabin.
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The Palisade boasts one of the roomiest second rows in the segment, with 42.4 inches of legroom. It's nearly four inches more than the Ascent.
The Ascent's third row has 31.7 inches of legroom, 0.3 inches more than the Palisade's, which is roughly the same as a coach seat on an airplane. Adults can comfortably fit in both SUVs on short trips around town, but these seats are best reserved for children.
How does the tech stack up?The Palisade's 12.3-inch touchscreen (Top) and the Ascent's 11.6-inch vertical touchscreen.
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Both the Ascent and Palisade have upgraded infotainment screens that come standard with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The Palisade's 12.3-inch touchscreen screen runs Hyundai's corporate infotainment system, while the Ascent's 11.6-inch vertical touchscreen runs an updated version of Subaru's Starlink infotainment system.
Both systems worked well and were easy to navigate. However, Palisade felt better sorted than Ascent's system and didn't lag when using Apple CarPlay.
How much cargo can they haul?The Palisade's (Left) and the Ascent's cargo compartment.
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Open up the Palisade's liftgate, and you'll find 18 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, 0.4 cubic feet more than the Ascent.
The Palisade boasts 45.8 cubic feet of cargo room behind the second row, 3.7 cubic feet more than the Ascent.
With the second row folded, the Palisade's cargo capacity expands to 86.4 cubic feet, which is a whopping 13.6 cubic feet more than the Ascent.
The Hyundai Palisade is my winner due to its refined cabin, great tech content, and smooth V6 engine. The Hyundai Palisade's turn signals
Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider
Of the two, I'd choose the Hyundai Palisade.
That's high praise, considering I own a 2022 Subaru Ascent Touring.
The Ascent is an excellent family SUV with a smartly designed cabin made with high-quality materials. It is also a great deal for consumers, with a lower starting price and standard all-wheel drive.
Even fully equipped, the Ascent is about $4,000 cheaper than the comparable Palisade.
The Hyundai Palisade is just better.
I was simply blown away by its stylish design, refined cabin, superior cargo capacity, smooth V6 engine, and advanced tech content.
The Palisade is truly a luxury SUV with a mass-market badge. I wouldn't be offended if Hyundai hiked the price up by $10,000 and slapped a premium Genesis badge on it.
And for that, I'm prepared to weather the anger of my fellow Subaru owners and declare the Hyundai Palisade the winner.
