HYUNDAI Palisade 2020

Body, cabin and cargo space

The Hyundai Palisade immediately looks more massive than the Santa Fe XL it replaces, and its increased dimensions position it squarely in the midsize SUV segment. For something really larger, you’d have to turn to the Buick Enclave/Chevrolet Traverse or Dodge Durango.

With 5.1 cm more legroom, second-row passengers gain the most from the expanded dimensions. This is actually one of the roomiest cabins in its class, which benefits the other occupants as well. Adults can even fit in the third row, if they can tolerate the seating position. To transport more than four people, nothing can beat a minivan.

The same is true of cargo space, notably because no SUV offers as low a floor as a minivan. Nonetheless, usable volume with the third row folded should easily meet the needs of a nuclear family. The load floor remains flat when the middle row is dropped, and the width between the sides is impressive. However, it is unfortunate that the sides are lined in cheap plastic that will scratch easily.

The wide front seats accommodate people of all sizes without neglecting support, and they seemed a bit more comfortable than in the Telluride. The high, unrestricted driving position is particularly suited to tall people; others may find the armrests too far away. Worth noting, the Palisade eliminates the fake grab handles found on the Kia Telluride’s centre console, on which several of our testers were constantly bumping their knees.

Like most Hyundai products, the Palisade stands out for its simple controls. The new 10.25-inch touch screen has a more elaborate version of Hyundai’s usual interface but it is every bit as logical. Numerous physical buttons and knobs make things even easier, though some are a long reach and hard to identify. Unfortunately, Hyundai is replacing them in certain vehicles with impractical touch controls; we hope it is not a sign of things to come.

The push-button gear selector is less intuitive than a traditional lever, but it takes up less space. As a result the Palisade offers even more storage than the Telluride, including a large open bin under the console. With Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, heated steering wheel, adaptive cruise control, no less than seven USB outlets and 16 cup holders, even the most affordable Palisade has no lack of convenience features. But you’d have to opt for the Palisade Preferred, costing $700 more than the Telluride EX, to get the feature content of the latter—if that.

Other highlights

Rear seats: sliding second row is practical to increase space in the third row. Sufficient height for good thigh support. Cushions too flat for proper support; the optional captain’s chairs have better padding. Reclining seatbacks fold at the touch of a button in the cargo area or on the side of the cushion. Heated seats starting on Preferred model; Ultimate adds ventilated seats and a power folding and reclining third-row bench.

Instrumentation: very clear traditional dials. Trip computer is easy to use; Luxury and Ultimate models display a side view of the vehicle when the turn signal is activated. 12.3-inch digital screen and head-up display restricted to Ultimate trim.

Safety features

• Antilock brakes with electronic brake force distribution and brake assist
• Stability and traction control
• Hill start assist
• Hill descent assist (with all-wheel drive)
• Trailer anti-sway control
• Front airbags
• Driver knee airbag
• Front side airbags
• Side curtain airbags
• Pretensioners for front seatbelts
• Seven or eight head restraints, adjustable on outboard seats and retracting on middle seats
• Rear occupant alert
• Automatic rear-door locking prevents exit if a vehicle is approaching from behind (standard, Preferred, Luxury and Ultimate; unavailable, Essential)
• Tire pressure monitoring
• Rear-view camera
• Rear parking sensors
• Forward collision alert
• Automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection
• Lane departure alert with automatic steering assist
• Lane keeping assist
• Adaptive cruise control
• Automatic high beams
• Driver attention warning
• Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert with automatic braking (standard, Preferred, Luxury and Ultimate; unavailable, Essential)
• Front parking sensors and surround-view monitoring (standard, Luxury and Ultimate; unavailable, Essential and Preferred)

Crash test results

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Overall score: 5 / 5
Frontal impact: 5 / 5
Side impact: 5 / 5
Rollover resistance: 4 / 5

Insurance Institute For Highway Safety (IIHS)
Moderate overlap frontal impact: 4 / 4
Small overlap frontal impact:
- driver side: 4 / 4
- passenger side: 4 / 4
Side impact: 4 / 4
Rear impact: 4 / 4
Roof strength: 4 / 4

IIHS Top Safety Pick

Visibility

Good visibility for an SUV as high as the Hyundai Palisade, thanks to good glass surface and large side mirrors. Thick B-pillars are a hindrance when checking blind spot; blind-spot monitor partially compensates but is available only on second trim level and up. Surround-view cameras help when parking this large vehicle.

