2023 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy review: a top-tier choice

The Hyundai Palisade has been racking up awards and accolades since it first went on sale in 2020. It made it into the Kelley Blue Book Best Family Cars list for three years in a row. U.S. News & World Report awarded the 2023 Palisade the Best 3-Row SUV for the Money. The Midwest Automotive Media Association named it the Family Vehicle of the Year. After spending two weeks with the 2023 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy, KSL Cars can confirm — it’s worthy of the hype. Here’s everything you need to know about the popular three-row, midsize SUV.

Price and value 

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade comes in five trims: SE, SEL, XRT, Limited and Calligraphy, with a price range of $35,900 to $50,800. No matter which Palisade you choose, each comes with the same 3.8-liter V6 engine that puts out 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. It has an eight-speed automatic transmission with standard front-wheel drive or optional all-wheel drive. Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, built-in navigation, a 12.3-inch infotainment touch screen and a Wi-Fi hotspot are all standard on each trim. Some of the major trim differences are noted below. See all Hyundai listings

SE: $35,900 See listings

• Seats eight passengers

• 4.2-inch gauge cluster

• Cloth upholstery

• 18-inch alloy wheels

SEL: $38,900 See listings

• Leatherette trimmed seats

• Seats seven to eight passengers

• Heated front seats

• Wireless charging pad

• LED tail lights

• Silver roof rails

• Hands-free smart liftgate

• Hyundai Digital Key 2 Touch

• Premium Package available

XRT: $41,200 See listings

• 20-inch XRT exclusive alloy wheels

• Black XRT Unique exterior accents

• Black roof rails

• Black leatherette upholstery

• Body color door handles

• Seats seven passengers

• Conventional sunroof

Limited: $47,450 See listings

• 20-inch alloy wheels

• 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster

• Blind-spot view monitor

• Leather-trimmed seats

• Heated/ventilated front seats

• Heated/ventilated second-row seats

• Heated third row

• Power-folding third row

• Melange headliner 

• Harman Kardon audio system

• Driver Talk in-car intercom

• Dual panel sunroof

• Head-up display

• Heated steering wheel

Calligraphy: $50,800 See listings

• 20-inch alloy Calligraphy exclusive wheels 

• Digital rearview mirror

• Premium grille with satin chrome coating

• Ergo-motion driver seat

• Microfiber headliner

• Quilted leather door panels

• Premium Nappa Leather seats

• Remote Smart Parking Assist (RSPA)

After freight and handling fees and adding carpeted floor mats, our top-of-the-line Calligraphy tester rang up at $52,310. Given the luxuries included at this trim level, that seemed like a reasonable price. A three-row SUV with luxuriously comfortable, heated seats all the way through the cabin and sufficient space to store your essentials? You won’t find many cars (other than the Kia Telluride) that can offer those perks at that price point. 

But if we were shopping around for our own Palisade, we’d probably opt for the SEL trim with the Premium Package. This adds better suspension, a bunch of luxurious features (heated/ventilated seats, heated steering wheel, etc.) plus a few tech and safety upgrades most drivers would likely appreciate. Adding the Premium Package will tack on $5,000 to the price, which still comes in below the Calligraphy. Check out Hyundai listings

Still, only the Limited and Calligraphy trims offer that coveted, heated third row. So that’s something to keep in mind.

Performance 

Rolling around in the Palisade Calligraphy with our little family of four was about as smooth and comfortable as we could hope for. It says something when even a 7-year-old can point out how nice the ride feels!

Engine 

The 3.8-liter V6 may not be the peppiest thing on the market, but it provides plenty of power for daily driving needs. Full disclosure — our family vehicle is a 2022 Kia Telluride SX Prestige, so drawing comparisons between the two cars was inevitable since they share the same engine and basic concept. Interestingly, we noted that while our Telluride seems to wheeze when shifting gears up a hill, the Palisade had no such problem. Its eight-speed automatic, all-wheel drive transmission was fairly seamless. You can also manually shift gears with paddle shifters on the steering wheel.

Fuel economy 

The EPA rates the front-wheel drive 2023 Hyundai Palisade at 19 mpg in the city, 27 mpg on the highway and 22 mpg combined. For the all-wheel drive version, that drops only slightly to 19 mpg, 25 mpg and 21 mpg, respectively. In our real-world testing, we averaged just slightly below those numbers, though a majority of our driving was around the city.

Drivetrain 

All-wheel drive is standard on the Calligraphy trim and we wouldn’t buy a Palisade any other way. We learned that Hyundai’s HTRAC all-wheel drive system detects slippage and can help you maintain traction if you hit slippery conditions. This, for sure, is an underrated selling point. 

Acceleration and handling 

We drove the Calligraphy through all types of weather and were pleased with the way it easily handled wet, slick and snowy roads. Its 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque gave it just enough “oomph” off the line. In their testing, Car and Driver found that the all-wheel drive XRT trim accelerated from zero to 60 mph in 6.4 seconds.

