How briskly issues transfer within the new automobile market.
Once I final drove a Hyundai Palisade late in 2022, I used to be completely enamoured with this boldly styled, well packaged SUV.
Two years later, it’s nonetheless price recommending, however its lustre has dulled considerably.
That’s not as a result of Hyundai has made any unfavourable modifications to its flagship SUV, however quite as a result of it has compelling in-house competitors within the (boxy) form of the brand new Santa Fe.
The Palisade gives one thing the Santa Fe doesn’t, nevertheless, and that’s a diesel engine. And if that’s not sufficient to get you to spend extra for Hyundai’s largest SUV, there’s a brand new era ready within the wings.
Let’s see how the present one stacks up first, nevertheless.
We’ve put the bottom Elite to the check with the optionally available turbo-diesel engine, the one method to get all-wheel drive; in case you persist with the petrol V6, in Australia at the very least you’re compelled to simply accept front-wheel drive.
The Elite has fairly a distinct look to the flagship Highlander, so it doesn’t look cheaper – simply completely different. There’s a darker grille as an alternative of the flashy chrome one of many top-spec mannequin, in addition to completely different wheels. You may very well choose the look of this over the Highlander.
Mixed with the stunning Moonlight Blue paint end, that is nonetheless a good-looking SUV even on the finish of its life cycle.
How does the Hyundai Palisade examine?
View an in depth breakdown of the Hyundai Palisade towards equally sized autos.
Hyundai
Palisade
How a lot does the Hyundai Palisade value?
| Mannequin | Worth earlier than on-roads |
|---|---|
| 2025 Hyundai Palisade Elite FWD V6 | $66,800 |
| 2025 Hyundai Palisade Elite AWD diesel | $70,800 |
| 2025 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy FWD V6 | $75,900 |
| 2025 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy Black Ink FWD V6 | $78,400 |
| 2025 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy AWD diesel | $79,219 |
| 2025 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy Black Ink AWD diesel | $81,719 |
To see how the Hyundai Palisade strains up towards the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument.
The Palisade prices the identical whether or not you go for the seven- or eight-seat configurations.
Rival diesel-powered crossovers embody the smaller Sorento from sister model Kia, in addition to Mazda’s CX-80 and CX-90.
There’s additionally a raft of (sometimes ute-based) body-on-frame off-roaders, starting from the LDV D90 to the Toyota LandCruiser Prado.
What’s the Hyundai Palisade like on the within?
Hyundai doesn’t make you’re feeling like a cheapskate for purchasing the base-model Palisade.
Along with the distinctive exterior trim, the Palisade Elite’s inside is basically the identical because the Highlander’s however with a handful of variations that don’t precisely scream ‘base mannequin’.
Take the headliner and pillar trim, for instance. No, it’s not suede like on the Highlander, but it surely’s a stunning knit materials. No mouse fur right here!
You continue to get a sunroof, too, although it’s solely over the entrance row.
You miss out on the choice of a Darkish Khaki inside colourway, however the usual black of the Elite nonetheless has loads of lighter trim for distinction. The metal-look trim on the centre console is engaging and has an attention-grabbing texture, although the stripey, metallic inlays on the dashboard and doorways are a bit odd.
Materials high quality is simply nearly as good as within the Highlander, with soft-touch trim on the edges of the centre console and the tops of the dashboard and doorways.
The cabin is user-friendly with one exception – why is there a seize deal with on the motive force’s facet up entrance, however not on the passenger’s facet?
In any other case, there’s oodles of space for storing and a logically laid out dashboard.
Under the infotainment touchscreen are the air vents, and under that could be a row of exhausting shortcut buttons to take you to completely different capabilities.
Straightforward-to-reach bodily local weather controls sit under these, as does a rotary dial for drive mode choice, and controls for the heated seats, heated steering wheel, hill descent management, digicam, parking sensors, and auto maintain operate.
There are additionally buttons for working the transmission, although we’d quite the Palisade use a traditional shifter. Higher but, transfer to a column-mounted one like different Hyundais to assist break up the buttons. When you gained’t discover a transmission shifter close to the steering wheel, there are shift paddles.
