2025 Hyundai Palisade Review

It’s the company’s largest, most premium SUV package designed to make light work of families of eight, with the Palisade impressing on the practicality and features front.

There is one big consideration for buyers, however, with Hyundai confirming that a hybrid-only Palisade lineup will be touching down on Australian shores later in the year.

Join us as we take a look at the Hyundai Palisade range and see how it stacks up against its rivals, and judge whether you should still place your order or hold back for the next-gen replacement.

Hyundai Palisade Competition

How Much Does the Hyundai Palisade Cost?

Prices for the MY25 Palisade lineup kick off from $66,800 for the entry-level Palisade Elite 2WD and stretch out to $81,719 for the range-topping Palisade Calligraphy Black In AWD.

• Palisade Elite 2WD Petrol - $66,800

• Palisade Elite AWD Diesel - $70,800

• Palisade Calligraphy 2WD Petrol - $75,900

• Palisade Calligraphy Black Ink 2WD Petrol - $78,400

• Palisade Calligraphy AWD Diesel - $79,219

• Palisade Calligraphy Black Ink AWD Diesel - $81,719

Keep in mind that these prices are subject to change and do not include on-road costs.

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Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy AWD Diesel Specifications

What Features Does the Hyundai Palisade Have?

Hyundai’s entry-level Palisade Elite range comes riding on a set of 20-inch alloys and picks up LED headlights, adaptive cruise control, leather upholstery with heated front seats and a heated steering wheel, a sunroof, a surround-view monitor, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, three-zone climate control, faux wood trim highlights, a wireless charging pad, a rear-view camera with front & rear parking sensors, a full-sized spare tyre and your choice of a seven- or eight-seat layout.

Upgrading to the Palisade Calligraphy Black Ink range adds black 20-inch alloys, a black front grille and bumper, tinted tail lights, a black suede headliner, a mix of leather and suede upholstery and tinted front and rear skid plates.

Hyundai Palisade Connectivity & Infotainment Features

The Palisade range comes packaged with a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system atop the dashboard, sitting beside the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster.

It’s a solid display that offers high brightness levels and enough processing power to slide through menus without much of an issue, with Hyundai’s simple yet effective menu layout proving one of the best in the segment.

The 12.3-inch display is packed with AM/FM and DAB+ digital radio, satellite navigation, voice recognition, as well as Hyundai’s Bluelink connected services suite.

The Bluelink suite offers remote vehicle controls and information on your fuel levels or vehicle location tracking, live traffic and weather updates and emergency SOS calls.

Hyundai gives buyers a five-year subscription to the Bluelink service from the date of collection.

Does the Hyundai Palisade Have Wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto?

Buyers will need to pack their USB cord because the current Palisade range does not offer wireless Apple CarPlay nor Android Auto.

This is likely a key area that will be updated in the upcoming Palisade that arrives later in the year.

Until then, buyers opting for the MY25 Palisade range should be aware that there is no wireless smartphone mirroring for iOS and Android ecosystems, making a USB cable absolutely essential to access Apple CarPlay & Android Auto.

Is the Hyundai Palisade Comfortable to Drive?

While it’s built like a tank, the Hyundai Palisade is a bit of a softy behind the wheel.

Putting its sheer size to one side, Hyundai has done well to keep the Palisade a user-friendly package on a daily drive around town, while the suspension package handles a mix of Australian road conditions with confidence.

Here in Australia, buyers have the choice of two engines underneath the bonnet.

There’s a 3.8-litre V6 petrol pushing out 217kW of power and 355Nm of torque to the front-wheels only via an eight-speed automatic transmission.

The engine of choice, though, comes in the form of Hyundai’s 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel unit that kicks out 147kW of power and 440Nm of torque with the added bonus of an all-wheel drive system.

The diesel is a perfect match for the Palisade, offering a smooth nature and healthy amount of torque to push you up to speed while keeping fuel economy figures in a much more respectable place than the petrol.

For those looking to tow, the Palisade range in both petrol and diesel form has braked towing capacities of 2,200kg.

Around town, the Palisade’s footprint is certainly imposing, though the lightweight steering rack makes it easy to park or make a quick three-point turn.

Through the corners, the Palisade - especially with the all-wheel drive system - feels nice and planted on some country roads, while the suspension package helps to keep things comfortable and confident.

On the highway, the Palisade chews up kilometres with ease, remaining silky smooth at higher speeds and relatively quiet inside the cabin, making for a great family grand tourer.

Is it Fuel Efficient?

Fuel efficiency depends if you’re opting for the Palisade with the petrol or diesel powertrain - the latter of which puts the V6 petrol unit to shame.

While it’s the most affordable engine on offer, the V6 petrol isn’t particularly fuel efficient, consuming 10.7L per 100km on the combined cycle which simply can’t compete with the diesel’s 7.3L per 100km.

Hyundai is tackling this head-on with the upcoming Palisade range, set to arrive in Q4, 2025, with the transition to a hybrid-only Palisade range to keep fuel economy figures at a healthy place.

