Hyundai has been nothing but astonishing in their efforts of putting out vehicles that please everyone that crosses their showrooms and this is something that I wouldn’t have expected of the manufacturer a couple of years ago. Vehicles like the Veloster N, The EV Kona, and the Genesis lineup definitely proves that Hyundai has worked tirelessly to set up a portfolio that is destined to turn any open-minded individual into a customer no matter what their preferences are. 2020 Hyundai Palisade, therefore, is no exception to this winning streak of theirs as it is nothing short of exceptional in its segment!
The Hyundai Palisade slots in the Hyundai portfolio by kicking out the existing Santa Fe XL and the Palisade is a damn well worthy replacement. Built on a shared platform and underpinnings as the Kia Telluride, I certainly had exceedingly high hopes from the Palisade as the Telluride has taken the mid-size SUV segment by storm. No other vehicle has been able to perform such a clean sweep over all the awards, critics, and most importantly the consumers.
The Palisade, in all honesty, is every bit a Telluride underneath due to the shared engineering, and either vehicle is great options for anybody cross-shopping mid-size SUV’s. It more or less would come down to personal taste and preference of the individual as both have highly contrasting exterior styles and whereas the Telluride is just that bit sporty than the Palisade, it is the Hyundai that has the slight edge in luxuriousness and feeling a tad bit more upmarket.
Should I Buy the Hyundai Palisade?
The Hyundai Palisade may very well be an extremely new offering in its particular segment but is already a top pick by a mile. The Palisade is filled to the gills with comfort, value, and capability which make it extremely desirable for all the potential customers. The Palisade is available in a total of three trims in the form of SE, SEL, and Limited, and no matter which one the customer decides to opt for, the value proposition that the Palisade holds is remarkable, to say the least.
The 3.8 liter V6 that pushes out a commendable 291 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission that is identical to the Telluride even though Kia has definitely fiddled with the transmission tuning as on throttle upshifts on the KIA are noticeably more violent.
The Hyundai Palisade has an interior that is somewhat of a dream in this segment as most of the rivals tend to offer bland and uninspiring cabins that make the Palisade reign supreme right alongside the Telluride. The Telluride might share most of its components with the Palisade, but the top-level equipment is noticeably longer on the Palisade.
Unlike the Telluride’s 7 inch display between analog gauges, Hyundai employs a fully digital 12.3-inch setup that sets it apart from its sibling. The fact that the Palisade features a power-folding third-row over the Telluride’s manual setup shows that Hyundai purposely has put more emphasis on the luxury aspect of the Palisade.
Hyundai Palisade Versus the Competition
The Palisade also has a neat push-button style selector for the transmission instead for the regular shifter in the Telluride which helps open up a considerable amount of storage space in the center console. All in all, the Palisade trumps the Telluride when it comes to the interiors, but either of the cabins is leagues ahead of their segment and it is just as shocking to us as it might be to you that we wouldn’t be wrong in pitching these interiors right next to the very best from Deutschland-it has heating and ventilation even in the second-row seats for crying out loud!
The Korean twin SUV’s are definitely the bargain of the century as they offer an unparalleled level of safety and convenience features in their kitty coming in strong with stuff like Surround View Monitoring, Safe Exit Assist, Forward Collision-Avoidance and a 5 star NHTSA Rating to name the most notable, it is not even up for debate that the Palisade is the most influential kid on the block.
For many consumers it becomes tough to shake off a stereotypical image of a manufacturer and America has definitely not been very kind to Hyundai in the past, but with the level of potential in the entire Hyundai fleet currently, it is tough to not recommend it. Coming back to the Hyundai Palisade and pondering over the question of whether the Palisade is the Best Mid-Size SUV in its category?- It most definitely is!
The Kia Telluride might have swooped away awards like the Top Safety Pick and the North American SUV of the Year due to it being a little earlier to the game, but the Hyundai is more or less its mirror image that is just as brilliant if not more. The exterior designs of both vehicles might be the biggest differentiating factor as to which one you choose as both promise an identical ownership experience but the Palisade and the Telluride as well are definitely the only mid-size SUV’s that should be on your shopping list!