Headlights: LED projectors on Luxury and Ultimate models received top marks from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for providing excellent visibility in all directions. The halogen projectors on Essential and Preferred versions light a much shorter path, especially in turns, earning a Marginal rating (2/4).

Mechanical overview

Hyundai did not start from scratch when it designed the mechanical workings of the Palisade, which is a very good thing. By adapting components of the Santa Fe XL (or Kia Sorento, of the same family), the automaker aimed to reduce the risks to reliability inherent in a completely new design.

Stiffer than that of the Santa Fe XL, the structure delivers excellent crash protection and improved roadability. A more solid platform allows the engineers to soften the ride without affecting handling. Hyundai’s engineers have reworked the suspension of their other large SUVs with that in mind.

They also took into account the Hyundai Palisade’s 100 kg or so of additional weight, relative to its predecessor. Enlarging a vehicle and adding equipment inevitably means extra poundage.

The engine respects the same theory of evolution. The Palisade V6 runs on the Atkinson combustion cycle, which promotes fuel economy at the cost of a reduction in torque, compared to the traditional Otto cycle. To compensate, Hyundai increased the capacity of the Santa Fe XL’s 3.3L direct injection engine to 3.8L. Power is more or less the same, whereas torque gets a 10 lb-ft boost.

The “new” engine is hooked to an eight-speed automatic transmission, two gears more than before. This very recent transmission is built by Hyundai, not by an independent supplier; it includes a manual mode, practical for towing and in hilly terrain.

Most models are equipped with part-time all-wheel drive, which transfers torque to the rear wheels when the front wheels slip, during acceleration or in certain high-speed turns. Sport or Snow modes can be selected to increase the proportion of torque sent to the rear; the torque split can also be locked 50/50, to help drive out of a snow bank, for example.

Despite its extra power and weight, the Palisade’s combined fuel consumption rating of 11.1 L/100 km (Natural Resources Canada) is 5 percent lower than the Santa Fe XL’s—and 12 percent lower when comparing the Ultimate version of the two models.

In real-world driving, we measured 9.9 L/100 km on a route comprising three-quarters highway. That’s better than the result recorded with a Hyundai Santa Fe (non XL)—a smaller, lighter vehicle equipped with a turbocharged four-cylinder that is much less powerful than the Palisade’s V6.

Driving impressions

Should we expect sporty behaviour from a five-metre-long SUV? Of course not. In fact, the only vehicle in the segment with a penchant for dynamic driving is the Mazda CX‑9. The Palisade is all about smoothness and balance.

Even with large, 20-inch wheels, the ride is distinguished by its comfort. The body is stable on good highways and poor back-country roads alike. Even the bumps and potholes so ubiquitous in urban environments barely register in the cabin.

The very quiet interior also contributes to the serene experience. Any noise infiltrating the cabin comes mostly from the engine compartment during acceleration. But the refined engine note we have here would not be out of place in a luxury vehicle.

It is a reminder that a good V6 is still relevant, even as four-cylinder turbo engines become more and more common. True, a CX‑9 or a Subaru Ascent turbocharged four delivers more low-end punch. But the Palisade’s six-cylinder takes the palm for smoothness and linearity, with performance that is every bit as decent if you just push the tachometer needle a bit.

The transmission is similarly distinctive for its fluid operation, with none of the jerking that afflicts certain competing eight-, nine- or ten‑speed gearboxes. That said, we’d like quicker response when extra power is needed. It often takes a prod of the accelerator to get it to downshift, even up a slight incline.

Rushing the Palisade does not bring out its best, as confirmed by the uncommunicative (though precise) steering and weighty feel in turns. In normal driving, however, Hyundai’s new flagship SUV is a real standout.

Other highlights

Braking: very good power. Just-right pedal firmness and linear response, from the beginning of the brake stroke. Straight-line panic stops.

Driving assistance: high-end versions display an image of the side of the vehicle on the instrument panel when the turn signal is activated. This is especially useful when waiting at an intersection, to ensure no one has entered the blind spot. During driving, the alerts on the side mirrors do the job without obliging the driver to glance elsewhere during a manoeuvre.

Lane-departure warning and adaptive cruise control are too intrusive; lane keeping assist is too abrupt. The sensitivity of each system can be adjusted individually, or the system switched off.