Hyundai Palisade Limited – Could this be one of the best mid-size CUVs for the money?

Model year 2020 is quickly turning into a milestone season for the three-seat mid-size CUV segment. Earlier this year it spawned the Kia Telluride, followed a few months later by the Hyundai Palisade. The completely redesigned Ford Explorer (now using RWD) is following suit. While next-gen vehicles such as the Explorer and Toyota Highlander may have stronger name recognition, if you're shopping in this segment, the Palisade should be at the top of that list.

Before you ask, yes, the Hyundai Palisade does share the same unibody platform and powertrain with the Kia Telluride, which is an equally impressive vehicle. Despite being corporate cousins, these two ‘Utes have completely different styling, and target different, younger (?) buyers as well. In speaking to a Kia sales consultant, I asked if there had been any cross shopping between the two. Taking his answer verbatim, his reply was an affirmative No!

Whereas Kia's Telluride is handsome in a more upright, traditional mold, the Palisade plays it a bit more conservative. There is some strong DNA between it and Hyundai’s other crossovers (from the Tucson to the Santa Fe, as well as the environmentally friendly Kona). That fondness-with-familiarity thing likely isn't just because the Palisade is easier on the eyes the more you take in both its details and overall shape. It's because this vehicle is so well-engineered and seamlessly designed that it wins you over with the way it fits into your hectic family life. What's more, in Limited trim, the Palisade is luxurious enough to turn Genesis dealers green with envy.

Promising package

For starters, despite being classified as a midsize, the 2020 Palisade is big; bigger than any Hyundai before it, including the outgoing Santa Fe XL, as well as the almost forgotten Veracruz. If you're familiar with the Santa Fe XL, you should note that the Palisade is appreciably beefier in every dimension. It rides on a 4-inch longer wheelbase and spans 3 inches longer overall. It stands 2.4 inches taller and it's a whopping 3.6 inches wider.

Regardless of whether you're considering the more humble front-wheel-drive base Palisade SE ($32,645) or the top-tier Limited ($47,605 as tested) with HTRAC all-wheel drive ($1,700), power comes exclusively from a 3.8-liter naturally aspirated V6 paired to an eight-speed automatic, a partnership yielding 291-horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. If this chassis and powertrain combination has a defining characteristic, it's smoothness. The Palisade's power delivery is unexpectedly predictable and unfussy, with the defeatable stop-start system working unobtrusively enough that you might just leave it on. Even in motorized mode the Palisade might be considered quiet enough to be an EV.

To be clear, no matter what drive mode setting is chosen, this isn't a sporty crossover, compared to the Explorer ST. But because three-row SUVs function like 21st-century minivans as often as not, you're probably more concerned with avoiding sippy-cup spills than corner-carving prowess or 0-to-60 times. That said, I estimate the latter to be around 7.5 seconds, and it's possible to dial up more spritely throttle responses, firmer transmission shifts and heftier steering feel when Sport is selected. Plus, unlike Kia's Telluride, the Palisade is available with paddle shifters for increased manual control - useful on downhill grades for summoning engine braking or preparing for a quick pass.

Fuel economy is competitive but not remarkable for its segment; the same could be said for the Telluride. EPA estimates are rated at 19/26/22 city/highway/combined for FWD models. AWD models like our tester is listed at a shade less at 19/24/21 city/highway/combined and based on my calculations (besides the gauge which lists instantaneous mileage), these figures seem attainable. The only complaint I have regarding the powertrain is that there's no hybrid option to improve fuel efficiency, like the Highlander, and now 2020 Explorer.

Capable hauler

While it's no heavy-duty, body on frame ‘Ute, the Palisade pulls up impressive towing numbers for its class. A standard transmission cooler, electronic sway control and trailer prewiring means you'll just need a good hitch and a trailer with built-in brakes to tow up to 5,000 pounds. Limited models like our tester feature auto leveling rear air suspension, another nice feature when load lugging.

The Palisade also comes with just shy of 8 inches of ground clearance, yet it's no off-roader (although we took an equivalent Telluride on a very challenging off-road course). You'll be fine with off-pavement and inclement weather blizzards, but if you need more capability, you're going to want a body-on-frame vehicle.

Killer cabin

Three-row crossovers are all about carrying capacity and comfort, and the Palisade delivers as well as anything in its segment. All seats offer ample legroom, even the third row, which has easy one-touch access and a decently sized aperture that even allows full-size adults to clamber back there.

I ferried several senior adults to Dallas’ new Holocaust Museum, and everyone had plenty of space to themselves. It was even cool talking to the third seat passengers with the Driver Talk, which is available on the SEL and standard for the Limited. This feature allows the driver to speak to rear passengers through the stereo speakers. A head-up display is offered exclusively in the Palisade Limited

Seating is offered in configurations for seven or eight people, and in the case of our tester, those seats are covered in richly quilted Napa leather. Both the front and second-row seats feature heating as well as cooling. The second-row seats are particularly nice because they're elevated for better forward visibility, and the roof-mounted HVAC ducts feature clever wide-dispersion vents to curb uncomfortably direct airflow.