Storage is ample. There’s a cavernous centre console bin with USB-C and 12V retailers; a big pit forward of this which might be hid beneath a lid, and which incorporates deployable cupholders; bottle holders within the doorways that may match 1L bottles; and a big shelf below the centre console with one other pair of USB-C and 12V retailers.
You’ll want a cable to make use of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which is plugged right into a USB-A outlet on the centre console.
The infotainment touchscreen measures 12.3 inches, and an replace for mannequin 12 months 2023 introduced the power to make use of a voice assistant to regulate capabilities exterior of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
This got here as a part of the Bluelink suite of linked providers, which additionally contains an SOS emergency name button, stay climate and visitors data for the embedded satellite tv for pc navigation, and the power to remotely management capabilities just like the locks and local weather management utilizing a smartphone app.
The infotainment system itself stays simple to navigate and fast to reply.
The digital instrument cluster is normal Hyundai fare, with completely different themes relying on drive mode however no map performance such as you’ll discover in Volkswagen Group product.
Step into the spacious second row and also you’ll discover air vents within the roof, a USB-C outlet behind every entrance seat, and local weather controls and a 12V outlet behind the centre console.
There’s additionally a fold-down centre armrest with cupholders, plus cupholders within the doorways. Every seat has top-tether little one seat anchor factors, whereas the outboard seats have ISOFIX little one seat anchor factors.
Entry to the third row is simple, because of a one-touch walk-in operate for the second-row seats and a reasonably broad opening. It’s even simpler with the optionally available captain’s chairs, as there’s a useful centre aisle.
Within the third row, there are air vents within the roof, plus extra cupholders and a USB-C outlet on all sides of the cabin.
There’s seating for 3 again right here, plus two top-tether factors and one ISOFIX anchor level for little one seats.
The third row is definitely among the many most comfy on this section, and at 180cm tall I can sit again right here with out having my knees up towards the second-row seatbacks and my head towards the roof.
Are you aware what else I can do this in, although? The brand new Santa Fe.
The Palisade has 798mm of third-row legroom, in addition to 1402mm of shoulder room and 1111mm of hip room. In distinction, the Santa Fe has 761mm, 1360mm and 1084mm, respectively.
Within the boot, there’s a 12V outlet and buttons to drop the second-row seats, which fold nearly utterly flat.
To fold the third-row seats flat into the ground, merely pull the straps on the again of them.
Beneath the boot flooring is a full-sized alloy spare, a refreshing inclusion on this age of space-savers and tyre restore kits.
| Dimensions | Hyundai Palisade |
|---|---|
| Size | 4995mm |
| Width | 1975mm |
| Top | 1750mm |
| Wheelbase | 2900mm |
| Cargo capability | 311L (all rows up) 704L (third row folded) |
To see how the Hyundai Palisade strains up towards the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument.
What’s below the bonnet?
| Specs | Hyundai Palisade Elite AWD |
|---|---|
| Engine | 2.2L turbo-diesel 4cyl |
| Energy | 147kW @ 3800rpm |
| Torque | 440Nm @ 1750-2750rpm |
| Transmission | 8-speed auto |
| Pushed wheels | All-wheel drive |
| Weight | 1980kg |
| Gasoline financial system (claimed) | 7.3L/100km |
| Gasoline financial system (as examined) | 11L/100km (over the course of every week) 7.9L/100km (inner-city, suburban and freeway loop) |
| Gasoline tank capability | 71L |
| Gasoline requirement | Diesel |
| CO2 emissions | 193g/km |
| Emissions normal | Euro 5 |
| Braked tow capability | 2200kg |
| Most tow ball weight | 100kg (180kg with optionally available Load Help Package) |
Whereas we noticed pretty excessive gas consumption over the course of every week, with a determine of 11L/100km, this was with a heavy city skew. In a Highlander diesel beforehand, we averaged 8.8L/100km.
To see how the Hyundai Palisade strains up towards the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument.
How does the Hyundai Palisade drive?
I keep in mind having loved driving this huge crossover, so I used to be eager to get again behind the wheel.
