https://autoweek.com/article/car-reviews/2020-hyundai-palisade-first-drive-new-standard-bearer
Given the number of Highlanders, Explorers and Traverses clogging most metro freeways, it may come as a shock that Hyundai, one of the largest-selling brands in the U.S. has, until now, been missing a true midsize SUV in its lineup. It’s a glaring omission the automaker has raced to rectify, with the stopgap Santa Fe XL serving as a placeholder until a true, fully realized midsize SUV was ready. That product, the Palisade, will be arriving at Hyundai dealerships as you read this; you already may have spotted the related Kia Telluride on the road.
Regular Autoweek readers may remember I drove the Korean-market Palisade diesel in Seoul last fall and came away very impressed, with the caveat that our (relatively) high-revving gasoline V6 would likely deliver a very different experience from that torque monster. After spending a full day with the U.S. Palisade, I can confidently say the reality is better than I expected. More about that in a moment.
First, let’s recap the basics, as well as what changes for the 2020 Hyundai Palisade you’ll find at your local dealership. All models get three rows of seating, with capacity for seven or eight passengers, depending upon configuration and trim level. Sizewise, it’s right in line with the current Honda Pilot in length and width, while the Ford Explorer and Nissan Pathfinder are both a bit longer. Interior space benefits from the Palisade’s long 114.2-inch wheelbase, and the Hyundai tops its competition for second-row legroom and is bested only by the Explorer and Pilot in third-row legroom.
The main place our Palisade differs from the Korean-market model I drove earlier is the engine: U.S. models get a 3.8-liter direct-injected gasoline V6 coupled to an eight-speed automatic transmission. The V6 uses electronics and fancy valve control to perform a neat trick: When it can, it operates on what’s known as the Atkinson cycle, which generally means better fuel economy at the expense of low-end torque. But when torque is needed, during acceleration, towing or the like, the engine switches back to a conventional Otto cycle, which burns more fuel but gives good punch. With 291 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque, the Palisade’s V6 is in line with competitive non-turbocharged engines, and its 19/26/22 mpg city/highway/combined front-drive fuel economy rating is very competitive. Should you want the available all-wheel-drive system, it’s offered at all trim levels for an additional $1,700 plus a slight (19/24/21) fuel economy penalty.
In keeping with its family focus, the Palisade is packed with standard safety and driver assist gear: Forward collision avoidance assist, driver attention warning, lane keeping assist and a rear occupant alert system are all standard across the board, though notably blind-spot assist and rear cross-traffic detection aren’t available on the Palisade SE. Higher trims get a blind-spot camera on both sides of the vehicle that uses the instrument cluster display to show a view whenever the turn signal is activated. There’s also an available in-car intercom that lets the driver communicate more easily with second- and third-row passengers or, conversely, use the “rear sleep mode” that mutes the driver’s audio in the back rows. The infotainment system works with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and seven USB outlets ensure everyone can charge up.
Hyundai also paid attention to the light-duty towing needs of three-row SUV buyers. No, the Palisade isn’t intended to replace a full-size pickup, but it is rated to pull 5,000 pounds, and Hyundai reps pointed out that number is all day, every day, if need be. Every Palisade has a transmission cooler, trailer sway control and trailer hitch prewiring, with a hitch and load-leveling rear suspension available for the frequent towing club
The Execution
Moving from the Korean-market torquey turbodiesel to an Atkinson-cycle gas V6, I was expecting to like the U.S. Palisade from a packaging standpoint but be disappointed by its powertrain. My expectations were unfounded. Hyundai’s powertrain team did a fantastic job matching the 3.8-liter V6 and 8-speed automatic to our needs, and at no point did I legitimately miss the diesel engine (I can still pine for it, though).
