Anyone looking to move up to eight people around in comfort with a budget between $35k and $55k, needs to be shopping at Hyundai. The Hyundai Palisade must be on the shortlist for those who want a large SUV that ticks those boxes. Since it arrived alongside the closely related Kia Telluride, it has been the three-row SUV to beat in its price bracket. It’s powered by a smooth 3.8-liter V6 engine making a healthy 291 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque, has style and road presence to spare, comes with Hyundai’s slick infotainment system, and has a standard semi-autonomous driving mode to go with its safety systems.
For 2024, there’s little change to the Palisade other than the addition of dual-zone front and single-zone rear automatic climate control to the base SE trim as standard, the XRT getting rear door window shades, and a new Calligraphy Night Edition that’s been slotted into the top spot over our Calligraphy tester.
Knowing this, we snagged a 2023 Calligraphy which is identical to the 2024 version, particularly curious about how it holds up against the newer Mazda CX-90 that we recently reviewed.
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Exterior Style: Nail On The Head
When it comes to styling, Hyundai is always pushing forward, either hitting the nail on the head or coming up with completely new designs, like that seen on the front end of the latest Sonata. In this case, what most people want from a large SUV is something that looks worthy of the money they paid for it. In that way, the Palisade has more panache and road presence than a Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class, although the GLS may be the one that ages out better in the long run.
The Calligraphy editions add the most embellishments with an exclusive bumper, grille, roof-mounted high-mount stop light, and 20-inch wheels, along with side-door garnishing, Bi-LED headlights, premium light trim, and puddle lamps under the mirrors.
Interior: Pushing Premium to Luxury
When you get up to the Calligraphy trim, the Palisade moves from feeling premium to outright luxury. Inside, the seats are covered with premium Nappa leather, there’s a microfiber headliner, quilted leather door panels, a digital rearview mirror, and a leather two-tone steering wheel. Add in the wealth of space in the cabin for the front and middle row, and the Palisade feels like its punching above its class. The third row is better than most for legroom, but you still wouldn’t want to try and convince adults to sit back there unless it’s an emergency.
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Hyundai Palisade Interior Dimensions At A Glance |
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|---|---|
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Headroom Front|Middle|Rear |
29.3 | 38.8 | 37.2 inches |
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Legroom Front|Middle|Rear |
44.1 | 42.4 | 31.4 inches |
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Shoulder Room Front|Middle|Rear |
61.2 | 60.8 | 55.2 inches |
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Cargo Capacity |
18 – 86.4 ft³ |
Cargo space with the third row up is enough for most daily activities, but drop the seats and it becomes a useful space for four going on vacation. If need be, the back row can split 60/40 to split cargo space and room for another occupant.
Infotainment & Tech: More Than Expected
A 12.3-inch touch display is the window into Hyundai’s infotainment system across all trims, and it comes with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and SiriusXM as standard. Two Bluetooth devices can be connected simultaneously, and Hyundai’s Blue Link app service expands functionality to include locking, unlocking, and remote starting the Palisade through Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. Our tester included ambient lighting (standard on top trims), which we found to be tastefully executed, and Calligraphy-exclusive remote smart park assist.
A wireless charger is built in, along with up to seven USB ports, and top trims get a big, clear head-up display as well as a 12.3 inch gauge cluster for the driver.
Under The Hood: A Useful Unit
A 3.8-liter gas engine powers all trim levels of the Palisade, helped by an eight-speed transmission. All models come standard with a transmission cooler, trailer pre-wiring, and sway control; the Palisade can tow up to 5,000 pounds with the optional dealer-installed trailer hitch. From the SE trim up, all-wheel drive is optional, but it’s standard on the Calligraphy trims.
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Hyundai Palisade Performance Specs |
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|---|---|
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Engine |
3.8-liter V6 gas |
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Horsepower | Torque |
291 hp | 262 lb-ft |
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Towing Capacity |
5,000 lbs |
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Gas Mileage – FWD |
19/26/22 mpg |
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Gas Mileage – AWD |
19/24/21 mpg |
The V6’s 291 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque is ample for the Palisade, even when loaded with people and cargo. While it’s not fast by sporty SUV standards, the Palisade is more than happy to get up to freeway speed without straining, and the engine and transmission complement each other to keep things smooth in pretty much any situation. The only time we caught it hunting for gears was when we were stuck behind a slow-moving motorhome crawling up a mountain road.
The EPA rates the Palisade in all-wheel-drive form at 19 mpgin the city and 24 mpg on the highway. We did quite a bit of mountain driving and logged 22.7 mpg after the week, which was better than expected.
On The Road: A Premium Experience
Driving the Palisade is a fuss-free affair with a smooth ride from the suspension and a quiet cabin. The steering is light and the Palisade’s length and width don’t cause trouble in terms of maneuvering it around town. There’s decent visibility all round, meaning you don’t have to solely rely on the camera system for parking. While it’s great for general family life, the Palisade excels in comfort for longer trips and isn’t fussed unduly by truck-battered freeways, ancient back-road tarmac, or dirt roads.