I occurred to have a headache once I first stepped in, and it solely obtained worse once I fired up that diesel engine. Gee, I don’t keep in mind this sounding so tough on idle.
There’s an omnipresent clatter from the turbo-diesel engine, together with when you’re stopped at visitors lights as there’s no idle cease/begin. It appears scarcely quieter than extra succesful diesel-powered, body-on-frame off-roaders.
Turbo-diesel fours are by no means particularly nice to take heed to, and the Palisade isn’t any exception. They’re sometimes recognized for his or her low-end grunt although, and the Palisade undoubtedly has this. The engine is aided by a smooth-shifting transmission.
It’d sound like a diesel off-roader, however this unibody crossover can’t match the likes of the Ford Everest and Isuzu MU-X when it comes to braked towing capability. The Palisade has 2200kg towards their 3500kg figures.
The sound the Palisade makes mightn’t provide you with a migraine, however the overspeed alert is certain to boost your blood stress. It bings each time you enter a brand new velocity restrict zone (why?) after which bings once more in case you exceed the velocity restrict.
Fixed nagging and scolding doesn’t make for a wholesome relationship, and we are able to’t think about it makes for a pleasing automobile possession both. You’ll be able to flip this off but it surely’ll frustratingly default to on every time, whereas turning off the overspeed alerts turns off the visitors signal recognition system altogether.
We’ve been in Hyundai merchandise the place you possibly can program the star shortcut button on the steering wheel to take you on to the motive force help menu on the touchscreen, saving you a button press within the irritating journey to show this technique off, however this didn’t appear to work within the Palisade.
The excellent news is the remainder of the driving expertise is significantly better.
The trip isn’t fairly as comfortable as you may anticipate and a few impacts are felt within the cabin, however general it’s nonetheless acceptable for the category. Physique management is sort of good too, with not an excessive amount of float on undulating roads.
The steering is well-judged for this class of auto. There’s not an enormous quantity of really feel by means of the wheel, however the weighting is spot-on – the wheel is simple to twirl at low speeds, making parking this huge bus a breeze, whereas it by no means feels too gentle or obscure out on the open highway.
If you need some extra weight to the steering, you possibly can activate Sport mode however this additionally sees the Palisade maintain gears for longer.
The Palisade feels nimbler than its dimensions would recommend, and undoubtedly feels extra car-like to drive than equally priced SUVs with conventional ladder-frame underpinnings.
The place the front-wheel drive V6 lights up the entrance tyres with too heavy a proper foot or too slick a floor, there’s no such unseemly wheelspin from the all-wheel drive diesel.
The safety of all-wheel drive plus the superior gas financial system mix to make the diesel a extra interesting possibility than the V6, even when it doesn’t sound nearly as good. However we are able to’t watch for the inevitable hybrid model of the following era…
Get on the freeway and the Palisade proves a cushty cruiser. The adaptive cruise management and Lane Following Help assist you to tackle lengthy distances with ease, whereas highway and wind noise are well-suppressed.
The usual lane-keep help is extra assertive than some rival methods, but it surely intervenes easily and skilfully and even handles curvy roads effectively.
What do you get?
Whereas the Palisade was beforehand out there in an unnamed base trim, it’s now out there solely in Elite, Calligraphy and Calligraphy Black Ink variants.
