Before the Palisade, Hyundai's flagship in the 3-row SUV market was Hyundai Santa Fe. The Santa Fe is a good car, but it is not a dedicated 3-row SUV. This spurred Hyundai to introduce the new Palisade, a dedicated 3-rows SUV, into the market in 2018.
The Palisade is a front-engine, front-wheel drive Crossover SUV that speaks luxury and oozes class. The Palisade was embraced with both hands after its introduction in 2018; Hyundai sold over 80,000 units in the U.S. alone in 2020 and 2021, and there are signs that the figures will only get better.
The Hyundai Palisade is available in many trims, from the base trim, SE, to the SEL, which occupies the mid-range, but has an option of convenience, premium, and luxury packages. The top trim is the Calligraphy package. Hyundai is also introducing a new trim, the XRT, for the 2023 Palisade.
AWD is optional on all trims of the Palisade except for the Calligraphy, which has AWD as standard.
The Palisade is packed with top-tier safety and luxury features. It has a top-notch cabin and an elegant design, and it passes the aura of an executive luxury car thanks to its all-round quality. In-Dash navigation system, high-quality quilted leather upholstery, and a panoramic sunroof are standard on all trims.
Why should a family consider the Palisade?
The New Hyundai Palisade Has An Enviable Powertrain
Under the hood of the Palisade is a naturally-aspirated 3.8-liter V-6 engine, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The engine is capable of 291 ponies and 262 lb-ft of torque which gives the car enough agility and acceleration.
Also, an 8-speed automatic transmission is standard on all trims of the Palisade — better still, the Palisade has steering-wheel-mounted paddles which can be used to shift the transmission manually, but this doesn't take anything from the automatic transmission, which shifts smoothly and effortlessly — although you may experience a slight drag on a hilly climb.
In a test drive by Car And Driver with an AWD Palisade, it sprinted from zero to 60 mph in 6.9 seconds — a juicy feat from a family car, right? Besides this feat, the SUV needed just 182 feet to come to a halt if the brakes were applied while moving at 70 mph.
What To Expect From The 2023 Model
The 2023 Hyundai Palisade debuted at the New York International Auto Show on April 13, 2022. The first thing we noticed was the facelift with design cues similar to that of the Tucson XRT.
The 2023 model has a bossy look with more defined lines, new alloy wheels design, and redesigned LED headlights.
It also has loads and loads of new exciting features; the new HD 12.3-inch display, second-row ventilation seats, a new steering wheel design and more options were made available for the upholstery. The third-row seat now has a heating feature on the 2023 model, and the driver's seat got the massaging feature.
The most spectacular addition to the 2023 model is the introduction of a new trim of the Palisade, the XRT. The new trim offers an improved off-road experience; it is more rugged and beastly and can handle the rigor of unpaved roads and rough terrains more. The XRT has some different design cues and full-black outer wheels.
How The Palisade Qualifies As A Great Family Car
The primary requirement of a family car is the ability to carry multiple passengers, as most of the typical family duties of a family car involve moving family members around; dropping and picking the kids up from school or at a friend’s birthday party, embarking on a family road trip or going for a vacation. A family car also sometimes serves as a workhorse for cargo hauling duties M too, so space for passengers and cargo is key. The good news is that Hyundai was generous with space with the Palisade.
The Palisade is a full-breed 3-row SUV. It is currently the largest vehicle in the Hyundai fleet, being 196.1 inches long and having a wheelbase of 114.2 inches.
The Palisade can sit seven to eight adult passengers depending on the trim you choose: the Limited and the Calligraphy will sit just seven adults because the captain chairs in the second row reduced the passenger’s capacity. For the SE and the SEL trim, the captain chair was ditched, so it can seat eight adults comfortably.
With the new Hyundai Palisade, you have just what you need to handle cargo hauling duties that pop up from time to time, like getting new bicycles for the kids, grocery shopping, and all duties in that line. Behind the third row is 21 cu ft (595 liter) of cargo space. If not enough, the two rows can be folded to free 87 cu ft (2,463 liter) of cargo space.
You love going on adventures with your family, and if you want to go with a wheeled home or a boat, you have a trusted lieutenant in the Palisade as it has a towing capacity of 5,000 lbs.
Hyundai Palisade Versus Its Competition
In the North American market, the Hyundai Palisade competes directly with worthy competitors like the Ford Explorer, the Honda Pilot, and Toyota Highlander. However, the closest rival of the Palisade is the Kia Telluride — it has a similar design cue and powertrain as the Palisade and shares similar interior features and tech.
According to CarsUSnews rating, both share similar scores in performance and interiors; the Palisade has a higher safety score, but the Telluride has a better reliability score. Their prices are in the same range too. The Palisade is, however, slightly ahead of its cousin in convenience and comfort.
The Hyundai Palisade has a starting price of $34,950. The top trim, Calligraphy, goes for $48,900. Its prices are almost the same with that of its close sibling, the Kia Telluride, and it's also one of the most affordable in it class.