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ASHEVILLE, N.C. — The 2023 Hyundai Palisade isn’t the brand new child in class anymore. It’s established, promoting like gangbusters and nonetheless being lauded by all people right here at Autoblog — Senior Editor John Snyder even purchased one final 12 months. This 2023 refresh is a textbook instance of what an replace ought to appear like for an already profitable automobile. A protracted listing of tiny tweaks and enhancements make the Palisade that little bit higher than earlier than, and immediately noticeable styling modifications guarantee you already know that you just’re wanting on the refreshed Palisade, not the previous one.
Hyundai’s new beak is definitely essentially the most contentious or brow-furrowing revision on show right here. The grille is bigger than earlier than, provides each a blacked-out or shiny look, and there’s a brand new horizontal defend proper on the vanguard of the hood. It appears somewhat misplaced, and it’s left a few of us with the opinion that this refreshed Palisade truly appears worse than the unique design. You’ll have to look intently to note different modifications, similar to redesigned headlights, a brand new decrease rear bumper and new wheels.
The brand new XRT trim is supposed to enchantment to people wanting a Palisade that appears extra rugged, however doesn’t truly enhance off-road functionality in any means. In individual, it’s essentially the most good-looking of the redesigned Palisades. The blacked-out trim and grille makes the large SUV stand out extra, in a great way, than any of the whole-model design modifications do. The Restricted trim snags the black grille, too.
Though the Tucson and Santa Fe provide hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains, the Palisade continues to supply solely a 3.8-liter V6 with 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. Identical to earlier than, front-wheel drive is commonplace on each trim, with all-wheel drive being an added price choice. The one new powertrain addition is a brand new Tow Mode that comes commonplace while you choice all-wheel drive. Toss it into this setting, and the transmission will maintain gears longer and cut back the frequency of shifts . Most towing is unaffected, although, as capability is identical at 5,000 kilos.
Having spent hundreds of miles in our long-term Palisade, it’s abundantly clear that this tweaked Palisade drives practically identically to the previous one. The one minor change observed was the steering effort. It’s each lighter and silkier in operation than earlier than, partly because of Hyundai’s new frequency sensing valve that detect tough highway impacts and goals to extend stability when the wheel may in any other case be knocked about in your palms. It wasn’t vital to alter something with how the Palisade drove, although. The V6 has loads of energy for its measurement and the section, and its trip and dealing with are simply what we wish from a giant three-row SUV: cozy, sure-footed, low effort. Sure, the April Fool’s joke about a Palisade N could be superior if it got here true, however Hyundai gained’t be doing any such factor.
Crawl inside the brand new Palisade, and whereas issues appear acquainted, there are loads of notable updates. For starters, the sprint will get a revised design that ends in a side-to-side, horizontal air vent look. A brand new steering wheel with horizontal spokes and nicer buttons provides a flash of sophistication. That is complimented by a bigger, 12-inch infotainment system and enhanced digital instrument cluster working new software program. We dig the crisp new cluster, and equally get pleasure from the brand new digital local weather management show within the heart stack. The final new display of be aware is a rearview digicam mirror. It’s unattainable to understand how nicely this digital mirror will maintain as much as environmental situations till we get our palms on it throughout a Michigan winter, as North Carolina solely supplied us with heat sunny situations for our Palisade drive.
In the event you spring for the highest shelf Calligraphy trim (what we drove), Hyundai tosses in a brand new “Ergo-Seat.” Primarily, it’s a massaging driver seat, and the therapeutic massage is for each again and backside. We’ve sat on this seat in Genesis models up to now, so it’s nice to see the Palisade get a few of that love right here. Sadly, as in a few of these Genesis automobiles, solely the driving force can get the Ergo-Seat, a reality greatest left unmentioned to your un-massaged passenger.
The luxurious seat enhancements proceed within the third row, as Hyundai added heated seats for the Calligraphy as commonplace, and consists of them in an extra-cost package deal for the Restricted trim. That’s a uncommon, upper-crust luxurious SUV characteristic. Even the second row will get some consideration, because the captain’s chairs get new winged headrests you could curl in to offer a cushty resting cradle on your head whereas sleeping. The armrests are improved with a higher quantity of journey, too, in an effort to allow you to get extra comfy when in a completely reclined place.
The listing of tech and comfort enhancements proceed, and a few are certain to make present Palisade homeowners somewhat jealous. Hyundai’s Digital Key 2 steps in for 2023, which lets you use your telephone as a key, assuming you will have both an iPhone or Samsung machine — sorry, different Android customers. Along with a conventional key fob, Hyundai is giving people an NFC-enabled “key” card, too, much like the one you get with Teslas. A WiFi hotspot is on the market for the primary time, for those who pay a month-to-month charge. The wi-fi telephone charger (the place you set your telephone to show the car on utilizing the Digital Key operate) is improved with sooner charging. The BlueLink app for the Palisade will get an replace with higher management and performance. Plus, a lot of USB-A ports are changed with quicker-charging USB-C ports all through the cabin.
Each aspect mirrors now characteristic auto-dimming to maintain these vibrant headlights from blinding you — that’s one characteristic we’d’ve beloved on our long-term Palisade. Plus, the notorious “Smaht Pahk” distant parking characteristic is onboard. The final security characteristic we’ll level out is the addition of rear aspect impression airbags as commonplace gear that ought to additional enhance the Palisade’s security for rear occupants.
Maybe one, or a couple of, of these updates are a recreation changer for you, however they’re largely nice-to-haves in our e-book. All the goodness of the Palisade pre-refresh stays, which means that the cabin is definitely one of many nicest within the section — that is very true for the top-level Calligraphy trim. And for the worth, it frankly can’t be beat in the case of tech and luxurious options.
Having to decide on between it and the Kia Telluride continues to be a tough ballgame, because the Telluride is enhanced for 2023, too. If somewhat extra off-road efficiency is what you’re after, the XRT trim may look the half, nevertheless it gained’t do any higher off-road than the opposite trims. As proof of this, Hyundai took us by way of some trails with somewhat mud and the occasional small whoop, however we did so in Calligraphy fashions, not XRTs. The fake skid plates and black trim is only for present, however not less than the usual roof cross bars will make sticking gadgets up high a seamless expertise. Kia provides true off-road enhancements with the Telluride X-Professional, so direct your consideration there for those who’re after one thing with higher off-road efficiency (or a Jeep Grand Cherokee L).
All of those updates lead to a small value improve to the assorted trims, however not cripplingly so. A base mannequin begins at $36,245 ($1,420 greater than final 12 months), whereas the top-of-the-line Calligraphy stickers for $50,195. Including all-wheel drive with the brand new tow mode is one other $1,900. We’re left to conclude that the Palisade is a notably improved household transport machine, and in the meanwhile, there’s no bumping it from the rostrum as probably the greatest three-row SUVs.
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