I drove family SUVs from Honda and Hyundai. The Palisade is more luxurious, but the Pilot is more practical.

• I recently drove the Honda Pilot and Hyundai Palisade midsize, three-row family SUVs.
• The Palisade delivers a refined experience with top-notch tech content worthy of a luxury brand.
• The Pilot’s smartly designed cabin, easy-to-use tech, and superb quality are great for families.

American consumers purchase more than 2 million midsize family SUVs every year.

It’s a broad segment in which brands can take vastly different approaches.

I recently had the chance to drive two popular three-row midsize SUVs, the Honda Pilot and Hyundai Palisade, that found success by appealing to the needs of different families.

The Honda Pilot is a thoroughly practical family hauler with a smooth V6 engine, easy-to-use tech, and a thoughtfully designed cabin that provides loads of space for people and cargo.

The Hyundai Palisade, on the other hand, delivers effective daily transportation with a luxurious flair rarely found in a mass-market family SUV.

Here’s a closer look at how the two stack up against one another.