Used 2021 Hyundai Palisade

The 2021 Hyundai Palisade is a midsize 3-row SUV with seating for eight occupants, or seven in the higher trims. Sharing its structure, engine and most features with its corporate sibling, the Kia Telluride, the 2021 Palisade still has its own character, due in large part to its unmistakable styling inside and out.

Pitched against heavyweights like the Honda Pilot, Volkswagen Atlas, Ford Explorer, Toyota Highlander, and its Kia Telluride cousin, the 2021 Palisade is a credible challenger. With a welcoming interior, lavish feature list, pleasant road manners, top safety scores, an unsurpassed powertrain warranty, and keen pricing, the 2021 Hyundai Palisade deserves serious consideration by SUV shoppers.

The 3.8-liter V6 powering the 2021 Palisade delivers confident (though not stellar) thrust, operating with commendable refinement. Predictable responses from the accelerator blend with smooth and timely shifts of the 8-speed automatic transmission.

The suspension mellows road harshness without sapping the Palisade’s cornering competence. No one buys an 8-passenger SUV for spirited blasts over winding mountain passes, but weary parents facing sweeping onramps will enjoy reassuring stability and direct feedback through the steering wheel. Given Hyundai’s typically vague steering feel in years past, the Palisade is a major step in the right direction.

On the freeway, wind noise starts to become noticeable. Outward vision is mostly unimpeded, except for a 2nd-row headrest that blocks much of the rear-quarter window during right-hand lane changes. Set the mirrors right and things will be just fine.

The 2021 Palisade’s interior has quality materials and a luxury aesthetic, especially at the Limited trim level with Nappa leather. Above all, the cabin is functional, offering numerous storage nooks, including an area below the center console made possible by the Palisade’s compact electronic gear selector.

Passenger space is abundant, even in the third row, where an average adult male can sit in reasonable comfort. The 2nd-row seats take the form of a highly adjustable sliding/reclining bench or a pair of captain’s chairs, lowering the occupant count to seven.

The Palisade provides a generous 18 cubic feet of storage behind the third row, which expands to a maximum of 86.4 cubic feet with the second and third seating rows folded down.

One person’s masterpiece is another person’s mess, so we’ll leave everyone to make up their own minds on the merits or otherwise of the Hyundai Palisade’s exterior styling. It certainly has a presence, though. Regardless of trim level, the 2021 Palisade has chrome trim accents that Hyundai thinks are essential design elements.

All Palisades feature LED headlights and daytime running lights. SE and SEL trims have 18-inch alloy wheels, the Limited and Calligraphy trims roll on 20-inch alloys. Calligraphy sets itself apart even more with its own LED signature and fascia treatment at both ends, plus a wider central LED brake light.

STANDARD ONE-TOUCH SLIDING SECOND ROW
Hefty 2nd-row seat levers can confound passengers boarding the third row. The Palisade’s solution consists of two simple release buttons for entering or departing the rear quarters. It’s child’s play.

POWER-OPERATED THIRD ROW
Kids, shopping, phones, tennis racquets, and the like can make everyone wish they had more hands. But at least there’s no need to lower, raise or recline the Palisade’s 3rd-row seats manually. The power-adjustable third row is optional in the SEL, standard in the higher trims.

Even in its most basic trim, SE, the 2021 Hyundai Palisade comes with a lot of features. Among its standard delights are automatic on/off LED headlights, one-touch sliding 2nd-row seats, keyless entry/ignition, an 8-inch infotainment display, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone integration, and adaptive cruise control with a stop/go function.

Filling out the “basic” safety roster are lane-keeping assistance, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, and seven airbags, including one for the driver’s knees.

Another positive of buying a Palisade is Hyundai’s reassuring 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty.

Apart from all-wheel drive, the main options for the 2021 Palisade center around SEL trim, in the form of Convenience and Premium packages. Convenience includes 20-inch alloy wheels, LED taillights, self-leveling rear suspension, hands-free tailgate, wireless charging, front parking sensors, and a 115-volt outlet.

Premium builds on that with luxurious items like leather seating surfaces, driver’ s-side memory settings, 8-way power-adjustable front passenger seat, heated 2nd-row seats, powered 3rd-row seating, heated steering wheel, lane centering for the adaptive cruise control (Highway Drive Assist), 10-25-inch infotainment touchscreen, satellite radio, and Driver Talk — an intercom system between the driver and rear passengers. The SEL can also reinstate the second-row bench.

Limited trim gains those options as standard, plus a 12-speaker/630-watt Harman Kardon surround-sound system and a vivid 12.3-inch digital driver information cluster.

Calligraphy raises the luxury bar even higher with (for example) specific cosmetic additions, puddle lamps, and a steering wheel covered with perforated leather.

Every version of the 2021 Palisade is propelled by a 3.8-liter V6 developing 291 horsepower. For normal commuting, that’s plenty of muscle. But with a full load of passengers and/or when towing the Palisade’s 5,000-pound maximum, some drivers may wish for more than the 262 lb-ft of torque on offer.

Nevertheless, the engine is linked to a smooth-shifting 8-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive (FWD) is standard, with all-wheel drive (AWD) on the options list. Except for the Calligraphy trim, which has AWD as standard.

The Palisade has selectable driving modes, including Eco, Comfort, Sport, Smart (that automatically selects a mode based on driver behavior) and, for versions with AWD, Snow. The HTRAC AWD system uses an electronic clutch to send up to 50 percent of available torque to the rear. For slippery conditions, HTRAC has a 50/50 lock mode splitting power evenly between the front and rear axles.

3.8-liter V6
291 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
262 lb-ft of torque @ 5,200 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 19/26 mpg (FWD), 19/24 mpg (AWD)