Used 2022 Hyundai Palisade

The Palisade wowed us when it was introduced by Hyundai in 2020 as a serious competitor to the top players in the midsize SUV segment like the Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander. This minivan alternative has three roomy rows of seats, a well-crafted interior, and a nice list of standard and available features, making it a fantastic value. Even the more expensive upper trims of the Palisade are good values because they’re competitive with pricier luxury SUVs.

The Hyundai Palisade was already generous with standard features and that list becomes even longer for 2022. This year’s new standard safety tech features include blind-spot monitoring, turn signal mirrors, rear cross-traffic alert, and Safe Exit Assist. Other than those additions, the 2022 Palisade isn’t much different from the 2021 model.

Driving the Hyundai Palisade is a pleasant experience with few surprises. If you prioritize comfort over performance, that’s a good thing. The V6 under the hood motivates the Palisade with predictable thrust, and the 8-speed transmission delivers smooth, well-timed shifts.

Handling is stable and composed in the Palisade. It’s smooth and comfortable in a straight line but sure-footed enough to make quick turns with confidence. Turn too quickly, and you’ll experience some unavoidable body roll associated with any crossover this size.

One minor gripe we have with the Palisade is that there’s some wind noise at highway speeds. It’s not deafening, but some rivals are quieter on the highway.

The interior is a strong suit of the Hyundai Palisade. Some 3-row SUVs in this class have tight third-row seating or compromised cargo space. The Palisade is a midsize SUV with adult-friendly third-row seats and a pretty good amount of cargo space, too.

The third row is also easy to access, thanks to one-touch sliding second-row seats on both sides. Seating for up to eight is standard, but that drops to seven with the second-row captain’s chairs.

The inside of the Palisade has a design that’s modern and attractive. The controls are laid out nicely, and the materials can get upscale in the higher trims, like Nappa leather in the Limited model. Calligraphy trim brings quilted leather throughout the interior and a simulated suede headliner. Even in the lower trims, there are enough soft-touch materials to make this SUV feel nicer than its price suggests.

The exterior of the Hyundai Palisade is a bit polarizing. Some people like the look, some people hate it. It has a prominent grille opening flanked by a light signature similar to the one on the Hyundai Santa Fe. If you like the idea of the Palisade but you’re not crazy about the styling, consider the mechanically identical and similarly priced Kia Telluride.

The Palisade looks nicer the higher up the model range. SEL trim adds upgraded wheels and satin chrome door handles, while the Limited adds body-colored wheel arches. The premium Calligraphy trim has an appearance package of its own with an exclusive grille, front and rear fascias, door finishers, and 20-inch alloy wheels.

INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM
The standard 8-inch infotainment system is very user-friendly and comes with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

CALLIGRAPHY MODEL
The fancy Calligraphy trim pushes the Palisade into luxury territory with a ritzy appearance package, quilted leather, simulated suede headliner, and more.

The base SE trim of the 2022 Palisade is well-appointed and a good value choice in this lineup. A few standard features include 18-inch alloy wheels, LED projector headlights, 8-occupant seating, one-touch/sliding/second-row seats, and an 8-inch infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. There are USB ports in the first and second rows for charging devices.

Many modern safety tech features come standard in the Palisade. These include automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, driver attention warning, automatic high beams, rear parking sensors, full-speed adaptive cruise control, and rear occupant alert. A few safety features  are newly standard for the 2022 model year — turn signal mirrors, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and Safe Exit Assist.

Moving up the model range can make the Hyundai Palisade a pretty upscale SUV. Seven-passenger seating with second-row captain’s chairs becomes standard at the SEL trim level. The SEL model also adds roof side rails, heated front seats, power driver’s seat, LED interior lights, remote start, and 3-zone automatic climate control.

The Palisade Limited comes with a bit of a price jump, but adds many premium features. Upgrading to the Limited model brings a dual-pane sunroof, Nappa leather seats, head-up display, 360-degree camera, power-folding third-row seats, heated steering wheel, 10.25-inch infotainment system with navigation, fully digital gauge cluster, wireless device charging, heated second-row seats, ventilated front seats, the Driver Talk intercom system, and much more.

The range-topping Calligraphy model has much of the same equipment as the Limited trim, but adds a more premium look and feel. It has a specific appearance package with more satin chrome trim and special 20-inch wheels. It also has more quilted leather interior upholstery, a simulated suede headliner, puddle lamps, and a steering wheel wrapped in perforated leather.

The Palisade has one engine available under the hood. It’s a 3.8-liter V6 producing 291 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque linked to an 8-speed automatic transmission.

Like most SUVs in this segment, front-wheel drive is standard and all-wheel drive is optional. Fuel economy is rated at up to 19 city/26 highway mpg. These performance and fuel economy numbers are about average for this class.

The Palisade has a towing capacity of up to 5,000 pounds.

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)