Unlike the Telluride, the Hyundai features a by-wire pushbutton shifting (which is becoming more popular on luxury vehicles, such as Lincoln), which allows for a large void under the floating center console to accommodate purses, tissue boxes, as well as electronic devices. In fact, there's tons of storage space along with a bevy of cupholders, USB ports (including some cleverly mounted ones in the seatbacks for second-row occupants) and so on.

One of my favorite items about the Palisade is its center console, which features two innovative cupholders. The holders feature a spring-loaded retractable brace which can be folded out of the way for more cubby space; and there’s a spring-loaded cover that closes that cubby hole. The only issue with that is that these cupholders are nonadjustable, yet will accommodate thermos cups, but no Big Gulps. Nitpicking? Perhaps. But in a vehicle that's all about family-minded convenience, it's an annoying and not insignificant design flub that rivals do without. Other missing features include an available Wi-Fi hotspot and rear-seat entertainment, although these days, tablets are cheaper, more versatile and less prone to obsolescence. Remember integrated mobile phones in 1990-era vehicles?

Otherwise, the Palisade offers an exemplary cabin that's loaded with class-above materials, especially in Limited trim, which also gets such niceties as a microsuede headliner surrounding a dual-element panoramic moonroof, Harman Kardon premium audio, a power-folding third row (a class rarity) and a fantastic head-up display. The single biggest upgrade may be going from lower-end models' 8-inch infotainment touchscreens to the 10.25-inch widescreen in our tester. The touchscreen is even integrated within the dashboard, unlike the somewhat tacked on screens found on the Telluride and all-new 2020 Explorer. All trim level head units are intuitive and feature standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, but the larger display is nicer and comes with two-source Bluetooth, plus a reconfigurable, fully digital gauge cluster.

I'd go so far as to suggest that in this high-content Limited trim, the Palisade feels every bit as premium as any Acura RDX, Buick Enclave Avenir, Infiniti QX60 or Lexus RX 350L, and it features smarter and easier-to-use tech than all of them. Suffice to say, even its most expensive guise, the Palisade isn't just worth the money, it borders on being an absolute bargain.

There's also a good amount of cargo space on offer. One of the cardinal sins of many three-row crossovers is that when every seat is occupied, there's little space for anything else. The now discontinued Santa Fe XL was guilty of this, but Hyundai evidently learned the error of its ways. The Palisade delivers a useful 18 cubic feet of storage behind the third row and there's over 45 cubic feet with the way-backs folded. With the second-row seats folded down, there’s an additional 86 cubes available.

As one would expect, the Palisade is packed with a plethora of safety features, such as Blind Spot Collision Warning, which takes that feature to the next level. Besides the typical warning symbol imbedded in both side mirrors, it makes an audible sound when the turn signal is engaged. But it also provides you with a yellow indicator on the heads-up display. Adapted cruise control is also part of the Limited’s package. About the only convenience feature not available on the Palisade is the ??????. The Palisade is available with a handful of other advanced driver-assist systems as well, including a 360-degree camera coverage, rear occupant alert (ROA) to prevent leaving your Precious, rear cross-traffic alert and blind-spot warning - a feature I wish came standard.

There are even some unexpected safety watchdogs on offer, including an even more powerful ultrasonic occupant detector capable of sending a warning to the driver's phone via Blue Link telematics, Safe Exit Assist (to prevent opening a door into oncoming traffic) and a particularly trick blind-spot viewing system that displays a rear camera feed in the gauge cluster when the turn signals are activated (left on the speedo, right on the tach). Limited models also feature a smarter version of the base model's intelligent cruise control hardware, a hands-on system that combines in-lane centering and a forward-facing camera that reads speed-limit signs and adjusts vehicle speed accordingly. It's an impressive amount of gear for a vehicle in this class.

With the Hyundai (as well as Kia) versions this good, one can only imagine how nice the Genesis GV80 will be. Cadillac and Lincoln better take note, as well as Lexus and Infiniti.

The Digital Key.

If you're sensing that the Palisade offers a lot of features for the money, you're getting the picture. But you may yet be missing out on how well executed and enjoyable the Palisade is overall. This isn't just one of the best new crossovers to hit the market, it's one of the best on the market, bar none.

Naturally, Hyundai won't be able to keep a secret this good to itself for long – the Genesis (Palisade and Telluride based) GV80 SUV is just around the corner.

What we tested: 2020 Hyundai Palisade Limited Powertrain: 291-hp, 3.8-liter V6 engine, eight-speed automatic transmission, all-wheel drive MSRP: $46,400 Options: None Destination fee: $1,045 Total cost: $47,605