2020 Hyundai Palisade Review: The Luxury SUV You Didn’t Know You Could Afford

Man this thing deserves a smooth cigar and some Frank Sinatra.

Hyundai has always emphasized value and the 2020 Hyundai Palisade may be one of the best luxury values out there. While the fully loaded $47,640 price tag for the top-of-the-line 2020 Hyundai Palisade Limited AWD may seem steep from this automaker, it undercuts the competition by thousands.

It has an interior that rivals products from Lexus and Audi. Despite the high-end feel, its overall capabilities and pricing are on par with one of the best in its class, the Honda Pilot. On top of that, you get innovation, a quality build and one of the best warranties in the business.

But not everything is perfect.

Unlike its cousin, the Kia Telluride, the Hyundai Palisade is available in front-wheel drive (FWD) trims too. [Photo: Hyundai]

Performance

This is the only part where the 2020 Hyundai Palisade left me wanting. Granted, the 291 horsepower, 3.8-liter V-6 makes a respectable 262 lb-ft of torque. On top of that, the eight-speed automatic transmission is velvety smooth, but it’s not quite enough power for a vehicle that weighs nearly 4,400-lbs. On top of that the 19 City / 24 Highway / 21 mpg Combined fuel economy should be better.

[Photo: Hyundai]

The car has a solid ride. It feels heavy, but in a good way. The ride is relaxed and it soaks up road irregularities like a much more expensive, large crossover. It’s not spongy in corners, nor does it wallow when things get hairy. It simply goes where it’s told with little drama. It’s not as athletic feeling as the Honda Pilot or Toyota Highlander V-6 by comparison. Still, it never embarrasses itself.

Comfort and Convenience

This is its strongest suit and my complete justification for buying one of these over a Honda Pilot or even an Infiniti QX60. The interior appointments are nearly as well put together as a Lexus, and the design is pleasing to the eye.

2020 Hyundai Palisade
Simple, easy and well made. It’s not too shabby for a push-button transmission. (Photo: TFLcar)

Even though I am not one for push-button transmissions (I prefer a lever) this one is elegant and simple. The parking brake will disengage automatically, if you accelerate when it’s active. It will engage automatically if it detects you’re on an incline.

My favorite tech feature is the nifty camera displays in the driver’s digital display. High definition cameras under the mirrors activate when you trigger the turn signal. Signal left and the speedometer shows you an image that mitigates your driver’s side blind spot. It still shows you mph of the top of the image, but the rest is crystal clear.

2020 Hyundai Palisade
Extra comfy seats, diamond quilted patterns and high quality materials are impressive. Especially for the price. [Photo: Hyundai]

Trigger the right signal and the tachometer becomes your right camera. Once again, it shows your RPM, but you get that clean image too. It’s easy to use and it works well at night. I especially like it on highways when lower cars or motorcycles become hard to see.

2020 Hyundai Palisade
That image is pretty impressive in person. [Photo: TFLcar]

Competition and Verdict

You can’t deny how hard Hyundai worked on this vehicle. It’s a more urban, luxurious ride than its cousin, the (already excellent) Kia Telluride. If it had more power and a smoother/sleeker exterior design, I would wonder why it wasn’t marketed as a Genesis. Of course, that brand does have its own luxury crossover coming. As it is, at under $48,000 – its an outstanding, smooth and sophisticated vehicle.