Braking 

Brakes were responsive and worked as expected. If we had any complaints at all, it would be that the emergency braking system was almost too sensitive. The Palisade often halted to an abrupt stop as we backed out of our driveway if we didn’t angle it just right over the approach.

Interior comfort and convenience 

If there’s one area where the Palisade absolutely excels, it’s this one. Comfort and convenience are at a maximum — especially in the upscale Calligraphy trim. It’s baffling how Hyundai was able to include these features and still maintain a price tag under $50,000. 

Seats 

The instant you sink into those soft, cushiony, Nappa leather seats, you’ll wonder where they’ve been all your life. This was the first Palisade feature to win us over — and it might be the No. 1 reason why it was hard to see this tester go. The first and second row seats in the Calligraphy are both heated and ventilated. Much to the delight of our carpool kids, the third row also had heated seats. And if you’ve been driving a while and the car senses you might be a little tense, it’ll automatically kick into massage mode to adjust your posture. It’s like having a personal assistant who anticipates your every need. 

Climate control 

Automatic climate control is always appreciated. Since we drove the Palisade mostly in colder weather, we can attest to its ability to bring the cabin up to a toasty comfort level in mere minutes. 

Cargo space and cabin storage 

The Palisade may not be on the same cargo space level as a Suburban, but if your needs are modest, this midsize SUV does the job nicely with 18 cubic feet behind the third row, 45.8 cubic feet with the third row folded down and 86.4 cubic feet with the second and third rows down. Power-folding seats made it super easy to access the extra space. As far as cabin storage goes, there were plenty of cupholders and cubbies to hold accessories throughout the cabin, though some may prefer slightly more storage space in the doors.

Infotainment system 

The 12.3-inch touch screen (identical to the one of our Telluride) is as user-friendly and parent-friendly as it gets. Our kids enjoyed the “Sounds of Nature” white noise app and the Passenger Talk intercom is a parental favorite for getting their attention in the back seat. The only thing we wish was available with the infotainment system is wireless Apple CarPlay — but since Hyundai spoils you with a host of other luxuries, this is far from being a deal-breaker. 

Exterior appearance and functionality 

The Palisade’s style has always been a little polarizing among buyers. Some love it, some don’t. But Hyundai revamped the exterior with a bigger, bolder grille and more angular features, so it looks better than ever.

Wheels 

The slightly curved spokes on the exclusive 20-inch alloy wheels are one of the first clues that you’re driving the upscale Calligraphy trim. Aside from looking nice, they seemed to do a decent job of cutting down on road noise. 

Lights and turn signals 

The Palisade illuminates just about everything you’d hope for with LED headlights, tail lights, daytime running lights and interior ambient lighting. When you use the turn signals, the digital gauge cluster displays a camera view of your blind spots, which adds another level of visibility. See Palisades for sale

Front and rear windshield 

An acoustic-laminated windshield and rain-sensing wipers helped keep things quiet and clear even in inclement weather. Visibility out the front and back windshields was good, but if passengers occupy the back seat, the digital rear-view mirror comes in handy. 

Cameras and side mirrors 

The Palisade comes with heated, auto-dimming side mirrors and the 360-degree camera system is among the best we’ve tested.

Safety 

As with any family car, safety is a priority and the Palisade includes plenty of features to protect your most precious cargo. These include:

• Forward collision avoidance assist

• Blind-spot collision warning

• Rear cross-traffic collision avoidance assist

• Parking collision avoidance assist

• Lane following assist

• Lane-departure warning

• Driver attention warning

• Automatic emergency braking 

• Adaptive cruise control 

Awards and ratings 

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety rates the Hyundai Palisade as a Top Safety Pick for 2023. 

Final impression 

If you’re looking for an affordable three-row SUV, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better option than the Hyundai Palisade because it over-delivers in nearly every category. Even on the top-tier Calligraphy trim, you’ll wonder how Hyundai packed in so many luxuries in that midsized package. It’s worth checking out for those seats alone. Browse Palisade listings

FAQs 

Is the Hyundai Palisade a reliable car? 

J.D. Power gave the 2023 Hyundai Palisade an 83 out of 100 score for reliability. Scores between 91–100 are considered Best and 81–90 is Great. 

Should I buy a Palisade or a Telluride?

The Hyundai Palisade and the Kia Telluride are built on the same platform with the same engine and are nearly the same size and price. While the Palisade leans more toward luxury, the Telluride has a more rugged tone. It all comes down to your stylistic preference.

What does the warranty cover?

Here’s another reason to love the Palisade — it comes with “America’s Best Warranty.” Hyundai includes a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty as well as a five-year/60,000-mile limited warranty. You also get three-year/36,000-mile complimentary maintenance and five-year/unlimited-mile roadside assistance. 

Want to go for a test drive? Find a new or used Hyundai Palisade for sale on KSL Cars today.

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