Hyundai Palisade 2021 Review

Hyundai Australia has been crying out for two things over the past few years: a dual-cab ute and a full-size SUV. And while the fate of the ute remains unclear for now, optimism abounds for the new 2021 Hyundai Palisade that lands in Australian showrooms this month.

Not only does the seven-seat or eight-seat SUV (you have the choice of either layout, with no extra cost) complement the slightly smaller and newly-updated Santa Fe within Hyundai’s local range, it also gives the Korean marque a genuine rival to volume-selling models including the Toyota Kluger, Mazda CX-9 and Nissan Pathfinder.

The Palisade was originally conceived as a North American left-hand drive SUV. The prospect of right-hand drive availability seemed faint at best, with Australia essentially the only such market for the vehicle.

Now that it’s here, though, Australian officials are quietly confident about our Korean-built version.

“We’ve been pushing hard for this for a few years,” says Hyundai Australia chief operating officer John Kett. “We reckon it’ll do pretty well, but just how well? The market will ultimately decide.”

Available with either a petrol or diesel engine, each with two trim levels (simply ‘Palisade’ and top-spec Highlander), the 2021 Hyundai Palisade is priced from $60,000 plus on-road costs.

Although the Toyota Kluger and Mazda CX-9 are nominated as the major rivals, the Palisade will wage battle with the Toyota Prado as well – even though the Hyundai utilises a car-like monocoque chassis and the Toyota a more rugged ladder-frame design.

In that vein, Hyundai’s new flagship SUV almost matches the entry-level Toyota Prado GX’s $59,840 plus ORCs marker, but comes with higher levels of equipment and luxury than Toyota’s family favourite.

Standard features on Palisade at the entry level include full leather upholstery, 18-inch alloy wheels and smart key with push-button start.

Infotainment features on the entry version include a 10.2-inch touch-screen display with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 12-speaker Infinity audio system, sat-nav and an intercom system that allows front seat occupants to talk to rear seat passengers via the speakers.

Safety systems fitted across the range include adaptive cruise control, lane keeping and lane following assist, and autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with car, pedestrian and cyclist detection.

Officially, the Palisade will forego an ANCAP crash test rating in Australia.

Range-topping Highlander variants – priced from $71,000 plus ORCs – add 20-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, Nappa leather upholstery, suede headlining, heated and ventilated front and second row seats (in seven-seat versions), a dual-pane sunroof, wireless phone charging, head-up display, hands-free powered tailgate plus a 360-degree parking camera system and camera-based blind spot live feed.

Hyundai is backing the Palisade with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty and capped-price servicing program, with 12-month or 15,000km intervals. Each service is capped at $399 for the petrol and $469 for the diesel. The first 1500km service is free and owners can get up to 10 years’ free roadside assist and sat-nav updates.

Six exterior paint colours are offered, including the standard White Cream Mica, along with premium colours adding $695. These are Timeless Black, Steel Graphite, Sierra Burgundy and Rain Forest. There’s also a Highlander-specific Moonlight Cloud Mica.

The Palisade is fitted with a full-size spare wheel and Hyundai says it is rated to tow 2200kg (braked).

Measuring 4980mm long, 1975mm wide and 1750mm high, the 2021 Hyundai Palisade is 210mm longer, 85mm wider and stands 45mm taller than the Santa Fe.

Yet while the newly-updated Santa Fe moves to a new architecture <> that will soon facilitate hybrid power in Australia, as well as the latest eight-speed wet dual-clutch automatic transmission, the Palisade sticks with Hyundai’s older N2 platform, which ultimately limits the powertrain technology it can accept. Make of that what you will.

The petrol engine is a 3.8-litre V6 (217kW/355Nm) hooked up to an eight-speed automatic transmission driving the front wheels.

For a $4000 premium over the petrol engine on both trim levels, a 2.2-litre turbo-diesel (147kW/440Nm) is available, paired with an eight-speed auto and all-wheel drive. It also has a Terrain mode system which adjusts engine mapping and the tuning of the all-wheel drive system.

Fuel consumption levels are claimed at 10.7L/100km for the V6 petrol and 7.3L/100km for the four-cylinder turbo-diesel.

If you wanted proof of the Hyundai Palisade’s spiritual US origins, simply take a look at its cabin.

Seven USB ports, 16 cup holders and acres of space across its three rows… And before you turn your nose up at the supersize-me potential, don’t worry, the cabin is still very much in line with Aussie tastes.

