Finally, the chance to drive Hyundai’s new hybrid Palisade large SUV that’s just launched in a single, flagship Calligraphy trim with luxury comforts and a choice of eight or, optional, seven-seats featuring plush captain’s chairs in the second row.
It’s priced from $89,900 before on-road costs — but Hyundai Australia will extend the line-up moving forward.
Either way, the Palisade has ditched the first-gen 3.8-litre petrol engine and the 2.2-litre diesel engine for a 2.5-litre turbo-petrol hybrid all-wheel drive with dual-motor set-up.
We set off along the M1 Pacific Motorway on a 320km round trip from Sydney to the Hunter Valley, stopping at the Trading Post in Laguna for lunch and an overnighter at The Lane Retreat in Pokolbin.
Ah, the serenity . . .
It’s the first time I’ve used a digital key, which is also a first for the Palisade, and I love it. It means you just need your phone, or smartwatch, to lock and unlock the car for a truly, err, keyless experience — and, also, start the engine.
What’s new
+ Palisade’s 2.5-litre turbo hybrid system with six-speed automatic transmission has more power (245kW) than the preceding model’s 3.8-litre petrol engine (217kW) and greater torque (460Nm) than the previous 2.2-litre turbo-diesel (440Nm).
+ The redesigned hybrid set-up with two motors — both on the front axle — instead of a traditional transmission-mounted electric drive system is a first for Hyundai, promising better performance and fuel efficiency.
+ Convenience features commonly found in EVs, such as Stay Mode (which lets you power climate control and the infotainment system with the engine switched off), Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) with a 16 Amp household power outlet that lets you charge various devices and appliances and Smart Regenerative Braking.
+ Ride and handling electrification technologies that regulate front-rear weight transfer during evasive manoeuvres, torque distribution and Crosswind Stability Control during high-speed driving to keep the vehicle stable.
+ Increased glass thickness, interior insulation and 21-inch “sound absorbing” tyres with a layer of foam to reduce wind, road and engine noise.
The look
Chunky, with silver-coated “hidden” vertical headlights and tail lights, a black grille with active air flaps and roof rails.
It would be right at home in Las Vegas.
It’s a large SUV, up against the likes of top-sellers the Toyota Prado and Ford Everest.
All up, this Palisade is bigger and wider than outgoing models, with more headroom in all rows and small variations in legroom, depending on where you’re sitting.
There are eight exterior colours to choose from, including a broody metallic maroon that looks black at night and four interior colour combinations — brown (which is more caramel), navy and light grey, charcoal and black.
Premium paint is plus-$750 and, apart from black, upholstery/trim colours are plus-$295.
Inside, it’s clean and uncluttered; more lounge than car, with an 18-way power adjustable driver’s seat that includes two-way lumbar support and a two-way cushion extension.
The fit-out includes a panoramic curved display with 12.3-inch digital cluster and 12.3-inch infotainment display, plus a 12-inch head-up display that projects key driving, navigation and safety information on to the windscreen but is typically faint during the day if you wear polarised sunglasses.
There’s no conventional gear selector; instead, a column-mounted shift, which incorporates the stop-start button, leaving an island-type centre console with lots of storage, a wireless charging pad and UV-C LED sterilising compartment (it will keep your phone, wallet and keys germ-free).
Oh, there are a total of six 100W USB-C charging ports (plus additional data and charging ports up front), 10 cupholders, six bottle holders and 14-speaker BOSE premium sound (which is OK).
Seating is remarkably comfortable, with the driver getting various “ergo-motion” settings, which are not quite massage function and feel more like, well, a grope than a stretch.
If you don’t need eight seats, go for the seven-seater (plus $1000 option), especially if you have teenagers; it’s more spacious and the captain’s chairs are electronically controlled backwards and forwards to make it easy getting into and out of the third row — and both rows fold down completely flat to maximise luggage space.
The third row in both eight and seven-seat variants is also powered and even has heated outboard seats.
Plus, you get a full-size spare alloy wheel under the car so it’s not taking up cargo space, a powered tailgate, a pre-installed trailer wiring harness and multiple child restraint anchors because this is a family car, after all.
Lowdown
+ Engine: 2.5-litre inline four-cylinder turbo petrol hybrid (2.5 T-GDI HEV)
+ Outputs: 245kW @ 5800rom (combined)/460Nm @ 1800-4500prm (combined)
+ Transmission: 6-speed automatic all-wheel drive (HTRAC AWD)
+ Battery: 1.65kWh
+ Claimed fuel consumption: 6.8 litres/100km (combined)
+ Fuel type: 91 RON
+ Fuel tank volume: 72 litres
+ CO2 emissions: 154g/km
+ Braked towing capacity: 2000kg
+ Cargo volume: 300/712/2081 litres with second and third-row seats up/down
Safety and driver assistance
The hybrid Palisade doesn’t have an ANCAP rating yet — but it’s expected to be available by the end of the year and Hyundai head office in Korea says Australian specifications were configured differently to other countries to achieve five stars.
Outgoing petrol and diesel Palisade models built from May 2022 (and on sale from August 2022) have a five-star rating.
It’s a heavy car (kerb weight 2175-2294kg seven-seat/2185-2304kg eight-seat), with a more rigid chassis than before and eight airbags, including curtain airbags extending to the third row (which is not something all eight-seaters have).
There’s a full suite of Hyundai SmartSense ADAS (advanced driver assistance system) safety features, drowsy driver monitoring, a blind-spot view monitor which presents a camera image from the corresponding side of the vehicle on the instrument cluster, a 360-degree camera and well-calibrated smart cruise control that stays within 1-2km of your set speed going downhill.
When reversing at night, there are strips of light projected on to the ground behind you for a better view.
The drive
Quiet and sure-footed with barely any wind noise, even at 110km/h.
Ride, handling and steering adjustments were done for Australian road conditions as part of the global tuning program.
You can’t pick the transitions in energy flow while driving; it’s seamless, even when accelerating.
During start-up and low-speed driving, the Palisade operates in EV mode, which also kicks in intermittently — and sometimes for a couple of kilometres — on highways.
There are several drive modes, including Terrain, but put it into Sport (the instrument cluster turns red) and the ride feels as light and effortless as an EV, even on B-grade regional roads.
Sure it’s a big car, but it handles easily and this comes down to a combination of factors, including build quality and the steering system (belt-type rack-mounted motor-driven power steering) that’s been tuned for precise and responsive performance.
Hyundai says the hybrid is its most fuel-efficient Palisade. Claimed fuel economy is 6.8 litres/100km. The best I got was 7.1L/100km on the 154km drive back to Sydney; on regional roads, which included some unsealed sections, it was averaging 8.7L/100km.
Warranty and servicing
The Palisade is covered by Hyundai’s seven-year/unlimited kilometre warranty (so long as all services are completed at an authorised Hyundai dealer; otherwise it’s a five-year unlimited kilometre warranty). Service intervals are every 12 months/10,000km (12-60 months/10,000-50,000km), whichever comes first, costing $397, $657, $475, $674 and $397 respectively.