2024 Hyundai Palisade
BuzzScore
- Exterior Design
- Performance
- Fuel Efficiency
- Interior & Cargo
- Infotainment & Features
- Safety
- Value For Money
- Fuss-free driving experience
- Handsome, elegant appearance
- Top trims are plush inside
- Comprehensive, user-friendly infotainment
- Reasonable pricing
- Some wind noise on highway
- Rivals offer more fun-to-drive experience behind the wheel
- Some competitors have more cargo space
While the cabin is quiet, we would like a little less wind noise from the sides, but it’s not a big enough issue to be a dealbreaker – not by a long shot – but it’s an example of the separation between premium and luxury. Make no mistake, at the top end of the trim range, the Palisade moves into luxury territory when it comes to the general drive and ride. What you don’t get is a sporty drive – but there’s really no reason to expect that, other than the existence of the paddle shifters behind the steering wheel for those who want a little more control of the transmission. To us, the paddles are best left for the occasional long downhill descent.
Conclusion: The Most Complete Package
There’s a reason that Hyundai isn’t hurrying to make a big update to the Palisade, and that’s because it’s already a complete package. Mazda has a challenger in the CX-90 in terms of style and interior comfort, and moved the game ahead in terms of driving dynamics, and the Toyota Grand Highlander has the upper hand in terms of space. However, the Palisade tops the podium in infotainment and connectivity, and since not that many people care that their three-row family SUV is fun to drive on a back road, we also prefer it for comfortable and smooth daily driving.
There are many popular competitors in this segment, not the least of which is the Honda Pilot. We suggest a test drive between it, the Palisade, and the Toyota Grand Highlander, as all are easy recommendations.
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2024 Hyundai Palisade
- Base MSRP
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$36,650
- Engine
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3.8L V6 Gas
- Horsepower
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291 hp
- Torque
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262 lb-ft
- Fuel Economy
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19/26/22 mpg (FWD) | 29/24/21 mpg (AWD)
- Exterior Design
- Performance
- Fuel Efficiency
- Interior & Cargo
- Infotainment & Features
- Reliability
- Safety
- Value For Money
- Transmission
-
8-speed Automatic
- Drivetrain
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FWD | AWD
- Towing Capacity
-
5,000 lbs
- Legrooom Front|Rear
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44.1 | 42.4 | 31.4 inches
- Headroom Front|Rear
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40.7 | 40.1 | 37.8 inches (w/o sunroof)
- Cargo Space
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18 – 86.4 ft³
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2024 Honda Pilot
- Base MSRP
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$37,090
- Engine
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3.5L V6 Gas
- Horsepower
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285 hp
- Torque
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262 lb-ft
- Fuel Economy
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19/27/22 mpg (FWD) | 19/25/21 mpg (AWD)
- Exterior Design
- Performance
- Fuel Efficiency
- Interior & Cargo
- Infotainment & Features
- Reliability
- Safety
- Value For Money
- Transmission
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10-speed automatic
- Drivetrain
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FWD | AWD
- Towing Capacity
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3,500 lbs – 5,000 lbs
- Legrooom Front|Rear
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41 | 40.8 | 32.5 inches
- Headroom Front|Rear
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40.5 | 40.2 | 39.3 (w/o sunroof)
- Cargo Space
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18.6 – 87 ft³
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2024 Toyota Grand Highlander
- Base MSRP
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$43,070
- Engine
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2.4L Turbo Inline-4 Gas
- Horsepower
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265 hp
- Torque
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310 lb-ft
- Fuel Economy
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21/28/24 mpg (FWD) | 21/27/23 mpg (best AWD)
- Exterior Design
- Performance
- Fuel Efficiency
- Interior & Cargo
- Infotainment & Features
- Reliability
- Safety
- Value For Money
- Transmission
-
8-speed Automatic
- Drivetrain
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FWD | AWD
- Towing Capacity
-
5,000 lbs
- Legrooom Front|Rear
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41.7 | 39.5 | 33.5 inches
- Headroom Front|Rear
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41.5 | 40.2 | 37.2 inches (w/o sunroof)
- Cargo Space
-
20.6 – 97.5 ft³
The Palisade has a starting MSRP of $36,650 at the entry point of the range, topping out at $53,850 before options and destination fee for the Calligraphy Night. Honda’s base Pilot costs nearly $40k, but it’s blacked-out special edition is cheaper. As for the Grand Highlander, it costs $43,320 for the base model so already requires a higher layout. If you’re looking to spend enough to get a top trim, the Palisade delivers the most premium experience, in our experience, so the Hyundai dealership is where we’d hand over our cash.