If you've been admiring big luxury SUVs like the BMW X7, but can't quite swing the six-figure purchase price, Hyundai has a new vehicle for you. It's the 2020 Hyundai Palisade. It's a familiar move from Hyundai---deliver the looks and a lot of features of established competitors---at a significantly lower price.
The 2020 Hyundai Palisade is a full-size, three-row, seven-passenger SUV. It's powered by a 291-horsepower, 3.8-liter six-cylinder engine mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. EPA fuel economy average is 19 city/24 highway.
You can get it in two or four-wheel drive, and---amazingly, in its base SE trim, the Palisade starts at $31,550. That is a shockingly low number in this segment---and as an absolute number, since the average car is now selling for about $37,000.
The Palisade I drove for a week---including the long Thanksgiving weekend up at Lake Tahoe---was the top-of-the-line Limited. And even it has an amazingly low starting price of $44,700 in two-wheel drive form, $46,400 in all-wheel drive, which is how our test vehicle was equipped.
As you can see, the interior is stylish, refined and luxurious. Here's the list of standard equipment for that $46,400 base price:
- Shift by wire
- Electric parking brake
- Downhill brake control
- Forward collision avoidance assistance with pedestrian detection
- Lane keeping assist
- Driver attention warning
- Rearview camera
- Ultrasonic rear occupant alert
- Blindspot collision avoidance
- Safe exit assist
- Rear cross-traffic collision avoidance assist
- HTRAC AWD
- Drive Mode Select with SNOW mode and AWD lock.
- Auto-leveling rear suspension
- 20-inch wheels
- Limited grille, exterior trim and tailllights
- LED headlights, taillights and daytime running lights
- Rear wide dual sunroof with shade
- High-beam assist with auto on/off
- Trailering package (pre-wiring, transmission cooler, sway control)
- 10.25-inch infotainment screen
- Navigation
- SiriusXM Satellite Radio
- Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- Front and rear park distance warning
- Proximity key with pushbutton start and immobilizer
- Rear seat quiet mode
- Power folding/unfolding/reclining third-row seats
- One-touch folding second-row seats
- Nappa leather seating surfaces
- Heated steering wheel
- Heated and ventilated front and second-row seats
- Microfiber suede headliner
- Rear window sunshades
- Seven (yes, seven) USB ports
- Driver's integrated memory seat
- Auto-dimming rearview mirror with HomeLink
- Dual automatic temperature control, second row automatic climate control
- Haptic steering wheel
- Smart cruise control with Stop & Go
- Lane following assist
- Highway drive assist
- Surround view monitor
- Blind view monitor
- Wireless phone charger
- 12.3-inch full digital instrument cluster
- Head-up display
- Harman Kardon premium audio system
- Driver talk in-car intercom
- Ambient lighting
- Hands-free smart liftgate with auto open
- Blue Link connected services (3 years)
- Blue Link remote start (3 years)
Again, all that is standard equipment for $46,400. And there was only one extra-cost option on our Palisade---carpeted floormats for $150. So with $1,045 inland freight and handling, the bottom line on the window sticker read $47,605.
The Palisade was great on mountain roads during a significant winter storm. Comfortable, composed, capable. Let's not forget that this also includes Hyundai's legendary warranty---5 years/60,000 miles for the entire vehicle, 7 years/unlimited mileage for rust and 10 years/100,000 miles for the powertrain. And there's five years and unlimited miles worth of free roadside assistance.
The 2020 Hyundai Palisade Limited AWD does a very credible impression of a $65,000 SUV. Nobody needs to know you paid less than $50,000.