The 2021 Hyundai Palisade is Hyundai’s emphatic reply to long-time three-row crossover favorites just like the Ford Explorer, Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander. It’s a correctly giant automobile that’s loaded up with family-friendly options, luxurious expertise and made elegant via excellent design and styling.
It’s such a robust contender for a first-try effort that after driving it a few instances, we really feel snug calling it a section chief. Mixed with its Kia Telluride platform mate, the duo make up a formidable one-two punch from Korea. Hyundai’s Palisade is the extra luxurious of the 2, and will arguably compete with entry-level luxurious SUVs just like the Volvo XC90 or Cadillac XT6 in its most decadent trims.
The Palisade’s gross sales success — 81,905 bought in 2020 — is already proof that Hyundai is discovering traction on this crossover-hungry market. Contemplating the recognition, we determined it was time to see the way it stands up within the long-haul. Learn on to be taught extra about why we picked the Palisade and what precisely (trim, choices, colours) might be sitting in our driveways over the following 12 months.
It is possible for you to to seek out all future posts by going to our Lengthy-Time period 2021 Hyundai Palisade web page.
Why we bought it
We’ve pushed the Palisade, in addition to its cousin the Kia Telluride, earlier than, and thought it was a superb crossover at an unbelievable worth, contemplating the area and content material you get for the worth. We needed to see what it might be wish to dwell with for a very long time, and discover a number of the finer particulars and easy-to-overlook options. We really feel like Hyundai (together with associated manufacturers Kia and Genesis) are doing no matter they will to punch above their weight, and we wish to see if that near-luxury persona maintains its sheen over a 12 months of driving.
Additionally, as we’ve talked about earlier than on The Autoblog Podcast, the Palisade is definitely a automobile this creator’s partner is contemplating as a substitute to her smaller crossover. How effectively can it accommodate a household of 4, their pets and a week-and-a-half’s value of bags on a 1,700-mile highway journey? (That might be our first long-term replace, coming quickly.) What’s the real-world gasoline financial system? Which of these nifty options will we proceed to seek out helpful months down the highway, and what failings will present themselves over 1000’s of miles? Will our white leather-based seats actually be free from the thriller stink that plagued earlier builds?
The Palisade is just in its second mannequin 12 months, so there’s nonetheless a lot to study what has already confirmed to be a preferred crossover. We’ll you should definitely get a number of updates overlaying the nitty-gritty particulars from quite a few Autoblog editors over the approaching months.
What we bought
As is normally the case with a Hyundai, you do not have to spend so much to get one thing utterly loaded with content material. Our Palisade is not any exception, as it is the new-for-2021 Calligraphy trim, which leapfrogs over the Restricted because the range-topping trim. As we element in our 2021 Hyundai Palisade overview, the Calligraphy provides a novel grille and taillights, elaborate 20-inch wheels, puddle lights, wider prime brake mild, quilted leather-based doorways and seatbacks, a microfiber headliner and a perforated leather-wrapped steering wheel. Ours comes within the Moonlight Cloud exterior paint with the Gentle Beige inside.
Like all the opposite Palisades, it’s powered by a 3.8-liter V6 offering 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. That energy goes to all 4 wheels by way of an eight-speed automated transmission and an all-wheel drive system full with a Snow mode. It is rated at 19 miles per gallon within the metropolis, 24 mpg freeway and 21 mixed.
The Calligraphy additionally enjoys numerous normal options that make life simpler, safer and extra snug. It has a ten.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a wi-fi cellphone charger, digital instrument cluster, head-up show, Harman Kardon audio system, heated and ventilated seats for the primary two rows, guide window shades for the rear rows. It has adaptive cruise management with lane following help. It additionally options the slick blind-spot warning system that exhibits dwell digital camera feeds of your blind spot on the instrument cluster if you use the flip sign.
The Palisade Calligraphy AWD begins at $48,925, together with $1,175 in vacation spot charges. Our tester provides carpeted ground mats ($180) and a rear cargo tray ($150) for a complete sticker value of $49,255.
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