2020 Hyundai Palisade Review

We appreciate minivans for their matchless utility and passenger comfort. But there are some people who avoid ownership like it's a mosquito with dengue fever. For them, the modern three-row midsize SUV is the alternative, and the latest option to consider is the all-new 2020 Hyundai Palisade.

The Palisade may be fashionably late to the party, but Hyundai used the opportunity to take a good look at what the minivan-evading crowd wants. It replaces the Sante Fe XL, which was likable but generally outclassed by the end of its run. Mission priority No. 1 seems to have been: "Make it bigger!" The Palisade dwarfs its predecessor by a significant margin. It's 3 inches longer and more than 3.5 inches wider, and it adds a full 4 inches between its front and rear wheels.

Size Is King

This especially roomy cabin now accommodates 6-foot-tall passengers in any seat. It has 18 cubic feet of cargo space to spare behind the third row or 46 cubic feet with the second row folded. When comparing by the numbers, it's a give-and-take row by row with the segment's roomiest offerings.

But subjectively, the Palisade feels among the most spacious. It distributes its cabin volume well, utilizing smart packaging and design that both frees up storage space and helps emphasize a feeling of interior airiness. One notable example is the new push-button gear selector. It looks elegant, but it also saves a heap of space up front, opening up a large storage area between the front footwells.

The second-row seating can be configured with a sliding and reclining three-passenger bench or a pair of captain's chairs, the latter of which can be equipped with both seat heating and ventilation. Entry to the third row is made easy thanks to push-button access on the second-row seats; the resulting pass-through space is comparably generous. The third-row seat's cushions sit a little higher than average, providing better leg comfort yet retaining a surprising amount of headroom.

The cabin definitely has an air of luxury, thanks to quilted and perforated leather in the upper trim models. A wealth of cupholders — 16 to be exact — ensures that every beverage can find a seat as well. Other clever touches up front include hideaway cupholders that provide flexibility to the front storage bin.

Polished Road Manners

The fully loaded Palisade we drove around the snow-dusted roads of South Korea was mostly representative of what we'll be seeing stateside. The big exception was the engine. Spinning the wheels of our test vehicle was a 2.2-liter turbodiesel four-cylinder that won't be offered in U.S.-bound Palisades. Instead, we will get a new 3.8-liter V6 paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission.

Hyundai's preliminary power estimates say this V6 develops 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, placing the Palisade around the top of its class. It should move down the road pretty well, too, based on curb weight estimates ranging from 4,268 pounds to 4,312 pounds. Given these numbers, we're curious how lively the V6 will feel at low rpm, as that will play a critical role in making this big SUV easy to wheel around.

The Palisade rides on standard 18-inch wheels, and you'll be able to get 20-inch wheels on higher trims. The 20-inch wheels on our test vehicle provided a fairly comfortable ride quality over two days of driving. They also worked well in the evasive exercises we were led through to demonstrate the Palisade's relatively commendable body control. We suspect the smaller wheels with the taller tire sidewalls may provide an extra layer of cushion and better ride quality on rough roads.

Three selectable drive modes alter powertrain response, shift characteristics, steering effort and, if equipped, the all-wheel-drive system. Sport mode drops down a gear, transfers more torque to the rear wheels for a more dynamic feeling through corners, and firms up the steering. Eco mode adopts more conservative settings, favoring higher gears, relaxed gas pedal sensitivity and more front-wheel power bias, all of which help minimize fuel consumption. And a third mode, the Smart mode, splits the difference between the two.

Can It Go Off-Road?

The variable locking center differential in the Palisade's all-wheel-drive system is what adjusts the amount of power sent to the rear wheels based on traction demands. Just as it varies for the drive modes, it also adjusts for four different terrain modes: road, mud, sand and snow. The amount of center differential lock and wheel slip is tuned to suit the surface beneath with the goal of keeping you moving forward.

We managed to find some mild examples for every weather condition on the terrain dial and powered through without much fuss for the most part. With 7.9 inches of ground clearance, the Palisade won't be doing any serious trailblazing, but it should be more than able to tackle the typical snowy roads or campsite dirt roads most owners will venture out on.

