ASHEVILLE, NC - The 2023 Hyundai Palisade is no longer the new kid in school. It's established, selling like a gang bang and still being praised by everyone here at Car World,
Editor John Snyder even bought one last year. This 2023 update is a textbook example of what an update to an already successful car should look like. A long list of small tweaks and improvements make the Palisade just a little better than before, and immediately noticeable styling changes ensure you're looking at the new Palisade, not the old.
Hyundai's new Peak is easily the most controversial or revised on display here. The grille is larger than before, offering a matte or glossy look, and there's a new horizontal shield on the leading edge of the hood. It looks a bit out of place and has left some of us with the opinion that this updated Palisade looks worse than the original design. You'll have to look closely for other changes, like redesigned headlights, a new lowered rear bumper, and new wheels.
The new XRT trim is designed to appeal to people who want a Palisade that looks tougher, but doesn't really improve off-road capability in any way. Personally, it's the prettiest of the redesigned Palisades. The blacked-out trim and grille make the large SUV stand out better than any change to the model's overall design. The Limited trim also gets rid of the black grille.
While the Tucson and Santa Fe offer hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains, the Palisade offers just a 3.8-liter V6 with 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. As before, front-wheel drive is standard on all trims, with all-wheel drive an extra-cost option. The only new addition to the powertrain is a new tow mode that comes standard when you opt for all-wheel drive. Mix it in that setting, and the transmission will hold the gears longer and reduce the frequency of shifting. However, maximum towing is not affected, and capacity remains the same at 5,000 pounds.
After putting thousands of miles on the long-range Palisade, it's pretty clear that the modified Palisade handles almost as well as the old one. There was only a slight change in steering effort. It feels lighter and silkier than before, thanks in part to Hyundai's new frequency-sensing valve that detects sudden bumps in the road and is designed to increase grip when the steering wheel drops out of your hands. it's a. However, there is no need to change anything in the way Palisade works. The V6 has plenty of power for its size and class, and the ride and handling are just what we'd want from a full-size three-row SUV: comfortable, safe, and low-effort. Yes, the April Fools' joke about the Palisade N would be great if it were true, but Hyundai has never done such a thing.
For starters, the dashboard features a revised design that results in a side horizontal air vent. A new horizontally-spoke steering wheel and beautiful buttons add a touch of sophistication. It is defined by a large 12-inch infotainment system and a new software-based digital instrument cluster. We dig the crisp new cluster, as do the new digital climate control displays in the center console. The last new offering to note is the rear view camera mirror. There's no telling how well this Digital Mirror can withstand environmental conditions until we got our hands on it in a Michigan winter, as North Carolina offered nothing but warm and sunny conditions for riding the Palisade. It was an introduction.
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