2021 Hyundai Palisade

Traded UP to a Hyundai?

Sunday, July 26, 2020

Just 10 years ago, the idea of trading up to a Hyundai from a Ford or a Toyota or a Nissan or a Volkswagen (like I just did) would have been the punchline to a joke. Not anymore! This 2020 Hyundai Palisade is lapping the competition in its assigned mainstream 3-row SUV segment, but would comfortably hold its own against the likes of BMW, Infiniti, and Cadillac in the luxury segment. Seriously. The drive is good. 291 horsepower delivers adequate power. No one is drag racing their 3-row SUV anyway. Smooth transmission, comfortable, quiet ride. All Wheel Drive has been working well (although this is not a true off-road vehicle). MPG has been about 20% higher than the estimates. Had one 120-mile stretch where the Palisade averaged 36 (yes, 36) miles per gallon and NOT in Eco mode! This was an anomaly, as it usually gets about 24-26 MPG for me. Plenty of room. Not as cavernous as an Atlas or Traverse, but bigger than a Highlander or an Explorer (yes - believe it or not). Plus in the Limited trim that I bought, it is filled with great technology, safety features, and a luxurious combination of interior materials. It truly is the whole package. It's not 100 percent excellent - not having power folding mirrors is a demerit. And the stock Bridgestone tires should be Michelins instead. But these are "rich people problems." It's hard to find anything wrong with the Hyundai Palisade. (Also - I can't rate the reliability as a 5 because I have not owned it long enough. I assume it will be reliable considering it has a 10 year 100,000 mile drive train warranty.) This is the best vehicle I have ever owned, period...including my previous Jeep Grand Cherokee and Volkswagen Atlas. I am happy I traded up.

Palisade impresses after one month

Sunday, April 18, 2021

I'm retired and wanted something that could support our emerging travel plans. We wanted a car with great safety features and Hyundai/Kia both do an admirable job here. We selected the Calligraphy AWD model that had all the bells and whistles and a great looking interior. There are cameras galore but the best are the ones mounted below the outside rearview mirrors and are activated with the turn signals. You can see exactly who is approaching, no more blind spots! Those cameras as well as all the cameras provide very high resolution views. Exterior - the design is distinctive, more so in the front. The LED lights/lamps provide superior lighting at night. People do stop trying to figure out what it is. We also have a Mercedes ML series and the Palisade is both longer and wider, which makes for a bit of a tight fit in a two car garage. The tailgate is easily opened from the outside, dash or key fob. Ride - very comfortable and very quiet. I was surprised to see the KBB Expert Review note some wind noise. That's not the case with our car. In fact, its quieter than our Mercedes SUV. Seats are very comfortable and supportive. Performance - acceleration is adequate with downshifts coming fairly easily. Transmission is very smooth with little sense that its going through 8 speeds. Braking is smooth and responsive. Gas mileage has been surprisingly good for around town, with the engine stop feature not overly annoying. Interior - probably one of the nicest ones we've seen, particularly at this price point. Too many options to mention all but the leather seating looks great, lots of storage everywhere, and most things easily within reach except the manual radio tuning dial. The heads up display is very clear and does not obstruct your outward vision at all. The digital dash has differing looks depending on the driving mode selected but the speedometer and tach are very clear in each. You also have outside temp, forecast, as well as many other configurable options. We have the 2nd row captain's chair which are just as comfortable as the front seats. They also make it easy to access the 3rd row. The infotainment screen is nicely integrated into the center of the dash and provides a very high resolution. The "home" screen is split into (3) views, map, radio, weather. Have yet to master the voice commands, but navigating seems fairly easy and intuitive. The 360 camera views are very good and warning buzzers are very helpful. Storage & USB ports - lots of it throughout the car starting below the center console and continuing the storage compartment behind the 3rd row seats. There are USB ports scattered throughout the car and the front console has a wireless charging pad. Overall, very pleased with many features yet to explore.

Superb vehicle!

Saturday, March 13, 2021

This is the 4th Hyundai I've owned. Never had an issue with any. The Palisade makes me feel safe and secure in any situation. It's a vehicle I'm proud to drive.