Korean luxo barge
Hyundai has a new flagship in the US and it is the Palisade. It is available with a diesel engine in some parts of the world as well. Will it do well in India? Read on to find out
The Palisade and the Telluride are essentially the same vehicle under the skin, as far as the hardware goes. However they look very different. The Hyundai is the brash, blingy younger brother (older in this case) but overall the design conforms to the design language currently pursued by the Korean company. The grille on the Palisade is an overgrown version of the one on the Venue while the headlamp treatment is exactly the same as that on the new Creta that has just been launched in India. Overall, the design of the Hyundai is like a lot of bold and inthe-face style elements put together for a rather disconcerting whole that may not please everyone, just like that of the new Creta.
On the inside, there is nothing t o not like. The cabin of the Palisade looks as if it is a generation ahead of even the Telluride. It gets the 12.4in LCD screen for an instrument panel and heated and ventilated seats even on the second row. Although slightly shorter than its sibling, space is not of concern. Like the Sonata, it gets buttons in place of the traditional gear lever and that frees up a lot of space in the centre console between the seats. To drive, the engine feels the same but the suspension is tuned more for comfort and ride quality than sportiness. The rear suspension is set-up so that body roll is also less. Overall the drive feels plusher and the car feels more grown up.
Another big difference is in the equipment list of the two siblings. While the Kia is well equipped, the Palisade is just a level above anything else in that segment and price bracket. For example there are 12 cup holders and four bottle holder, In addition, there are seven USB charging points – one for each of the seven passengers, and there is wireless charging up front. And the rear seats fold over electrically at the touch of a button. And if that’s not all, there is a heads-up display, blind view monitor, just like on the Sonata, a rear seat quiet mode and also an in-car intercom for the driver. Indians will love these features and also the looks given the reaction to the Creta and Hyundai should plan to bring the car to India, sooner rather than later!