Given the target market, let’s get the Palisade’s driving impressions out of the way and move on to the usability: As with my previous drive, the best description I can give is that the Palisade is a very easy vehicle with which to get comfortable. Sightlines are excellent with the exception of a large C-pillar blind spot when looking over one’s shoulders, and the driving position, controls and dynamics are going to make anyone shopping this segment happy. There’s simply nothing objectionable about the Palisade in any kind of daily driving or light off-road use.
Drop into the second row and that impression continues. I spent a half hour there and in the third row to get a feel for real-world comfort, and Hyundai again shows they’ve put a lot of thought into how passengers are going to use the Palisade. Seatbacks include a USB power port and a secondary mesh pocket sized for smartphones. Overhead air vents can be fully open, fully closed or closed with a ‘diffuser’ mode active, which allows conditioned air to reach passengers without blowing directly on them. And there’s room beneath the front seats for second-row passengers’ feet (less common than you'd think), which makes the space feel even larger than it is.
Accommodations in the third row aren’t quite as plush, but with the sliding second row adjusted forward just a bit (but still with plenty of room for my six-foot frame), it was perfectly adequate for a half hour. It’s easy to climb back there too – all Palisades get a slick one-touch tilt/slide feature on the second row, plus convenient grab handles built into the third row. The same diffuser vents and USB ports are present too, so a pair of kids could each have their own row with room to spread out, and there’s still 18 cubic feet of cargo room behind the third row – think a couple of golf bags worth of room, more if you pack it tightly. If you don’t need the seating, the third row offers power folding capability on SEL models (standard on Limited); the presence of that handy feature is one major differentiator between the Palisade and its platform-mate, the Kia Telluride.
The Verdict
For the midsize SUV shopper, there’s quite honestly nothing I don’t like about the 2020 Hyundai Palisade, especially when price is factored in. Yes, there’s a tremendous amount of value here, but price shouldn’t be the key selling point – the Palisade would be a top-tier competitor even at a higher MSRP.
Hyundai had better have its plants ready to crank: The 2020 Palisade is going to be a best-seller for the brand, and the Pilot, Highlander and Explorer have a true competitor nipping at their heels.
Given the number of Highlanders, Explorers and Traverses clogging most metro freeways, it may come as a shock that Hyundai, one of the largest-selling brands in the U.S. has, until now, been missing a true midsize SUV in its lineup. It’s a glaring omission the automaker has raced to rectify, with the stopgap Santa Fe XL serving as a placeholder until a true, fully realized midsize SUV was ready. That product, the Palisade, will be arriving at Hyundai dealerships as you read this; you already may have spotted the related Kia Telluride on the road.
Regular Autoweek readers may remember I drove the Korean-market Palisade diesel in Seoul last fall and came away very impressed, with the caveat that our (relatively) high-revving gasoline V6 would likely deliver a very different experience from that torque monster. After spending a full day with the U.S. Palisade, I can confidently say the reality is better than I expected. More about that in a moment.
First, let’s recap the basics, as well as what changes for the 2020 Hyundai Palisade you’ll find at your local dealership. All models get three rows of seating, with capacity for seven or eight passengers, depending upon configuration and trim level. Sizewise, it’s right in line with the current Honda Pilot in length and width, while the Ford Explorer and Nissan Pathfinder are both a bit longer. Interior space benefits from the Palisade’s long 114.2-inch wheelbase, and the Hyundai tops its competition for second-row legroom and is bested only by the Explorer and Pilot in third-row legroom.
The main place our Palisade differs from the Korean-market model I drove earlier is the engine: U.S. models get a 3.8-liter direct-injected gasoline V6 coupled to an eight-speed automatic transmission. The V6 uses electronics and fancy valve control to perform a neat trick: When it can, it operates on what’s known as the Atkinson cycle, which generally means better fuel economy at the expense of low-end torque. But when torque is needed, during acceleration, towing or the like, the engine switches back to a conventional Otto cycle, which burns more fuel but gives good punch. With 291 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque, the Palisade’s V6 is in line with competitive non-turbocharged engines, and its 19/26/22 mpg city/highway/combined front-drive fuel economy rating is very competitive. Should you want the available all-wheel-drive system, it’s offered at all trim levels for an additional $1,700 plus a slight (19/24/21) fuel economy penalty.
