Live Thread: One Week with a 2024 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy

If anyone asks me what to get if they need a three-row vehicle but don't want a minivan, I point them to the Telluride/Palisade. I don't think you can really go wrong with either.

My first impression after driving this for just a few minutes: Wait, I’m not in a Genesis or a Lexus but “just” a Hyundai? 

The Palisade is that good. It feels way upmarket. It looks upmarket. 

More to come. (Currently in a meeting.)

First impressions: It’s roomy but doesn’t feel big. It’s easy to park and navigate at slow speeds. Love the color of our tester. 

For an SUV, fairly easy to get in and out of. 

Comfortable seats. (Once you call up the Sport mode, the bolsters automatically tighten a bit)

Okay, a biggie coming up: The controls are very intuitive to use. Want more heat? You get a knob. Louder music? And you get a knob. The buttons and knobs just make sense. It seems so simple yet, sadly, it’s not as common as you’d think. 

One concession to today’s trends, though: The shifter uses buttons. I’d prefer something more traditional–something you can work by feel–but you do get used to it. 

The center screen is properly sized. It doesn’t look like someone just stuck an iPod in the middle of things. Call it more like a modern BMW and not at all like the e-Mustang. 

So, driving it.

The 3.8L V6 offers plenty of power. The eight-speed automatic reads my mind–smooth shifting with logic that hasn’t left me waiting for the next gear change. 

No wandering, no weirdness, nothing that makes me wonder how it got past the engineers. 

The Palisade is way quiet on the highway. Again, sure this isn’t a Lexus or a Genesis?

I took a friend to breakfast in the Palisade. He usually daily drives a Genesis and has a few high-end cars.

He pulled the window sticker from the glove box.

$53,650 total!?

He couldn’t believe the price–meaning the value proposition here. What impressed him the most: the ride, the details, the level of equipment, the fit and finish and, a biggie, the warranty. 

Let’s talk about the headliner for a bit because it’s beautiful. So soft, so much Alcantara-like fabric. Even the sun visors are wrapped in much creamy goodness. Again, sure this isn’t a Genesis or a Lexus? 

These are my fingers having a good time:

Let’s take a minute to discuss the center console’s storage. 

The machined aluminum release button feels high end.  

Inside there are two cup holders that can magically fold away.

And further back, you get another storage bin complete with plugs–because you can never have too many.

And I just noticed that the middle seats have these side pockets of sorts. 

Privacy screens and headliner air vents for the middle-row occupants, too. 

The buttons to raise and lower the third row can be found in the way back. You don’t have to hold them down, either, as they offer one-touch action.