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2023 Hyundai Palisade Review: Luxe On A Budget

The Palisade Calligraphy packs premium features and high-end styling that puts it near the top of the class.

2023 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy Review

Jeff Perez

By: Jeff Perez

Mar 2, 2023 at 12:00pm ET

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Verdict

9.3 / 10

Luxury doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg – the Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy is proof of that. The top-trim Hyundai offers upscale features, premium looks, and advanced technology all for a fraction of the cost of what the alternatives from luxury brands ask.

For 2023, Hyundai updated its poshest SUV with a fresh exterior design and more standard features. Buyers now get things like a larger touchscreen and the addition of Highway Driving Assist 2, which includes automatic lane changes. All of these upgrades make the Palisade Calligraphy that much more appealing.

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Quick Stats 2023 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy AWD Engine: 3.8-Liter V6 Output: 291 Horsepower / 262 Pound-Feet Fuel Economy: 19 City / 25 Highway / 21 Combined Base Price: $35,550 + $1,335 Destination As-Tested Price: $52,735

Gallery: 2023 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy: Review

2023 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy Review

Design

8/10

Exterior Color: Emerald Green
Interior Color: Black
Wheel Size: 20 Inches

Hyundai dropped the Palisade's smaller family fascia and went big. A huge cascading grille now extends down from the headlights all the way to the base of the bumper and uses chrome extensively on the top-end Calligraphy model. But the bold design choice works, especially contrasted against the beautiful Robust Emerald green of this tester. The only downside is that the new face adds an extra 0.6 inches to the front overhang, which makes an already big SUV look even bigger.

The interior design goes virtually untouched from last year – but it's still very good. High-quality aluminum accents surround high-end black Nappa leather on the seats and black accents on the dash and door panels. On this Calligraphy model, there is some hard-touch plastic lower down, but everything within immediate reach feels properly premium.

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Comfort

10/10

Seating Capacity: 7
Seating Configuration: 2 / 2 / 3
Cargo Capacity: 18.0 / 45.8 / 86.4 Cubic Feet

The Hyundai Palisade is like a cheat code for long drives; it is unbelievably comfy. The Nappa leather front buckets offer heating, ventilation, power adjustability with a memory function, and a smart posture adjustment function that straightened up my back when I got too slouchy.

The second-row captain’s chairs and even the third-row bench are both heated, as well, and the second row is among the roomiest in the entire class. Better suspension damping for 2023 also helps improve the Palisade Calligraphy’s already plush ride.

Interior Dimensions: Headroom, Front/Rear: Legroom Front/Rear: Cargo Volume: Hyundai Palisade 40.7 / 40.1 / 37.8 Inches 44.1 / 42.4 / 31.4 Inches 18.0 / 45.8 / 86.4 Cubic Feet Ford Explorer 40.7 / 40.5 / 38.9 Inches 43.0 / 39.0 / 32.2 Inches 18.2 / 47.9 / 87.8 Cubic Feet Jeep Grand Cherokee L 39.8 / 39.9 / 37.3 Inches 41.3 / 39.4 / 30.3 Inches 17.2 / 46.9 / 84.6 Cubic Feet Kia Telluride 40.9 / 40.2 / 38.1 Inches 44.1 / 42.4 / 31.4 Inches 21.0 / 46.0 / 87.0 Cubic Feet Nissan Pathfinder 42.3 / 39.6 / 37.8 Inches 44.3 / 35.5 / 28.0 Inches 16.6 / 45.0 / 80.5 Cubic Feet

Technology & Connectivity

8/10

Center Display: 12.3-inch Touchscreen
Instrument Cluster Display: 12.3 Inches
Wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto: No / No

A 12.3-inch touchscreen comes standard on all versions of the Palisade and is joined by a corresponding 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. The new center touchscreen replaces last year’s base 8.0-inch screen and the optional 10.3-inch display on the Calligraphy model, and yields better graphics with a more concise home screen.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, but both require wires. There are also seven total USB ports throughout the cabin, and Hyundai still offers its Blue Link smartphone app for remote start through Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.

