Road Beat: 2020 Hyundai Palisade, The Class Act of the Classes

In an all-new vehicle in what can be considered a new size class for SUVs, Hyundai’s new Palisade has hit a Grand Slam (Salami, if you are Italian or a Yankee Fan), but not an ordinary Grand Slam, but this one landed on River Avenue or Waveland Avenue if you’re a Cubby. It is flat out the best SUV I have ever driven with performance, ride, handling, quiet, comfort and economy levels that put it immediately at the top of its class and almost every other class. Palisade is simply a Class act.

Here’s the deal (and Palisade is the deal in so many ways, especially price). First is size. Palisade could be classified as a small full-size SUV or a larger mid-size. At 196 inches in length, Palisade is actually a half-inch shorter than the Honda Pilot and two inches shorter than the Nissan Pathfinder and three inches shorter than the 2020 Ford Explorer. Only the Explorer has a longer wheelbase, but the Palisade’s 114-inch wheelbase exceeds the rest of the competition if there is any. At 78 inches in width, its beam is exceeded by an inch by the Pilot and two inches by the Explorer. Palisade is sized perfectly, small enough to be considered a mid-size, yet large enough to give you comfortable eight-passenger, three-row seating for real-sized adults.

And one other note about Palisade’s capability is that it has a payload of 1,600 pounds (equaling or exceeding many half-ton full-size pickups) and a towing capacity of 5,000 pounds. Interior space is ginormous, having first in class first and second-row legroom and an interior volume that is 95 percent of an eight-inch longer and three-inch wider Chevy Tahoe, with the Palisade actually having about 20 percent more interior volume behind the third-row seat plus a hidden compartment.

But in addition to its smaller on the outside and bigger on the inside design, Palisade gives you the performance, fuel economy, ride, handling and comfort that makes it the best SUV in two classes (mid-size and full size) that you can buy. It’s a big statement, so let’s look at the facts.

First, under the big broad hood is the Hyundai 3.8L DOHC, 24 Valve, direct-injected V-6 with a twist. It is an Atkinson cycle engine meaning a very high 13:1 compression ratio and higher fuel and engine efficiency. Output is a very strong 291 thoroughbreds at 6,000 rpm and 262 pounds of twist at 5,200 rpm meaning at 5,200 rpm it is making 260 hp. It is coupled to a slick eight-speed torque converter tranny that drives all four wheels all the time via a single-speed transfer case (with the 4X4 option), otherwise, it’s an FWD driver. Go with the AWD option which allows for locking up the system and electronic controls for terrain conditions including hill descent.

Performance is outstanding with 0-60 mph arriving in a short 6.97 seconds. Passing performance is also very quick with 50-70 mph being achieved in a rapid 3.49 and up a steep grade (6-7 percent) increases that time to just 5.30 seconds. That’s rockin’ for a big SUV that weighs nearly 4,300 pounds.

Ok, so it scoots like a high-performance sports sedan, but what about owning stock in Exxon or Mobil. It’s not necessary as it returns much higher numbers than the EPA test cycle predicts which is 19/24/21 mpg city/highway/combined. In a 15-mile run set at a steady 70 mph on cruise control, the Palisade averaged 31 mpg. But that is no fluke. I drove the Palisade on a 1,500-mile road trip mostly on two-lane 70 mph highways going up and down mountain passes from approximately 4,000 feet to 6,400 feet of elevation, and much of the time negotiating curvy roads. Also during each leg more than a dozen full-throttle passes were made reaching speeds I would rather not admit to. For most of the trip (at least 90 percent), the adaptive cruise control was set at 77-78 mph with an actual average speed of 72 mph (there were dozens of small towns that reduced speeds to 25 mph for a mile or two). During each 600-mile leg to and from my destination, the Palisade averaged 26.2 mpg. Pretty incredible. Overall for the 1,500 miles, the big Palisade averaged 26.1 mpg because 300 miles were driven running around the metro area of my destination, where the Palisade averaged about 25 mpg. The fuel tank is a large 18.8 gallons.

