A larger, fancier, flagship utility vehicle to fit the whole family

The eight-passenger Palisade arriving this summer is Hyundai’s biggest and boldest utility vehicle since the Veracruz tall wagon was cancelled in 2012.

The Palisade is also a solid replacement for the seven-passenger Santa Fe XL that was essentially a carry-over for 2019.

Compared to the XL, the Palisade has 4 more inches between the front and rear wheels. It’s built on a new platform that will be shared with Kia’s upcoming and range-topping Telluride utility vehicle. The Palisade will be built in Korea.

Overall length has increased by 3 inches and the body is taller by roughly 2.5 inches. Those numbers position the Palisade mid-pack with the competition, but at or near the top for passenger volume, which is especially good news for adults occupying the third row.

The cabin also stands apart from the crowd. The 8-inch touchscreen is positioned adjacent to the gauges (a 10.3incher is optional), while the wide floor console mounts the transmission’s pushbuttons and stores assorted valuables. A grand total of 16 cup holders is particularly good news for beverage lovers wherever they’re seated.

Unlike other Hyundai models, the Palisade has an imposing grille that’s wrapped with a wide band of bling. The rounded fenders and bumper edges contain projector beam headlamps and available LED running lights. The taillights tie into the rear fenders in similar fashion. Hyundai’s design team definitely avoided anonymity in sculpting this big machine.

Despite the Palisade’s aggressive exterior, Hyundai installed a rather standard engine. The 3.8-liter V6 puts out 291 horsepower and 262 poundfeet of torque, which is actually ahead of most of the competition. The Palisade can tow up to 5,000 pounds. The sole transmission is an eight-speed automatic.

It’s still too early for fuel-economy figures, but based on similar non-turbo V6 engines installed in competitive vehicles, you can expect a combined city/highway rating in the low 20-mpg range.

That figure would be reduced slightly for Palisades equipped with optional all-wheel drive. The system has Normal, Sport (sends more torque to the rear wheels), Snow (varies torque between the left and right wheels for increased traction), and Smart (eco) settings. As well, the AWD’s locking differential increases traction at lower speeds in slippery conditions.

The Palisade will be available in SE, SEL, SEL Plus, Limited, and Ultimate trims. As of this writing, official pricing is not available, but the typical basemodel starting point for competing utility vehicles is in the low-$30,000 range, including destination fees (add about $2,000 more for AWD).

Buyers get an assortment of activesafety technology plus Safe Exit Assist.

It warns the driver and will actually prevent the rear doors from opening if a vehicle approaches from behind.

The options list includes a panoramic sunroof, navigation system, head-up information display, 12-speaker Infinity-brand audio, and 20-inch wheels (18-inchers are standard).

Also optional is an intercom system that allows those in back to communicate with the first-class riders in the front row. An interesting extra is Rear Occupant Alert. Its sensors can detect any movement inside the Palisade after the car has been locked from the outside, which causes the horn to honk and issues an alert to the driver’s smart phone. With it, you’ll never accidentally leave the kids behind again.

Selecting the top-drawer Palisade Ultimate will puff up the price considerably, but it ensures that no option from the Hyundai playbook is left behind. Both it and the Limited trim can be fitted with second-row high-back bucket seats — just like in a private jet — in place of the splitfolding bench seat.

The Palisade will agree with a growing legion of big-and-tall-wagon buyers wanting plenty of room for themselves and the gang, and enough comfort and performance to make the journey a relatively effortless experience.