Performance & Handling

5/10

Engine: 3.8-Liter V6
Output: 291 Horsepower / 262 Pound-Feet
Transmission: Eight-Speed Automatic

The Palisade’s 3.8-liter V6 engine and eight-speed automatic transmission put down power well enough. There’s decent acceleration from a standstill and still plenty of torque higher in the rev range for easy overtaking at highway speed. There’s a ton of body roll, so don’t go flinging the Palisade into corners too excitedly, and the steering is heavily boosted, which makes it feel easygoing around town but vague in tighter turns.

Safety

9/10

Driver Assistance Level: SAE Level 2 (Hands-On)
NHTSA Rating: Five Stars
IIHS Rating: Top Safety Pick Plus

Every Palisade comes with standard safety features like automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning with lane-keep assist, and adaptive cruise control with Hyundai’s Highway Driving Assist (HDA). That means the car will accelerate and brake automatically depending on the flow of traffic, as well as offer moderate steering inputs – but HDA is still hands-on.

The Calligraphy model offers Highway Driving Assist 2 at no extra cost. HDA2 is still hands-on, too, but adds automatic lane-change assist as well as an improved distance indicator and even adjacent traffic sensors that keep you from getting too close to the car next to you. This is the type of advanced safety tech typically reserved for high-end vehicles, not a Hyundai.

Fuel Economy

6/10

City: 19 MPG
Highway: 25 MPG
Combined: 21 MPG

Efficiency: City: Highway: Combined: Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy AWD 19 MPG 25 MPG 21 MPG Ford Explorer Platinum Hybrid AWD 23 MPG 24 MPG 23 MPG Jeep Grand Cherokee L Limited 4WD 18 MPG 25 MPG 21 MPG Kia Telluride SX Prestige AWD 18 MPG 24 MPG 21 MPG Nissan Pathfinder Platinum 4WD 20 MPG 25 MPG 22 MPG

Pricing

3/10

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Base Price: $35,550 + $1,335 Destination
Trim Base Price: $50,835
As-Tested Price: $52,735

The base Palisade is only $36,885 to start (including the $1,335 destination charge), which makes it one of the more affordable three-rows in the class. But if you want to ball out on the luxurious Calligraphy model, this version will cost you at least $50,835. Adding all-wheel drive is an extra $1,900 on top of that – but there are no other options, everything else comes standard.

Because this version of the Palisade is $15,000 more expensive than the base model, it doesn’t exactly win any awards for value. But compared to the lux trims that Ford, Jeep, and other competitors offer, the Calligraphy model is actually a relative bargain.

Pricing: Base Price (w/Destination): Trim Base Price: Competitive Price: Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy AWD $36,885 $50,835 $52,735 Ford Explorer Platinum Hybrid AWD $38,355 $57,415 $57,415 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Limited 4WD $44,830 $51,650 $61,660 Kia Telluride SX Prestige AWD $37,255 $51,955 $51,955 Nissan Pathfinder Platinum 4WD $36,295 $49,265 $51,715

Palisade Competitor Reviews:

FAQs:

Which Is Bigger The Kia Telluride Or Hyundai Palisade?

The Kia Telluride is slightly longer than the Hyundai Palisade, even though the two cars share similar dimensions given that they use the same platform. The Telluride is 196.9 inches long and the Palisade is 196.7 inches long – growing by 0.6 inches this year thanks to the new front fascia.

What Is The Difference Between Palisade Limited And Calligraphy?

The Calligraphy comes with more standard features than the Palisade Limited. That includes larger 20-inch wheels, a unique front-end design, quilted leather interior inserts, and technology like Highway Driving Assist 2 at no extra cost.

Which Is More Luxurious Kia Or Hyundai?

When it comes to Palisade versus Telluride, the Palisade Calligraphy is the more luxurious SUV of the two. It comes with quilted leather interior inserts and more high-end features.

2023 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy AWD

Engine 3.8-liter V6

Output 291 Horsepower / 262 Pound-Feet

Transmission Eight-Speed Automatic

Drive Type All-Wheel Drive

Efficiency 19 City / 25 Highway / 21 Combined

Weight 4,387 Pounds

Seating Capacity 7

Cargo Volume 18.0 / 45.8 / 86.4 Cubic Feet

Towing 5,000 Pounds

Base Price $35,550 + $1,335 Destination

Trim Base Price $50,835

As-Tested Price $52,735

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