Introduced a few years ago, the Hyundai Palisade and its sibling Kia Telluride where big hits, offering 3-rows of space, great looks and equipment all at an excellent price. There was definitely a boundary, though. The Kia was the broad-shouldered trucky sibling, where the Hyundai was softer, a bit more luxurious. Frankly, we gravitated towards the Kia – we just liked its vibe a little more.
Well for 2023, Hyundai has upgraded the Palisade, and we’re excited to see a more rugged look, along with an improved interior and added features. Is it enough to sway us away from the Kia? Let’s take a look.
Bolder and Badder
If first appearances mean anything, Hyundai is on the right path.
We already liked the front of the Palisade, but they’ve cleaned up the look to be more aggressive and sharper. The grille is wider and squared off, with new vertical LED composite lights and a lower grille that extends the look.
The profile remains handsome and modern and reminds us of the Volvo XC90 Recharge we recently tested. Being a Calligraphy model, touches like body-color overfenders and a bit chrome add an upscale look. Finishing off the view are handsome 20-inch alloy wheels that are unique to the Calligraphy.
The rear matches the front’s clean lines, with a large H badge and P A L I S A D E spelled out in big block letters. A carved-in rear design to the hatch and some chrome on the lower fascia add some bling. We also loved the Typhoon Silver paint on our tester – adding to the upscale look and really helping to show off the clean lines.
Luxurious and Elegant
While the Palisade’s exterior looks a bit more macho, the interior takes an upward step with new premium features.
Open the door and the sweet smell of Nappa leather greets your nose. Added plushness starts with a new Ergo driver’s seat that’s been redesigned for more comfort and to reduce fatigue. There are no bad seats in this house – the Calligraphy serves up heated and ventilated second row Captain’s Chairs, even the adult-friendly 3rd row seats are heated – the first on a Hyundai!
Sit down in that supportive Ergo seat and you’ll find an updated interior, including the new Hyundai signature horizontal spoke steering wheel, and slim-design horizontal air vents that serve up a sleeker look. Take a minute to look around, you’ll find high-end materials and tasteful design. This is a nice place to be.
We love the digital gauge displays, with speedometer on the left and tachometer on the right that become a camera display for that side when you’re signaling for a turn. There’s a big and beautiful 12.3-inch info-tainment display, and Hyundai kicks up the connectivity in high gear for 2023, with an available Wi-Fi hotspot – the first in a Hyundai – plus wireless charging upgraded from 5 watts to 15 watts for faster charging, and Hyundai Digital Key that lets you leave your keys at home. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay look great on the big screen, although you still have to plug in with a chord to use them.
We’re usually not fans of pushbutton gearshift controls, but we’ve gotten used to the Hyundai system, and it’s easy to use. We still like shift levers, to be honest – even a stubby little lever like the Lexus NX we recently tested would have been nice.
Other goodies that make life wonderful include a heated steering wheel, digital rearview mirror, and Ambient lighting. We also like the rubberized pushbuttons that feel good to the fingertips and seem resistant to smudges. Little things, that add up to a big feeling of quality.
Loading cargo is easy – walk up to the rear of the Palisade and it senses your key and automatically opens the generously sized rear hatch. Space with the 3rd row seat up is good, and they easily power down to make an impressive cargo hold. There’s also a handy hidden cargo area under the floor to keep valuables, or muddy gear you don’t want to mess up the back. Need more space? The second-row chairs also power down and with them folded it’s huuuuuuuuuuge back there!
Smooth and Powerful
For 2023, the Palisade remains a powerful performer, thanks to its 3.8-liter, V6 pushing out a respectable 291 hp, and 262 lb.-ft of torque. The eight-speed transmission is responsive and turning that large Mode knob into Sport mode gave our all-wheel-drive tester quick acceleration and a throaty sound that made us smile every time we gave it the boot. Do that too much, and fuel economy will suffer. But show some restraint, and you should be able hit the EPA 21 combined MPG rating. This is a big vehicle, remember!
That powerful engine pays dividends when towing, with a 5,000 lb. capacity that should let you bring the big toys. And on models like our tester with the HTRAC AWD, there’s a new Tow Mode that adjusts the towing powertrain profile, holds lower gears longer and reduces the frequency of shifting response. Nice.
Also nice is a quiet and comfortable ride, and we were impressed that the Palisade drives smaller than it is – making it easy to negotiate traffic, fit into parking spaces (especially with Hyundai’s handy surround view monitor) and even twisty roads are a bit of fun. We also like Hyundai’s driver assist systems like the stop and go cruise control – a blessing on LA’s often gridlocked 405 freeway.
Hyundai makes a big deal about safety, and for 2023 they’ve upped the game with standard rear side-impact air bags, an excellent addition to the arms-length list of standard gear, including Forward Collision warning with Pedestrian Detection, Lane Keep and Lane Following Assist, High Beam include Blind Spot Collision Avoidance, Safe Exit Assist, Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist, an even Ultrasonic Rear Occupant Alert, that senses if you had a pet or passenger in the back seat, and warns you to check the back before you leave. You feel very well looked after.
Big Price to Match?
Not bad at all! You can get into a Palisade SE front wheel drive starting at $36,400. For a handsome 3-row SUV, loaded with a powerful V6, a beautiful interior and loads of safety equipment we think it’s a big bargain. Our Calligraphy model is the fully loaded edition and started at $51,100. The nice thing about a fully loaded Hyundai – options not necessary! Other than $215 for carpeted floor mats, and $1,295 for destination, we rang the bell at $52,610.
With the bold new looks, the comparison with its sibling the Kia Telluride is even closer. A comparable model comes in at $53,375. Either one is a great choice – we think it just comes down to your personal style. Another stylish competitor would be the all-new Mazda CX-90, at $61,920 it’s clear that Mazda is pushing the brand upstream. The Mazda’s 3rd row is notably smaller, though. Feeling European? We loved the Volvo XC90 we recently tested but at $72,295 comparably equipped, it’s a much more expensive vehicle.
With crisp new looks inside and out, loads of room, added features and excellent value, the 2023 Hyundai Palisade is a great choice in a 3-row SUV!
Ben Lewis grew up in Chicago, and after spending his formative years driving sideways in the winter – often intentionally – moved to sunny Southern California. He now enjoys sunny weather year-round — whether it is autocross driving, aerobatics, and learning to surf.