It doesn’t often happen that you shift from a luxury German SUV – I won’t take the name – to a Korean SUV, and feel that the latter is superior in terms of space, plastic and fabric quality, ease of driving, and overall comfort.
And I haven’t even mentioned the price, which is almost half that of the German.
This Korean SUV is called the Palisade Calligraphy AWD, and once you drive it, you’ll likely have a lesson or two in plushness – for the Germans, and for every other carmaker.
What is it?
The Palisade is the biggest SUV made by Hyundai, and the Calligraphy AWD is the top-end trim – designed for those who want every possible bell and whistle. It’s currently not available in India – could be launched in the future – but is sold in South Korea, some Asian countries, Australia, and the biggest market is the US, where I drove it.
How’s the design?
It’s a three-row SUV with seven seats, and enough space for a family’s luggage. It has a commanding road presence, pixelated headlights and turn indicators, a pixelated front grille, and is fitted with premium 20-inch alloy wheels.
How’s the cabin?
Climb inside (yes, it’s tall), and you’ll be greeted by a meticulously crafted cabin. The Calligraphy AWD trim gets quilted Nappa leather seating, lush ambient lighting, and two sunroofs that let in natural light, creating a serene atmosphere. The cabin is well-laid out, offering generous space in all three rows.
An area it excels is technology – a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and a large 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system that supports navigation and smartphone integration.
How does it drive?
It’s powered by a massive 3.8-litre V6 petrol engine (291 bhp, 355 Nm), paired with a smooth eight-speed automatic transmission. It’s fitted with HTRAC (Hyundai TRACtion), which provided excellent traction and stability as I drove it across the American Rockies – highways as well as gravel backroads.
There is a suite of driver-assist features such as blind-spot collision avoidance, lane-keeping assist, highway driving assist, and adaptive cruise control – all of which provide increased safety and convenience.
What didn’t I like?
While the Palisade Calligraphy AWD excels in comfort, its handling is less sharp compared to some rivals (German and others), which gets noticeable on twisty roads.
It returned an overall fuel efficiency of 22 mph (almost 9.4 km/litre), which could be better (as the bigger-engine German SUV that I drove returned similar fuel efficiency).
Should you buy it?
In India, you can buy it only when it’s launched, but since this article has a global reach, here are my two cents:
Priced close to $55,000 for the Calligraphy AWD trim, the Palisade offers strong value relative to luxury SUVs within this price range (Mercedes-Benz GLS, Defender 130, or BMW X7 cost upwards of $100,000). It competes well with such rivals by delivering luxury interior materials, advanced technology, and robust safety features (without the premium pricing). It may not be a go-anywhere SUV like the Defender, may not have the outright power of the GLS, may not grip the road like the X7, but it does what a true family SUV should do – carry seven people in utmost comfort.
