The Hyundai Palisade’s bold styling and proportions give it commanding road presence on a ‘silver platter’. As I watched this full-sized luxury SUV ‘take-off’ while I was capturing some exterior footage, I said to myself, “wow, that’s majestic!” (a familiar expression when I watch a particular iconic British Luxury SUV take off from a standstill). Of course, the Koreans are winning hearts across the world and Hyundai is definitely another sought after car brand.
Driving Experience
The
moment I entered the ‘cockpit’ I knew I was behind the wheel of a Luxury SUV,
and I especially liked the fact that I was able to see a full view of the
boldly-styled bonnet as well. The ventilated seats were keeping me extra cool
while I activated the massaging function which is found near the driver side
door handle. I switched the driving mode to ‘Sport’ and immediately noticed the
seat bolstering firm up. I then hit the indicator to proceed, which is when I
noticed the blind-spot cam turn on in the left side dial of the digital display
in front of me; another welcoming feature! This will occupy space in the left
or right side dial depending on the direction you flick your indicator to. I
had more confidence now to drive this Large SUV on our Sri Lankan roads where
not every driver is a road-rule-abiding citizen!
I felt the acceleration was moderated by the hybrid system to avoid any sudden jerks (known as ‘e-comfort drive’). This SUV does not urge you to drive it fast, in fact it makes you want to ‘savour the moment’ and enjoy a calm peaceful drive. Of course if you need to drive spiritedly, it will obey your command!
Now that I felt I should take a slow cruise, I was driving slow; maybe around 40km/h or lower than that. This is when I noticed that the system had automatically switched to EV mode; quite intelligent!
The seating position could be adjusted easily as they are electrically powered. The height of the font seat cushion could also be increased or decreased depending on whether you prefer a ‘tall’ driving position like me or a ‘low’ driving position for a taller diver.
Mech & Tech
The
Palisade boasts a 2.5 liter Turbo Hybrid engine coupled with an electric motor
which gives you ample power - 334 horsepower and 460Nm of torque to be precise.
Oh, and of course, a combined range of 1015 kilometers! The hybrid system
really comes into play to regulate the motor to offer you maximum comfort and
performance depending on your driving style and this I noticed very well. Speaking
of which, there are a few drive and terrain modes too. Controls are situated in
the bottom center area of the dashboard (closer to the driver).
Cameras
can be manually activated too by pressing a button, but it is bit of a reach towards
the left for the driver - a minor inconvenience I’d say. The curved panoramic
display is nice. It stands out amongst most Chinese vehicles that have
penetrated our market with screens as flat as walls!
There are at least 7 USB-C ports for all your charging needs; 3 up front (including 2 100W ports), 2 each for 2nd and 3rd row seating as well. Not to mention the wireless charging feature upfront and 12V socket.
All seats are electrically adjustable. Yes, even the 3rd row! This made life much-more easier for us, and imagine how practical it would be if you had a big family and had to use the 3rd row often?
Love your music and your bass like me? The Palisades boasts a 14-speaker BOSE sound system which can really elevate your mood with high quality sounds resonating all around the cabin! Apple CarPlay and Android Auto? Check!
Exterior
Very
bold styling! The Calligraphy trim we got for testing was kitted with 21-inch
stylish alloys with low profile tires and the SUV was dressed in a rather nice
dark blue paintwork (Classy Blue Pearl). The Palisade clearly commands
attention and turns heads on the road. No wonder Hyundai is becoming a sought after
brand even in markets like the U.S. where ‘Big’ seems to be ‘Better’. One look
at the Palisade and you will have no doubt that this is a full-sized luxury SUV
that is desirable.
I particularly like the high mount stop lamp that extends along the sporty spoiler at the back. Not to mention the boldly styled front and rear lights! Every angle you look at it from, the Palisade stands out. You don’t have to worry about looking for its ‘good side’ for crying out loud! How many colours? Nine; two light shades and most of the others are darker shades and only one shade of grey…
Interior
“Anything
else, sir?” is the kind of vibe I get when I experienced the front, 2nd
and 3rd rows of the Hyundai Palisade. Everything I looked for, I
found. As if the engineers and designers read my mind. You cannot go wrong with
overhead AC vents for the 2nd and 3rd rows. Ample legroom
in the front and 2nd row. The leg space and knee room is not as much
in the 3rd row, but still super comfortable and you’re also allowed
to bring the seat forward or backwards plus the recline option is there too. Did
you know that the Palisade comes in either an 8-seater or 7-seater variant?
Quite cool!
The Sunroof comes in 2 segments and gives much needed light into the dark interior option we were in. Well if you want privacy, you can use the sunshades not just on the roof, but also on the 2nd row windows!
The
interior comes in 3 monotone colours and 1 dual tone trim. Black, Brown and
Dark Charcoal being the monotone colours, and Navy being the dual tone ( the
seats and dashboard are white and the top of the dashboard and steering wheel
are dressed in blue, as seen in the official brochure.
Safety and ADAS features
As
I mentioned earlier, the safety tech in this large SUV does make driving it a
lot more hassle-free and also makes it a safer place for passengers. Equipped
with 10 airbags, Safe-Exit warning, Blind-Spot monitoring, Parking Collision
Avoidance assist and also another feature which assists you by indicating the
distance to objects close to the vehicle when moving at slower speeds (front,
side, reverse) and alerting you through audio-visual means. The surround view
camera is always helpful to keep this SUV ‘scratch-free’! I surely had no
stress driving this ‘box fresh’ SUV while doing the test-drive!
Fuel Efficiency
Manufacturer claims that
1015 kilometers would be achievable with a full tank of petrol (70 litres). This
loosely translates to a fuel efficiency of 14.5km/l! Of course the hybrid
system has a big role to play here. So would your driving style. However, it is
still impressive for a large luxury SUV that can hold 8 people in pure comfort!
Living with it
Whether
it’s work or a prestigious event, you can surely ‘make an entrance’ with this
boldly styled luxury SUV. Of course, parking would not be the easiest
considering the proportions of the Palisade, however, the multiple
driver-assist features will take that burden off your shoulders.
Even though getting in to the Palisade isn’t too much of an issue - as it is not an excessively high SUV - I would have preferred some side-steps. But then, that’s just me!
The
paddle shifters add to the sportiness of this SUV no doubt, but It always
seemed to me that the Palisade prioritizes calmness. This was true whether I
was driving or enjoying being driven in it while I sat in the back. The Hybrid
system is always there at your disposal to give you the power you need,
whenever you need it as well!
Price and Warranty
The
Hyundai Palisade is priced at Rs.63 million at the time of testing. In terms of
warranty, Abans Auto Private Limited, will provide 3 years / 100,000 kilometer
general warranty and an 8 year / 160,000 kilometer warranty on the electric
battery.
Final Words
The
Hyundai Palisade is most definitely a desirable luxury SUV that excels whether
you want to sit behind the wheel or even in the rear and be driven. Thoughtful
design and engineering have surely blended well to place this Hybrid SUV at the
top of one’s shortlist of options to consider. The Palisade combines luxury,
performance, styling and safety quite seamlessly and is now available for
purchase in Sri Lanka. So if you’ve got a big family and an 8-seater luxury SUV
is more appealing to you than a large luxury Van, here’s a rather compelling
proposition waiting for you!
