2022 Hyundai Palisade

In the midsize SUV realm, the Hyundai Palisade has been a shooting star, giving competitors such as the Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander a nudge and level-setting the whole category. The related Kia Telluride gets more headlines, but the Palisade sets the standard for affordable luxury, blending a plush cabin with attention to detail and a better-than-average powertrain. Families hungry for three-row SUVs with room for seven or eight passengers are snapping up the Palisade with the gusto of a 1970s-era Hungry Hungry Hippos game.

Now in its third year on the market and with a refresh due soon, not much is new on the 2022 Palisade save for the addition of blind-spot monitoring as standard in the base SE trim, which is a welcome bonus. All models of the SUV are equipped with a 3.8-liter V6 making 291 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. An eight-speed automatic transmission turns the wheels; front-wheel drive is standard and all-wheel drive is optional.

In its segment, the Palisade (starting at $34,895) holds its own. The Toyota Highlander starts at $37,190 for the base trim with front-wheel drive and tops out at $49,345 for the front-drive Platinum. While Toyota offers a range of powertrain options (including a hybrid) and benefited from a ground-up refresh in 2020, the Palisade comes out on top in a few main categories, like legroom in the third row and rear cargo capacity. The Honda Pilot and Volkswagen Atlas are other capable, similarly-priced choices, as is the Palisade’s Kia cousin, the Telluride.

Trims continue as in 2021: SE, SEL, Limited and Calligraphy. The base SE is the only variant with a bench seat in the middle row that ensures seating for eight, and the other three come standard with captain’s chairs. All Palisades comes with five USB ports and a generous safety suite. Moving up the line brings features like a panoramic sunroof and heated front seats in the SEL and a slew of amenities like leather upholstery and a banging 12-speaker Harman Kardon audio system in the Limited and Calligraphy trims. 

The 3.8-liter V6 is the only engine option in the Palisade, and while a smooth and capable performer this SUV is on the sedate side in most situations, with zero-to-60 times of about 7 seconds and limited off-road ability. But what it lacks in speed and verve it makes up for in smooth operation and comfort, and it can still tow up to 5,000 pounds. The first two rows of seats are very comfortable and there’s lots of room to stretch in the middle-row captain’s chairs, but the third row is on the cramped side. Still, it’s bigger than the one in the Kia Sorento.

The definition of “Palisade” is a fence of stakes used for defense in a medieval battle, or a line of bold cliffs. As such, this SUV wears its name well as it is both bold and definitive, placing a stake in the ground as Hyundai moves up in the market. It’s a liveable, useful three-row SUV that has plenty of room inside but still fits into smaller parking spaces at the grocery store, and the cabin is suited up to impress. Hyundai’s substantial warranty shows the Korean automaker is willing to back up its products in the long term, too.

Performance: 11/15

Powered by a 3.8-liter V6 generating 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, the Palisade has more than enough brawn to carry its 4,200 to 4,500 pound heft (more equipment, as always, means more weight). Front-wheel drive is standard, and all-wheel drive (AWD) is optional on SE, SEL, and Limited trims and standard on the top-of-the-line Calligraphy. The V6 is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission that can be manipulated via small steering-wheel paddles. 

The Palisade is a sedate and quiet performer, and even with AWD it isn’t intended for off-road use. Those looking for more verve might want to check out the Mazda CX-9, but if you need the Palisade’s room, more conventional alternatives await.

Honda’s Pilot weighs about the same as the Palisade and is equipped with a 280-hp V6 with 262 lb-ft of torque, and the Toyota Highlander’s most powerful engine choice is a 3.5-liter V6 with 295 horsepower and 263 pound-feet of torque. Volkswagen’s Atlas offers a 235-hp four-cylinder or a 276-hp V6, but it’s the slow poke of this set. Only the Highlander has the advantage of a hybrid option for now; Hyundai hasn’t made any promises about a hybrid Palisade but it will not be a surprise if electrification is added to this SUV. 

The Palisade can tow up to 5,000 pounds, which is enough for a small camper, boat, or a couple of watersport vehicles. All models are equipped with trailer pre-wiring, sway control, and a transmission cooler. 

Fuel Economy: 12/15

The Hyundai Palisade achieves 19 mpg city, 26 mpg highway and 22 mpg combined, with slightly lower highway and combined figures for the all-wheel drive model. When held up against its closest competitors, it’s in the ballpark: the Honda Pilot gets 23 mpg combined, the base 4WD Ford Explorer gets 23 combined, and the Toyota Highlander gets 24 mpg combined. 

Electrified versions of the same competitors vastly outshine the Palisade, however. The Toyota Highlander Hybrid is rated for an impressive 35 mpg combined, and the rear-wheel-drive Ford Explorer Hybrid achieves an estimated 27 mpg combined.

Safety & Driver Assistance Tech: 15/15

Every 2022 Hyundai Palisade comes with a generous set of safety features, including forward collision-avoidance assist with pedestrian detection, smart cruise control with stop and go, lane following assist, lane keeping assist, driver attention warning, trailer sway control, anti-lock braking system with four-wheel disc brakes, electronic stability control with traction control support, and brake assist. 

