Hyundai Palisade review: Big seven-seat SUV could head to Australia

Hyundai’s new SUV features some clever tech, luxurious items and plenty of space that makes it a must have for any big family.

2020 Hyundai Palisade

Americans are renowned for their appetites. Big is beautiful, whether that’s super-size Maccas or a pick-up truck that literally throws shade on fellow motorists.

Think of the biggest SUVs we have and the US generally has a bigger one.

Hyundai’s Santa Fe is the brand’s flagship here; in the US, the Palisade seven-seater takes that role.

The Palisade is rumoured to be headed to Australia.

There are rumours the Palisade could head Down Under to challenge the likes of the Toyota Kluger and Mazda CX-9, although Hyundai won’t confirm or deny anything at this stage.

On a recent family holiday to the US, we got behind the wheel of one for a 2000km road trip in California.

The first thing you notice about the Palisade is the size. A couple of centimetres shy of 5m, it’s shorter than a CX-9 but longer than a Kluger.

With the third-row seats folded, it swallowed three jumbo-sized suitcases and three carry-on bags with plenty of room to spare.

The Palisade is still shorter than the Mazda CX-9.

Our range topping Limited version had two captain’s chairs with armrests instead of a bench in the middle row, creating easy access to the rearmost seats. Rear leg and headroom are generous for the second row but as with most seven-seaters the third row is best left for kids.

Every row has USB outlets, for a total of seven, while the front centre console has wireless charging for compatible phones and the rear seats have pockets to hold digital devices.

There are also clever tech innovations aimed specifically at families. “Driver Talk” works as a type of intercom, using the audio speakers to channel your voice to the rear pews for better communication at freeway speeds.

The Palisade has some nifty tech that is well suited to families.

You can also turn the audio down through the rear speakers, allowing you to listen to the radio without potentially disturbing sleeping kids. Both features work well.

Apart from the tech, there are plenty of visual cues you’re buying the flagship. The seats are stitched and quilted Nappa leather and the 12-speaker Harman Kardon audio with classy chrome speakers could have been lifted from a Mercedes or BMW.

If you’ve driven a new Genesis, the cabin will be familiar. The dash layout is equally high-end, with a large centre screen and a fully digital cockpit display.

The latter includes two video displays that activate when you’re changing lanes to show you any vehicles approaching from behind.

The Palisade has big chunky styling.

For most of the time, though, drivers will find the head-up display provides more than enough driving information, showing your speed and the prevailing limit, navigation directions, blind spot warnings and your audio track selection. In a deft touch, the brightness can be adjusted for maximum clarity.

Driving on LA freeways in peak-hour traffic can be harrowing for a tourist but the driver aids calmed the nerves until we left the city limits.

On the open road, the Palisade shines. Power comes from a 3.8-litre V6 that puts out a respectable 217kW and 355Nm, matched to a smooth-shifting conventional eight-speed transmission.

Californians have a fairly liberal interpretation of the speed limit, so having enough grunt under the bonnet is essential for overtaking or getting out of the way in a hurry.

The V6 delivered, although it was thirsty, with fuel consumption in double figures for most of our journey. In bumper to bumper LA traffic, we saw mid to high teens.

Our journey from LA to Mammoth was straight and flat, although the final climb to the ski fields presented an opportunity to test the mettle of the V6 and the “snow-mode” on the Palisade’s all-wheel drive set-up.

It worked well, adjusting torque between the front and rear wheels for maximum traction on the wet and slippery roads.

From Mammoth we drove through the mountains to San Francisco, before returning to LA on the spectacular Highway One, which tracks the coastline.

The spectacular winding clifftop roads around Big Sur proved the Palisade is no wallowing Yank tank. Limited by its size, bulk and high centre of gravity, it still felt planted, secure and predictable through the bends, helped by well weighted steering and impressively controlled suspension.

It was hard not to be impressed by the big Hyundai, although success here will depend on the brand’s ability to bring it in at a competitive price, which needs to be below $70,000 to challenge the Kluger and CX-9.

Verdict

The Palisade has the tech smarts, grunt and cabin quality to challenge the market leaders
— if the price is right.

Hyundai Palisade vitals

Price: About $70,000

Safety: Not yet rated, 9 airbags, AEB, active cruise, lane departure and blind spot warning

Engine: 3.8-litre V6, 217kW/355Nm

Thirst: 11L/100km (est)

Spare: Space-saver

Boot: 510L/1300L