Are you looking for a luxury midsize SUV without the luxury price tag? The 2025 Hyundai Palisade delivers. It has a spacious and comfortable interior, comes loaded with features and tech, and is easy and pleasant to drive, all at a price that won’t break the bank.
Base Price: $52,600
As Tested: $54,700
Horsepower: 291
Mileage: 24 mpg city/34 mpg highway/28 mpg combined
Since the Hyundai Palisade and its cousin the Kia Telluride were introduced for the 2020 model year, these three-row crossovers have been at the top of the midsize SUV category. The Calligraphy trim was added to the Palisade line-up for 2021. For 2025, the SEL Premium trim debuts.
The 2025 Palisade comes in seven trims: SE, SEL, XRT, SEL Premium, Limited, Calligraphy and Calligraphy Night Edition. Starting prices range from $37,200 to $54,500. Front-wheel drive is standard on the six lower trims, and all-wheel drive is available on all for an additional $2,000. All-wheel drive is standard on the Calligraphy Night Edition trim.
There’s room for seven or eight passengers in three rows of seating, depending on whether you get captain’s chairs or bench seating in the second row. Captain’s chairs are standard on all but the SE trim.
The 2025 Palisade is powered by a 3.8-liter V6 that makes 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. The transmission is an eight-speed automatic.
The Palisade is easy to drive, which is what you want in a three-row family hauler. Will it get your heart racing? No. But it has decent acceleration, a smooth ride, and more than enough power for everyday driving scenarios. Need to merge or pass on the highway? No problem. The transmission shifts quickly and smoothly. The Palisade feels balanced when cornering. The ride is smooth and the suspension is tuned for comfort, soaking up bumps and rough roads.
Fuel economy is a smidge below average for a midsize SUV. EPA ratings for my tester are 24 mpg city, 34 mpg highway and 28 mpg combined. I got 26 mpg during my week with a mix of city and highway driving.
The interior rivals what you’ll find in many luxury brands. It’s spacious and attractive with upscale materials and is loaded with features and tech. Front seats are nicely cushioned and provide great support. Passengers in the first two rows enjoy good leg- and headroom. The third row is tighter and best suited for kids, but adults will be fine on short trips. A large 12.3-inch touchscreen is on the dash.
Standard features include proximity keyless entry, push-button start, rearview camera, dual-zone automatic climate control, cloth upholstery, six-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, power-folding second-row seats, 4.2-inch driver information display, infotainment system with 12.3-inch touchscreen, navigation, voice recognition, satellite radio, HD Radio, wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth, USB-A and USB-C USB ports, Wi-Fi hot spot, and automatic high-beam headlights.
Available features include the Hyundai digital key, surround-view camera system, head-up display, synthetic leather seating, Nappa leather upholstery, heated steering wheel, eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, driver’s seat memory settings, eight-way power-adjustable passenger seat, heated front seats, ventilated front seats, massaging driver’s seat, heated second-row seats, ventilated second-row seats, heated third-row seats, power-folding third-row seats, rear side-window sunshades, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, 12-speaker Harman Kardon stereo, additional USB ports, wireless device charging, 115-volt household-style power outlet, Passenger Talk (Hyundai’s in-car intercom), ambient interior lighting, rain-sensing windshield wipers, sunroof, and dual-pane sunroof.
Standard driver assistance technologies include forward collision warning, forward collision-avoidance assist with pedestrian, cyclist, and junction-turning detection, forward automatic emergency braking, stop-and-go adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, lane-centering assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, driver-attention monitoring, vehicle exit warning, and rear-seat alert.
Available driver assistance technologies include a blind-spot camera, reverse collision warning, reverse automatic emergency braking, front parking sensors, and remote smart parking.
The infotainment system looks great with its large 12.3-inch touchscreen. Graphics are crisp, menus are logically arranged, and the system responds quickly to inputs. Several handy physical controls make it easy to adjust audio and climate settings. While Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are standard, they require a cord.
Cargo space is good for a midsize SUV. There are 18 cubic feet with all three rows of seating in place, 45.8 cubes with the third row folded, and 86.4 cubes with the second and third rows folded. There’s an underfloor storage compartment that can accommodate smaller items. A hands-free power liftgate is available.
The Palisade has Hyundai’s excellent 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty.
The good:
Pleasant, easy handling
Smooth ride
Spacious, comfortable and upscale cabin
Many standard and available features and tech
User-friendly infotainment system
Rivals some luxury brands
The not-so-good:
Fuel economy slightly below average for the class
Pricing info:
My tester starts at $52,600. Hyper White paint is $470. Carpeted floor mats are $215. The destination fee is $1,415 bringing the grand total to $54,700.
Bottom line:
If you’re shopping for a three-row crossover, don’t buy before checking out the Hyundai Palisade and its cousin, the Kia Telluride. Both are great value for the money. The Palisade has a smooth ride, a classy and spacious cabin with plenty of room for passengers and cargo, and comes well equipped.
