2020 Hyundai Palisade Limited AWD

Hyundai recently introduced the all-new Palisade. This three-row SUV is spacious with great upfront legroom. It also seats seven to eight passengers depending on your seat configuration. The Limited is the premium trim over the SE and SEL.

A one-touch sliding 2nd row makes it easy to access the third row. Easy power folding and reclining 3rd row seats can make more cargo space — up to 86.4 cubic feet. The max towing capacity is 5,000 lbs.

The seven USB outlets and available wireless charging get power to everyone. My grandkids enjoyed what was once a long Christmas trip for the holidays. Now fully powered with their devices, they were always happily occupied.

When I did need their attention, I used the available Driver Talk in-car intercom, which makes it easy for the driver to communicate from the front. The Quiet Mode silences the rear speakers, which is helpful if the back seat passengers want some rest and quiet while the driver still wishes to listen to music.

The efficient powertrain is a 3.8-liter Atkinson Cycle V6 married to an 8-speed automatic transmission with SHIFTRONIC manual shift mode, delivering a maximum 291 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and a max torque of 262 lb.-ft. at 5,200 rpm. The fuel economy is rated at 19 mpg on city roads and 24 mpg on highways, for a 22-mpg combined average.

Cabin quietness adds to the quality of the ride. Good suspension and body strength reduce excessive body roll, providing a smooth and comfortable ride. Up front, a 10.25″ touchscreen dominates the center dashboard, and, standard on the Limited trim, another 12.3″ monitor serves as the fully digital instrument cluster. These two large screens keep everything in perspective. However, I would have preferred a larger radio volume knob placed further away from the smaller temperature setting knob. I always seemed to select the temperature knob as opposed to the volume knob.

Surprisingly, Palisade interior was remarkable for its class. The diamond stitched leather on the doors matched that found on the seating. Both went well with the suede-like headliners. The eight-way driver seat also added to my comfort.

The 60/40-split third row is a little snug for three adults and the seat material doesn’t appear to be of great quality, but the visibility for that third row is superb.

Outside, LED daytime running lights, automatic head lights, and accent lights were attractive and helpful as well as great for safety reasons. The front grille, skid plate, side mirrors with LED turn signals indicator, and dual panel sunroof add to the rich good looks and overall functionality of the vehicle.

Numerous safety features are standard. The most noteworthy and beneficial feature for me was the Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist. Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Avoidance Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, and Highway Driving Assist enhance the ensemble.

The leather-wrapped and heated 4-spoke steering was attractive, plus it felt good. But the overall vehicle handling was average. It was not as responsive as I had hoped. A journalist friend of mine described the steering as lacking “feedback.”

But overall quality was above average, and vehicle attractiveness was even better. The MSRP starts at $44,925 for the Limited model.

Warranty
5-year/60,000-mile New Vehicle Limited Warranty
10-year/100,000-mile Powertrain Limited Warranty
7-year/unlimited miles Anti-Perforation Warranty
5-year/unlimited miles 24-hour Roadside Assistance

Durhl Caussey writes a car column read around the world. He may be reached at this paper or [email protected].