Hyundai Palisade vs KIA Sorento

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — we cover price, performance, petrol economy, safety and what it'll actually cost you to own each one long term.

Includes a historical vehicle

Current, upcoming and historical vehicles can be compared side by side. Historical records keep their verified specifications, while price labels show last-listed context rather than current new-car availability.

Hyundai Palisade Discontinued model
Hyundai Palisade in South Africa

Hyundai Palisade

2.2D Elite AWD 8AT 7-Seater Diesel Discontinued model
ZAR 1,204,500 last listed
Discontinued model Verified historical specifications remain visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 142 kW 🔧 440 Nm ⛽ 8.2 km/l
VS
KIA Sorento in South Africa

KIA Sorento

2.2 CRDi SXL AWD DCT Diesel 8-Speed DCT Current
ZAR 1,299,995 ex-showroom
⚡ 148 kW 🔧 440 Nm ⛽ 15.6 km/l
Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Hyundai Palisade vs KIA Sorento: the short answer

Palisade and Sorento are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Recorded price context Palisade: last listed from ZAR 1,204,500 · Sorento: current from ZAR 999,995

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification Palisade Sorento
Maximum Power Palisade142 kW Sorento148 kW @ 3800 rpm
Maximum Torque Palisade440 Nm Sorento440 Nm @ 1750 rpm
Engine Size Palisade2199 cc Sorento2151 cc
Combined Fuel Economy Palisade8.2 km/l Sorento15.6 km/l
Ground Clearance Palisade203 mm Sorento185 mm

Strongest published figure in that row; no road-test winner is implied.

Evidence for Hyundai Palisade 2.2D Elite AWD 8AT 7-Seater

Source type: South Africa

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Palisade

Strengths
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to: Published Practicality
Specification evidence leader

Sorento

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
Weak Spots
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Efficiency

Which One's Right for You?

Palisade

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Sorento

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment

Full Specs, Side by Side

Archived cars use verified historical spec records. Rows remain comparable; unavailable historical values are shown plainly rather than estimated.

Spec Palisade Sorento
Facelift History Model-year updates can affect trim, wheels, screens, safety equipment and colours. Use the latest South African price list when checking a specific vehicle. Fourth generation (MQ4) launched SA 2021; updated spec 2024
Body Style Seven-seat SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 2026
Tare Mass Kg 1952 kg 1960 kg
Segment Not confirmed SUV
Vehicle Type Not confirmed SUV
Drivetrain Note Not confirmed Drive layout derived from the official derivative naming: 2.2 CRDi SXL AWD DCT
Dealer Stock Note Not confirmed Flagship grade in the South Africa lineup
Color Note Not confirmed Glacier White Pearl, Aurora Black Pearl, Steel Grey, Interstellar Grey, Gravity Blue
Model Introduced Year Not confirmed 2021
Generation Not confirmed Fourth generation (MQ4); global launch 2020, SA 2021
Facelift Launched Since Not confirmed 2024
Facelift Version Ending Not confirmed Current
Production Status Not confirmed active
Spec Palisade Sorento
Ground Clearance (Default) 203 mm 185 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 71 l 67 l
Kerb Weight 1952 kg 1960 kg
Towing Capacity 2200 kg 2000 kg
Seating Capacity 7 seats 7 seats
Length Not confirmed 4810 mm
Width Not confirmed 1900 mm
Height Not confirmed 1700 mm
Wheelbase Not confirmed 2815 mm
Minimum Turning Radius Not confirmed 11.2 m
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) Not confirmed 2550 kg
Doors Not confirmed 5 doors
Front Headroom Not confirmed 1010 mm
Rear Headroom Not confirmed 955 mm
Front Legroom Not confirmed 1040 mm
Rear Legroom Not confirmed 855 mm
Boot/Cargo Space Not confirmed 219 l
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) Not confirmed 176 mm
Number of Rows Not confirmed 3 rows
Payload Capacity Not confirmed 620 kg

In depth: how these cars differ

This Palisade and Sorento comparison uses the exact South African derivatives selected above. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: Palisade 74 vs Sorento 74.

Efficiency index: Palisade 40 vs Sorento 61.

Safety-equipment index: Palisade 90 vs Sorento 100.

Practicality index: Palisade 79 vs Sorento 64.

Ownership-cover index: Palisade not separately scored vs Sorento 71.

These figures are Hagalu catalogue-comparison indicators, not customer ratings, crash-test scores, resale guarantees or a substitute for a road test. Each page shows its weighted source coverage beside the result.

Specification Evidence Index

A transparent comparison of published catalogue fields. This is not a road-test score, owner rating or editorial review rating, and it appears only when every vehicle clears the same comparable-data threshold.

Evidence / 100
Evidence-index readout

Sorento leads by 2 points

Palisade and Sorento are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 75 /100
Lead 2 points
Data 99% source coverage
75
#1 Evidence leader

Sorento

99% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 100 Check Efficiency 61
Performance 74
Efficiency 61
Safety 100
Practicality 64
Ownership 71
Leads by 2 points
73
#2

Palisade

51% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 90 Check Efficiency 40
Performance 74
Efficiency 40
Safety 90
Practicality 79
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Level Efficiency Sorento +21 Safety Sorento +10 Practicality Palisade +15

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

Sorento

Performance 74/100
Efficiency 61/100
Safety 100/100
Practicality 64/100
Ownership 71/100

Palisade

Performance 74/100
Efficiency 40/100
Safety 90/100
Practicality 79/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index KIA Sorento leads the specification evidence index with 75 pts vs 73 pts for Palisade

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, Sorento leads. However, Palisade may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Palisade vs Sorento questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the exact South African derivatives on price, safety equipment, space, powertrain and ownership cover. The category indicators summarise published catalogue data; they are not a road test or customer rating.

Compare the published consumption or mileage rows for the exact derivatives using the same unit and test basis. A catalogue figure is useful for like-for-like comparison, but traffic, speed, load, weather and driving style can change actual fuel use.

Compare only equipment explicitly listed for each derivative, including airbags, stability control and driver-assistance systems. Confirm the exact trim with the manufacturer, and treat any independent crash-test result separately because equipment and ratings can differ by market.

A reliable five-year total cannot be calculated from catalogue data alone. Add the exact purchase and finance cost, fuel or electricity, insurance quotes, scheduled servicing, tyres and expected resale value. Check whether the selected derivative includes a service or maintenance plan.

Use the seating, boot or load-space, ISOFIX and safety rows as a first check. Then test the exact cars with your child seats, passengers and typical luggage, because published dimensions do not show every access or comfort difference.

Compare the published power, torque and 0–100 km/h rows when they are available for both exact derivatives. Vehicle weight, gearing and power delivery also matter, so catalogue outputs alone do not establish real-world overtaking or response.