Quality materials adorn the contact points while the driver’s seat is soft and adequately bolstered, also affording an open vista front and rear.

The second row is equally generous in its proportions, easily accessed and lending a nice airy cabin environment courtesy of its large glasshouse.

Storage is excellent across the first two rows, especially in the front seat, which combines a ‘bridge’ console and shift-by-wire transmission to liberate space for a cavernous open cubby directly underneath the centre fascia, plus room for two cup holders, hidey holes and a large centre console.

The button-laden dashboard won’t suit all tastes, yet it puts the vehicle’s key functions within easy and intuitive reach of front occupants. Ditto the 10.2-inch touch-screen.

The Palisade’s larger foundations liberate noticeable room between the seats and the door sleeves, conspiring with quality trims and a high roofline to cultivate an open, air-filled space. The fitment of rear sun-shades are always a welcome addition, as are the cavernous door pockets all round.

Further back, Hyundai says there is 220mm of ‘boarding clearance’ into the third row area with the second-row seat slid forward. There are also roof-mounted air-vents in our Highlander test vehicle and grab rails right through the cabin.

The third row introduces scratchier plastics and a slightly claustrophobic outlet dictated by the SUV’s C- and D-pillars. While you wouldn’t totally discount the Palisade’s minivan-rivalling potential, the bleachers won’t be for everyone.

On the child seat front, the Palisade offers three ISOFIX attachment points (two in the second row and one in the third), plus four top-tether points – irrespective if you select the seven-seat or eight-seat layout.

The Palisade’s cargo area holds up to 311 litres with the third row in place – enough space for a couple of overnight bags – and extends to 704L with the bleacher stowed. The latter is big enough for designer prams and full-size suitcases, though doesn’t set any new segment benchmarks.

Settling into the 2021 Hyundai Palisade’s ample driver’s seat upon setting off for a 400km journey to Canberra this week, the initial impression is that it hides its proportions well.

An open outward view, light low-speed steering and hushed acoustics lend the Palisade an approachable and easy-to-navigate premise, one helped by large wing mirrors and its nifty blind spot monitor, which conveys neatly via the instrument cluster.

Our test car’s low-speed ride feels compliant, while its body feels comfortably suspended over broken bitumen and in stop-start traffic, avoiding the temptation of other like-minded rivals to heave or pitch.

Similarly, both the petrol and diesel engines do an admirable job of moving the Palisade’s 2100kg heft in regular conveyance, working well with the eight-speed automatic transmission to gently segue through the ratios.

In the case of the diesel, which is expected to make up 70 per cent of all Palisade sales, the peak 440Nm of torque arrives at 1750rpm, which coincides around the engine’s natural cadence in the rev range.

The Palisade’s soft progress extends to B-grade country roads, too, where its chassis is about to soak up small-amplitude imperfections while also isolating occupants from harsher obstacles.

Larger compressions in the road feel marginally more pronounced, though the Palisade usually recovers quickly and it avoids dreaded head-toss inside the cabin.

Equally, there’s an adequate amount of feedback to the driver’s hands and seat of the pants, so as to generate a nice feeling for the road and conditions.

We were pleasantly surprised at the Palisade’s dynamic ability on a long, winding road, too. For a seven/eight-seat SUV weighing 2.1 tonnes, it acquits itself relatively well in terms of roadholding and balance.

Bridgestone Dueler tyres offer adequate purchase and keep road noise to tolerable levels.

An extended section of high-speed dirt road reveals a stability control suite that is likewise intuitive in its interventions, chiming in smoothly without overly impeding progress.

As you’d expect, the Palisade’s weight isn’t infallible: the 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine can feel languid during spirited overtaking manoeuvres and exiting corners with any urgency.

At highway speeds and on open country roads, the diesel happily wafts along, which is arguably a bigger strength.

Family SUV buyers will naturally gravitate to the larger proportions of the new Hyundai Palisade, and rightly so.

It combines a generous interior with strong tech and safety, a quasi-luxury premise and well-resolved road dynamics.

It means the fifth member of Hyundai’s SUV family is a winner. Hyundai privately reckons it could even outsell the longstanding Santa Fe. We wouldn’t be surprised.

How much does the 2021 Hyundai Palisade Highlander 2.2 CRDi AWD cost?
Price: $75,000 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 147kW/440Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 7.3L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 243g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Not tested

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