• Palisade Petrol Fuel Economy: 10.7L per 100km (combined cycle)

• Palisade Diesel Fuel Economy 7.3L per 100km (combined cycle)

Is it Practical and Spacious?

You bet it is.

With a massive footprint, the Palisade offers a palatial level of space and practicality for up to eight people, asserting itself as one of the best family wagons on the market.

Tall drivers rejoice - the Hyundai Palisade’s cabin can confidently handle even the longest of legs thanks to its lofty roofline, which also adds to the sense of space and visibility while driving.

The updated cabin design has seen some new pinstripes weaving across the dashboard and door sills, while the rest of the layout has been carried over for 2024.

That’s a particularly good thing, because the front of the Palisade’s cabin proves itself as a super practical offering thanks to its chunky centre console and no shortage of storage options.

Up front, small bags and the like can be stored underneath the centre console, while loose items can make their way into the huge folding armrest or centre console bin with retractable cup holders that can be hidden away for added space.

There’s also a wireless charging pad for large phones beside the cup holders, a pair of massive door bins on either side of the cabin and a large glovebox.

Move to the second row and adults will have no problem getting comfortable, with ample headroom and excellent legroom, as well as air vents with dedicated climate inputs and USB-C ports to keep devices charged up.

The Palisade’s second row folds in a 60:40 arrangement and is able to slide back and forth to give those in the third row some added legroom.

On that note, third row accommodation is impressive, and while it’s more suited to kids when it comes to headroom, the Palisade is a fully-fledged seven to eight-seater.

For parents, the Palisade has a total of four separate ISOFIX anchors, with two sitting on the second row bench - including three top tether mounts - and another two ISOFIX anchors in the third row with two tether mounts on the seatbacks.

How Big is the Hyundai Palisade’s Boot?

As you can imagine, the Hyundai Palisade has massive appeal for families looking for a large boot.

With all three rows of seats standing in eight-seat mode, there’s still a healthy 311L of boot space on offer, which expands to 704L with the third row folded down in a five-seat arrangement.

Fold the second row down and the Palisade’s boot expands to a massive 2,447L, proving itself as one of the most practical family SUVs on the market.

• Palisade Boot Space Minumum: 311L

• Palisade Boot Space Five-Seat: 704L

• Palisade Boot Space Maximum: 2,447L

Is it Safe?

The MY25 Hyundai Palisade range comes packed with a wide array of active safety gear, though a few goodies are reserved for the flagship.

As standard, the Palisade is equipped with autonomous emergency braking with vehicle, pedestrian and cyclist detection, as well as junction assist.

There’s also a rear-view camera with front & rear parking sensors, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alerts, driver attention alerts, multi-collision braking, lane-keep assist, safe exit assist, tyre pressure monitoring and lane centring.

Stepping up to the Palisade Calligraphy range adds a rear autonomous emergency braking system, surround-view monitor with a blind-spot view monitor and a remote parking assistant.

Does the Hyundai Palisade Have an ANCAP Safety Rating?

The Hyundai Palisade has received a five-star ANCAP safety rating after testing in 2022 saw it post the following results.

• Adult Occupant Protection: 84%

• Child Occupant Protection: 88%

• Vulnerable Road User Protection: 62%

• Safety Assist: 83%

What Warranty Does the Hyundai Palisade Come With?

Buyers pick up a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty with the purchase of the Hyundai Palisade. 

The comes alongside a lifetime roadside assistance package and capped-price servicing, so long as they keep it serviced within the network.

Capped-price servicing for the MY25 Palisade range is offered in three, four and five-year packages; we’ll list prices below.

MY25 Palisade Petrol Capped Price Servicing Costs

• Three Years: $1,407

• Four Years: $1,876

• Five Years: $2,345

MY25 Palisade Diesel Capped Price Servicing Costs

• Three Years: $1,467

• Four Years: $2,056

• Five Years: $2,545

Service intervals for both the Palisade petrol and diesel stand at 12 months or 15,000 kilometres.

Our Verdict: Is the Hyundai Palisade Worth it?

While the sun might be setting on this Palisade, it’s a fantastic family mover that will not disappoint.

The Palisade with the V6 petrol is undeniably thirsty, though the upgrade to the turbo-diesel unit doesn’t come at a huge premium and offers some serious fuel savings.

In terms of whether or not you should wait - it’s likely that the Palisade’s hybrid-only replacement will come with some price increases attached, meaning the current Palisade lineup might have a stronger value proposition on offer.

Don’t forget that if you’re looking for a new car, our team of car-buying specialists is here to help find you the best possible price thanks to our fleet-buying power.

Five Hyundai Palisade Specs You Need to Know

1. Five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty

2. V6 petrol is FWD only, turbo-diesel gets an AWD system

3. 7.3 - 10.7L per 100km fuel economy figures (diesel vs petrol)

4. Seven & eight-seat layouts available with 311 - 704 - 2,447L boot space

5. Five-star ANCAP safety rating (tested 2022)