‘Flagship’ isn’t a label that’s simply thrown around in the auto industry. These vehicles, expected to push sales and represent the best of what a company has to offer, carry a lot of weight on their fenders. So hopefully, the Hyundai Palisade can live up to expectations.
“The new 2020 Hyundai Palisade clearly evokes design imagery worthy of Hyundai’s flagship SUV, with new levels of all-road, all-weather capability, technology, safety, roominess, and efficiency, all packaged in cutting-edge design,” said Mike O’Brien, vice president of product planning for Hyundai Motor America.
“This new Hyundai SUV is the ultimate family vehicle for practical, comfortable daily use and memory-making road trips whenever the appeal of the open road should beckon,” he added.
To sum that up, the Palisade is supposed to be a premium, Korean-made package of practicality, comfort, and performance.
Design-wise, this might be Hyundai’s most American-looking car to date: It’s massive (the wheelbase is longer than a Ford Explorer’s) and runs on equally large 20-inch wheels. Several design cues—like the flashy chrome accents and the classy taillights—convey a very professional demeanor. The vehicle is muscular at the same time, thanks to big foglight housings, an elongated hood, and a no-nonsense silhouette.
The Palisade packs three rows and can fit up to eight individuals. Seats are wrapped in attractive quilted nappa leather, and second-row seats fold down at the touch of a button for easy access to the rear. Other niceties include premium wood trim on the instrument panels and doors, a 12.3-inch fully-digital TFT center instrument cluster, and a heads-up display.
Only one powertrain is available: a 3.8-liter V6 engine capable of 291hp and 355Nm of torque, mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Included safety tech? Forward collision avoidance, pedestrian detection, lane-assist systems—this model is getting the works.
So, do you think the Palisade has what it takes to carry Hyundai’s flagship label? Let us know in the comments.