Optional equipment includes blind-spot collision-avoidance assist, rear cross-traffic collision-avoidance assist, ultrasonic rear occupant alert, safe exit assist, vehicle stability management and highway driving assist. That last system allows for semi-autonomous operation on controlled highways with a high degree of precision, just like GM’s SuperCruise or Tesla’s Enhanced Autopilot. It can even change lanes for you.

The Palisade has achieved outstanding safety ratings, receiving a Top Safety Pick+ distinction from IIHS and a five-star rating from NHTSA.

Comfort & Room: 14/15

While adults may find the third row to be less than ideal in terms of comfort in just about any SUV in this class, the Palisade offers more stretching room (31.4 inches) than the Highlander (27.7 inches), thanks in part to its two-inch-longer wheelbase. The Pilot has a half-inch advantage in third-row legroom and a slightly wider platform. 

Front seats in the Palisade are well padded and bolstered and would be enjoyable on short and long trips, and even the second- and third-row seats are pleasantly comfortable. With 42.4 inches of rear legroom, even NBA players would have enough room to feel comfortable back there, and the Palisade scores very well in overall room in both the first and second row. The design of the dash and console are well executed too, with vents in the right places, ensuring warm or cool air is aimed right at the occupants as desired. 

Infotainment: 13/15

Starting with the base SE trim, the Palisade has an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system, while Limited and Calligraphy versions include an upgrade to a 10.3-inch touchscreen with navigation and the 12-speaker Harman Kardon audio system. 

Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and Bluetooth connectivity are standard across the board, while the upgraded system gains SiriusXM, HD Radio, satellite navigation with live traffic updates and Hyundai’s Bluelink smartphone connectivity. The latter is similar to the competition’s application suites, enabling owners to keep track of vehicle maintenance, anti-theft measures, control convenience features and even remote-start the engine.

Five USB ports (three in the front row and two in the back) are standard, and two more may be added with the Convenience Package. Hyundai has opted to retain its unique audio graphics and the layout is simple and fairly intuitive. 

Cargo Space & Storage: 13/15

The Palisade boasts 18 cubic-feet of rear cargo capacity when all three rows are in place, 45.8 cubic-feet with the second row folded, and 86.4 cubic-feet when both rows are stowed. These numbers are fractionally higher by a cube or two than the Toyota Highlander or the Honda Pilot, but none of these are as capacious as the Volkswagen Atlas. With 20.6 cubic-feet behind its very large third row, there’s plenty of room for luggage with all the passengers aboard. The Atlas has 55.5 cubic-feet with the third row folded and a full-size-SUV-like 96.8 with both rows stowed. 

Families will appreciate that the Palisade has 16 cupholders, and that means that each passenger, when the Palisade is loaded up to the brim, can bring along two beverages.  Other small storage areas are plentiful, including the convenient console with a retractable cover. 

Style & Design: 9/10

The Palisade is a style standout, outshining the boxy, blander Highlander and Pilot and even managing to look more high-end than the sleekly-styled Atlas. Shaped with an intersection of interesting lines and curves, the Palisade delivers a great-looking SUV even at its base level. Its top-trim Calligraphy option has some styling cues some may find over the top, like quilted leather throughout the cabin, no one can accuse the automaker of skimping out on amenities. 

Unlike some of its other models, Hyundai chose a subdued color palette for the Palisade. One standout hue is the Sierra Burgundy, a rich red in a sea of muted shades of black, white, and gray. The grille and logo are nicely framed in the front and three different wheel designs accent the corners. 

Is the 2022 Hyundai Palisade Worth it? Which Palisade is the Best Value?

The Palisade is a good buy that feels like its in a higher class of vehicles than most of its competitors. It also edges out the most popular alternatives on passenger and cargo space even if it isn’t an exciting performer.

Starting at $34,895, the 2022 Palisade includes all the basics, like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, height-adjustable driver’s seat, an 8-inch touchscreen, five USB ports, and more for an adequate package. Stepping up to the SEL trim requires $2,350 more and brings niceties like roof rails, a sunroof, and heated front-row seats to the party. The SEL also replaces the bench seat with captain’s chairs, which makes it easier to access the third row. Upgrading to the SEL also unlocks the convenience and premium packages.

At the top of the line, the Limited (starting at $47,135) and Calligraphy ($48,585) go all out, especially in interior features. In fact, the Calligraphy is within striking distance of the luxury level of a new Genesis GV80 within the Hyundai group. 

Of all of the possibilities, a Palisade SEL equipped with the convenience and premium packages offers all of the best features without going over the top, and for an excellent price. 

Every Palisade comes with a standard limited warranty covering three years or 36,000 miles and a powertrain warranty that covers five years or 60,000 miles. The Palisade does not come with complimentary scheduled maintenance, while Toyota’s Highlander does. 

How Much Does it Cost to Insure the Hyundai Palisade?

The Hyundai Palisade costs about the same amount to insure as its competitors. According to our data, a typical 30-year-old female driver with a clean record can expect an average annual premium of $1,988 for a Palisade SEL, though this averages all 50 states. That compares to $2,048 for the Toyota Highlander L, $1,916 for the Honda Pilot Sport, $1,843 for the Subaru Ascent and $1,978 for the Volkswagen Atlas SEL. To get a more accurate picture of your potential insurance expenses, visit our car insurance calculator.