The Hyundai Palisade is a top choice in in the midsize SUV market, offering plenty of space and comfort as well as affordability. 

By Keith Griffin

Simply put, the 2025 Hyundai Palisade is one of the top midsize SUVs on the market. It provides three rows of comfortable seating in a luxurious package at an affordable price.

About the only midsize SUV that can beat the Palisade is the 2025 Kia Telluride and they share the same parent company. The Telluride does have a lower starting price of $36,390 compared to $37,200 for the Palisade. Fully loaded, the Palisade has a top MSRP of $54,500.

Hyundai Palisade grill. Courtesy photo

First Impression

What’s the first thing you notice behind the wheel? The Palisade has crisp handling for its size, and that includes parking. The first couple of times I pulled into a space, I thought a realignment was in order, but I was wrong. It was perfectly in line. Parallel parking was also easy.

Under the hood, the Palisade has a 291-horsepower 3.8-liter V6 engine paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. It never lacked for power and was especially crisp in acceleration. When it comes to fuel economy, the Palisade is slightly below average at 19 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway. In six days of mixed driving, I achieved 21.4 mpg.

One fun element of the Palisade is the seven driving modes: eco, comfort, sport, smart, snow, all-wheel-drive lock, and towing. The smart mode has a scent of AI to it. This intelligent setting employs a learning algorithm that adapts to your driving style, automatically adjusting gear shift intervals based on your recent driving patterns. The sport mode lived up to its name but wasn’t engaged too often for fear of blue lights in the rearview mirror. Sport mode sharpens the Palisade’s throttle response and adjusts the transmission for quicker shifts.

The interior is really where the Palisade shines. Take away the brand badges and it would be easy to think you’re in a Lexus. The sound system is excellent and the seats provide ongoing comfort.

Hyundai Palisade interior. Courtesy photo

Lots of Room

The Palisade is also practical when it comes to cargo space, with 18 cubic feet of storage behind the third row. Fold the third row, and the number jumps to 45.8 cubic feet. Moving a kid to college? Cargo room swells to 86.4 cubic feet, which is spacious for a midsize SUV.

Hyundai continues to be a leader when it comes to safety. One particular feature I love/hate is the driver attention warning. I say I hate it because my inner 10-year-old boy doesn’t like being told it’s time to take a break. I respect the technology and do sit up straighter. Lane keeping assist prevents you from drifting into other lanes. Rear-cross-traffic alert is especially good at spotting pedestrians traversing behind your vehicle in parking lots.

Don’t believe that Korean manufacturers make substandard vehicles. The Palisade disproves that perception by being one of the top choices in midsize SUVs.

Longtime West Hartford resident Keith Griffin is a veteran auto journalist whose work has been published in U.S. News & World Report, The Boston Globe and online for various New York Times companies. He is a past president of the New England Motor Press Association.

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