In keeping with its family focus, the Palisade is packed with standard safety and driver assist gear: Forward collision avoidance assist, driver attention warning, lane keeping assist and a rear occupant alert system are all standard across the board, though notably blind-spot assist and rear cross-traffic detection aren’t available on the Palisade SE. Higher trims get a blind-spot camera on both sides of the vehicle that uses the instrument cluster display to show a view whenever the turn signal is activated. There’s also an available in-car intercom that lets the driver communicate more easily with second- and third-row passengers or, conversely, use the “rear sleep mode” that mutes the driver’s audio in the back rows. The infotainment system works with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and seven USB outlets ensure everyone can charge up.
Hyundai also paid attention to the light-duty towing needs of three-row SUV buyers. No, the Palisade isn’t intended to replace a full-size pickup, but it is rated to pull 5,000 pounds, and Hyundai reps pointed out that number is all day, every day, if need be. Every Palisade has a transmission cooler, trailer sway control and trailer hitch prewiring, with a hitch and load-leveling rear suspension available for the frequent towing club
The Execution
Moving from the Korean-market torquey turbodiesel to an Atkinson-cycle gas V6, I was expecting to like the U.S. Palisade from a packaging standpoint but be disappointed by its powertrain. My expectations were unfounded. Hyundai’s powertrain team did a fantastic job matching the 3.8-liter V6 and 8-speed automatic to our needs, and at no point did I legitimately miss the diesel engine (I can still pine for it, though).
Given the target market, let’s get the Palisade’s driving impressions out of the way and move on to the usability: As with my previous drive, the best description I can give is that the Palisade is a very easy vehicle with which to get comfortable. Sightlines are excellent with the exception of a large C-pillar blind spot when looking over one’s shoulders, and the driving position, controls and dynamics are going to make anyone shopping this segment happy. There’s simply nothing objectionable about the Palisade in any kind of daily driving or light off-road use.
Drop into the second row and that impression continues. I spent a half hour there and in the third row to get a feel for real-world comfort, and Hyundai again shows they’ve put a lot of thought into how passengers are going to use the Palisade. Seatbacks include a USB power port and a secondary mesh pocket sized for smartphones. Overhead air vents can be fully open, fully closed or closed with a ‘diffuser’ mode active, which allows conditioned air to reach passengers without blowing directly on them. And there’s room beneath the front seats for second-row passengers’ feet (less common than you'd think), which makes the space feel even larger than it is.
Accommodations in the third row aren’t quite as plush, but with the sliding second row adjusted forward just a bit (but still with plenty of room for my six-foot frame), it was perfectly adequate for a half hour. It’s easy to climb back there too – all Palisades get a slick one-touch tilt/slide feature on the second row, plus convenient grab handles built into the third row. The same diffuser vents and USB ports are present too, so a pair of kids could each have their own row with room to spread out, and there’s still 18 cubic feet of cargo room behind the third row – think a couple of golf bags worth of room, more if you pack it tightly. If you don’t need the seating, the third row offers power folding capability on SEL models (standard on Limited); the presence of that handy feature is one major differentiator between the Palisade and its platform-mate, the Kia Telluride.
The Verdict
For the midsize SUV shopper, there’s quite honestly nothing I don’t like about the 2020 Hyundai Palisade, especially when price is factored in. Yes, there’s a tremendous amount of value here, but price shouldn’t be the key selling point – the Palisade would be a top-tier competitor even at a higher MSRP.
Hyundai had better have its plants ready to crank: The 2020 Palisade is going to be a best-seller for the brand, and the Pilot, Highlander and Explorer have a true competitor nipping at their heels.