Talking Technology

Hyundai's commitment to technology is impressive. In the Palisade, you get seven USB charge ports in the cabin ensuring that no device is starved of electrons. A new feature for Hyundai debuting on the Palisade is the Driver Talk in-car cabin intercom. It allows front-row occupants to talk to people in the second or third row through the vehicle's speakers. Honda and Toyota have systems like this, so Driver Talk isn't exactly new, but it can be a useful feature. You access it through the infotainment's 10.3-inch touchscreen. There's also a new sleep mode that can silence the speakers in the back, allowing the front occupants to listen to audio without waking people in the rear.

Another new feature is what Hyundai is calling a Blind View Monitor, which works in concert with the usual blind-spot assist. Like Honda's LaneWatch feature, the Blind View Monitor displays a video camera view of what might be lurking in the Palisade's blind spots. But unlike the Honda system, Hyundai's system can show video feeds for both sides of the vehicle rather than just the passenger side.

When a turn signal is activated, the camera feed on the side of the car of the target lane is displayed in the center of the driver's 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, providing even more visibility of what's coming up from behind. It's also handy for seeing how close you are to a curb when parking.

Hyundai SmartSense is a comprehensive suite of advanced driving aids that comes standard in all Palisades. It includes forward collision avoidance, blind-spot monitoring, lane keeping assist, automatic high beams, a driver attention warning system, adaptive cruise control, rear cross-traffic avoidance, and Safe Exit Assist, which prevents passengers from opening a door if it detects an object approaching from behind.

2020 Hyundai Palisade Price and Release Date

The Palisade is set to arrive around the summer of 2019. There will be five trims available: SE, SEL, SEL Plus, Limited and Ultimate, all of which will be available in front- or all-wheel drive. Hyundai will release pricing and trim details closer to its arrival date.

Overall, we're excited about the Palisade. Because of its larger size and healthy amount of technology features, we expect it will be an appealing pick for a three-row crossover SUV.

The 2020 Hyundai Palisade debuts next summer with a host of features that put it on equal footing with segment leaders such as the Honda Pilot, Mazda CX-9 and Volkswagen Atlas.

A replacement for Hyundai's current three-row SUV, the Santa Fe, the Palisade is an all-new vehicle with a fresh design, advanced technology and all the convenience features you would expect in a family-friendly vehicle in the midsize SUV segment.

Making Driving Easier

Hyundai is bolstering the 2020 Palisade's flagship status by loading it with technology features sure to impress even the most finicky family. Front and center is a 10.3-inch central touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with a Bluetooth system that supports two phone connections — one for audio streaming and one for making calls. Up to seven USB ports are available, ensuring that nearly everyone can keep their devices charged at the same time.

Hyundai is debuting a few features to make the driver's life a little easier. The Driver Talk system projects the driver's voice through the second- and third-row speakers, allowing front-seat occupants to converse with those in the back without yelling. A rear sleep mode turns off those same speakers, so kids can take a nap without being blasted with Mom and Dad's music.

The Palisade's tech features also ensure that occupants are kept safe. Numerous advanced safety systems are standard, including blind-spot monitoring, lane centering, and forward collision warning and mitigation. Also included on every Palisade are a driver attention monitor and Safe Exit Assist, which sounds an alert if passengers are in danger of opening the door into an oncoming vehicle. Some trims also come with a sideview camera that activates when the turn signal is flicked on, but we haven't found this feature very useful in other cars.

The Raw Details

Every Palisade is powered by a 3.8-liter V6 producing 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive is standard, with Hyundai's HTRAC all-wheel drive available as an optional extra. The AWD system gains a snow traction mode this year, which alters torque distribution and engine output to help drivers keep power on the road. There's even a locking differential for increased low-traction control.

Hyundai hasn't released pricing yet, but don't expect the 2020 Hyundai Palisade's base MSRP to be much more than the Santa Fe XL's roughly $32,000 starting price. The price naturally creeps up as you add luxuries such as ventilated front and second-row seats, a head-up display and power-folding seats. Look for more information closer to the Palisade's summer 2019 on-sale date.