The New 2020 Palisade
July 23 2019, Max Landi - TheDriveGuyde
OVERVIEW
2020 Palisade
The Hyundai three-row SUV is reborn with the first ever Palisade. The 2020 Palisade is the successor to the previous placeholder of the midsize three-row SUV segment, the Santa Fe XL. The Palisade is a major departure from the Santa Fe XL with a bold new look and a passenger configuration for seven or eight seats, depending on the trim specification. The face of the Palisade does feature a recognizable appearance to the other Hyundai SUV's such as the Kona and recently renewed Santa Fe. The disconnected headlight and daytime running lights continue to be a clever design trick to make the face of this SUV a touch more aggressive than its competitors.
Although the exterior design is a major talking point for the Palisade, the interior space and usability is what consumers are seeking in this segment. The three rows can comfortably accommodate six footers in all of the outside seats with enough USB ports to charge their devices and an independent climate control for the rear to keep passengers comfortable. Adults and children alike will greatly appreciate the Palisade's one-touch second row folding seats that will grant effortless access to the third row. All seats can be laid flat to the grant this SUV a van-like carrying capacity of 2,447 litres.
Material use and build quality inside the Palisade is excellent. Storage is abound throughout the cabin as well. The driver and front row passenger will admire the clever storage solutions offered by the hollow central compartment, fold-away cupholders and a deep centre console. The standard cloth seats and leather seats have the ability to be heated and cooled in both the front row and second row. The active safety systems available in the Palisade are the latest systems offered by the Korean brand. The adaptive cruise control and lane following assist can keep the Palisade within its lane without driver input up to a maximum of two minutes.
All of the Palisade's come with a naturally-aspirated 3.8L V6 engine that pumps out 291 horsepower with 262lb/ft of torque. For the entry level Palisade, it will send that power to the front wheels only but the HTRAC all-wheel-drive is an optional upgrade. All of the remaining trims will include AWD as standard. A rotary dial is prominent on the centre console that will alter the Palisade's on-road and off-road driving characteristics between the four different Drive mode (including Comfort, Eco, Sport and Smart) with Terrain modes featuring another three to choose from (Snow, Mud, Sand).
The all-new Palisade offers a lot of technology, space and refinement even for this highly competitive segment. Test drive one today at Hyundai Gallery on Lake Fraser Drive SE.