Hyundai Palisade Elite tools highlights:
- LED headlights
- Computerized high-beam
- 20-inch alloy wheels
- Rear privateness glass
- Darkish metallic chrome grille
- Single-pane sunroof
- Arms-free energy tailgate
- Energy-folding exterior mirrors
- Proximity entry with push-button begin
- Digital parking brake
- Auto maintain
- 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
- 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- Wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- DAB+ digital radio
- Satellite tv for pc navigation with stay visitors
- 12-speaker Infinity sound system
- Passenger Speak operate (driver’s voice despatched to rear audio system)
- Quiet Mode (mutes audio quantity within the rear)
- Voice memo operate
- Wi-fi cellphone charger
- Tilt and telescopic steering column adjustment
- Leather-based-wrapped steering wheel
- Leather-based upholstery
- Leather-based-appointed sprint centre, console facet, armrest
- 10-way energy driver’s seat with 2-way lumbar help
- 8-way energy passenger seat
- Heated entrance seats
- Tri-zone local weather management
The Calligraphy provides:
- Rear sunroof
- Rain-sensing wipers
- Satin chrome/gloss black grille
- Satin chrome skid plate, door handles
- Physique-colour cladding
- Rear door window sunshades
- Distant Sensible Parking Help
- 10-inch head-up show
- Nappa leather-based upholstery
- 12-way energy driver’s seat with two-way lumbar, 2-way cushion extension
- Reminiscence for driver’s seat, exterior mirrors and head-up show
- Driver’s seat Straightforward Entry operate
- Suede headliner
The Calligraphy Black Ink provides:
- Darkish metallic chrome grille, decrease air consumption grille, skid plate
- Darkish metallic roof rails
- Darkish-tinted tail-light garnish
- Suede upholstery
- Ventilated entrance seats
- Heated and ventilated outboard second-row seats
All fashions characteristic Bluelink linked providers, which embody:
- Computerized collision notification
- SOS emergency name operate
- Valet Mode
- Voice assistant
- Calendar integration
- Distant management of locks, home windows, local weather management
- Distant begin
- Distant surround-view digicam entry (Calligraphy and Calligraphy Black Hyperlink)
Is the Hyundai Palisade secure?
The Hyundai Palisade wears a five-year ANCAP security score. It was re-tested by ANCAP following a mid-life replace in 2022.
| Class | Hyundai Palisade |
|---|---|
| Grownup occupant safety | 32.21 out of 38 (84 per cent) |
| Youngster occupant safety | 43.24 out of 49 (88 per cent) |
| Weak highway person safety | 33.75 out of 54 (62 per cent) |
| Security help | 13.41 out of 16 (83 per cent) |
Normal security tools contains:
- Adaptive cruise management with cease/go
- Autonomous emergency braking
- Pedestrian detection
- Bike owner detection
- Junction help
- Blind-spot help
- Driver consideration warning
- Clever velocity restrict help
- Lane-keep help
- Lane Following Help (lane centring)
- Multi-collision braking
- Rear cross-traffic help
- Rear occupant alert
- Reversing digicam
- Entrance and rear parking sensors
- Protected exit warning
- Tyre stress monitoring
- Entrance, front-side and front-centre airbags
- Curtain airbags for all three rows
The Calligraphy and Calligraphy Black Ink additionally characteristic:
- Blind-Spot View Monitor
- Parking Collision-Avoidance Help – Rear
- Encompass-view digicam
How a lot does the Hyundai Palisade value to run?
| Servicing and Guarantee | Hyundai Palisade |
|---|---|
| Guarantee | 5 years, limitless kilometres |
| Roadside help | Lifetime (service activated) |
| Service intervals | 12 months or 15,000km |
| Capped-price servicing | Lifetime |
| Whole capped-price service value | 12 months/15,000km: $489 24 months/30,000km: $489 36 months/45,000km: $489 48 months/60,000km: $589 60 months/75,000km: $489 Whole over 5 years: $2545 |
To see how the Hyundai Palisade strains up towards the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument.
CarExpert’s Tackle the Hyundai Palisade
We’re excited for the next-generation Hyundai Palisade, however that’s to not say the present mannequin is an also-ran.
It nonetheless has a slight edge over the Santa Fe in inside dimensions, although the gulf has narrowed.
It does, nevertheless, nonetheless supply a diesel engine which the brand new Santa Fe doesn’t. It’s not essentially the most refined unit, however there’s loads of torque and it’s considerably extra environment friendly than the bottom petrol V6.
It’d sound like a diesel off-roader inside, however the likes of the MU-X and Everest want they’d an inside this good. Not solely is it spacious, but it surely’s user-friendly and fashionable.
The Elite could be the entry-level Palisade as soon as once more, however Hyundai doesn’t make you’re feeling like a cheapskate for selecting it over a Highlander.
Except you merely should have a diesel, although, or you possibly can’t get previous the Santa Fe’s appears to be like – and we all know there’s loads of you – we’d advocate additionally testing the newer, smaller crossover from Hyundai.