Driving 620 miles in a day with only one stop in about nine hours demonstrated the remarkable level of ride, handling, comfort, and quiet. It was the easiest, most comfortable long drive I have ever made. The front soft gray leather chairs were simply sublime and supportive. The ride was one of the best ever encountered, a perfect balance of ride control and bump absorption. It has all the creds, state of the art four-wheel independent suspension, a perfectly weighted quick electric rack power steering at 2.87 turns lock to lock, a mammoth track of 67 and 68-inches front and rear with beautiful 20X7.5-inch alloys shod with meaty 245/50 series rubber. And it all works in perfect harmony. It does the tango in the twisties effortlessly just like a well sorted out sports sedan. But this Palisade can also haul the mail.

As said ride quality is perfect and the quiet is deafening with the already silent engine turning just 1,800 rpm at 70 mph. Thinking will have to be done in a whisper.

I haven’t been a fan of semi-autonomous driving, but the Hyundai Highway Driver Assist has changed that. When the super-smart cruise control is engaged, besides controlling speed and following distances, it also steers the Palisade perfectly without being intrusive. It was this feature that prevented driver fatigue when spending nine hours plus in the saddle. It was a piece of cake and it wasn’t fattening. Kudos to Hyundai. If you are driving even short trips, it’s a gotta’ have. Palisade has about every safety feature one could think of and the nearly 14-inch (ventilated) front and 12-inch rear disc brakes are perfectly linear and powerful. If I go on anymore, you will need that Driver Assist to keep from falling asleep during this read. High beams were LEDs with automatic off and on
I already talked about the interior comfort, but it has every feature including power up and down second and third-row seat that fold perfectly flat and with a good pad can sleep two when folded.

Instrumentation is complete with a fantastic trip computer. All the controls are quality and simple and easy to use. No college, even junior high school is needed to operate. There are a plethora of USB ports and even an 115V 150-watt electrical outlet. Even the shift lever has been replaced by push buttons on the console, which is floating with oodles of storage space below. There is nothing that Hyundai hasn’t thought of to make a drive more convenient. As to going to your local Home Depot or Lowe’s, don’t as this Palisade is huge inside.

Now here is the best part, pricing. Palisade is a veritable bargain with my mid-level SEL AWD stickering for $35,205 plus $1,045 for the boat from Ulsan, Korea. My tester had three main option packages which should be bought with the Palisade, the $2,200 Convenience Package adds 20-inch alloys, LED tail lights, auto-leveling suspension, the AC 115 v port and so much more. Next is the $2,400 Premium Package which adds leather, Bi-LED headlights, heat to the steering wheel and second-row seats (the front seats are already heated) and finally the Driver Guidance Option which adds NAV and a 10-inch screen, Highway Driver Assist and a bunch more. Two other options brought the price of admission to a reasonable $43,155 all in. And that’s for the new king of the hill in SUVs and about $15-20 large less than any equivalent competition which there are none. It’s the one I would acquire. It’s the big bargain of SUVs and the reason why SUVs dominate the market place.

Specifications
Price $36,250 to $43,155 all in

Engine
3.8L Direct injected, DOHC, 24 valve Atkinson cycle V-6 291 hp @ 6,000 rpm
262 lb.-ft of torque @ 5,000 rpm

Transmission

Eight-speed torque converter automatic

Configuration
Transverse mounted front engine/FWD/AWD

Dimensions
Wheelbase 114.2 inches
Length 196.1 inches
Width 77.8 inches
Height 68.9 inches
Track (f/r) 67.2/67.6 inches
Ground clearance 7.9 inches
Fuel capacity 18.8 gallons
Weight 4,284 pounds
GVWR 5,871 pounds
Trailer tow capacity 5,000 pounds
Wheels 20X7.5 alloys
Tires 245/50X20
Steering lock to lock 2.87 turns
Turning circle 38.7 feet
Cargo capacity (behind front row/behind second row/behind the third row 86.4/45.8/18.0 cubic feet
Co-efficient of drag 0.33

Performance
0-60 6.97 seconds
50-70 mph 3.49 seconds
50-70 mph (up 6-7 percent grade) 5.30 seconds
Top Speed Electronically limited to 132 mph
Fuel economy EPA rated (AWD) 19/24/22 mpg city/highway/combined. Expect 31 mpg on a level highway at legal speeds and 24 mpg overall. (See story)

Larry Weitzman is a writer and car buff living in El Dorado County.