Aniruddh Parmar
Hyundai has unveiled its newest and the biggest SUV, Palisade at the ongoing 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show. The Hyundai Palisade is a three-row, eight-seater SUV and will be positioned at the top of the lineup of the Korean manufacturer.
The Palisade looks bulky, heavy and muscular just like any big SUV should. It gets a massive front grille, well supported by verticle headlights and DRL houses. The SUV sits on 18-inch alloys as standard for better ride comfort and stability but optional 20-inch wheels are also available as an option. At the rear, the taillamps reflect the shape of the headlights and host a big tailgate at the middle.
“Hyundai Palisade’s exterior and interior design clearly reflect its unique flagship identity with a premium, distinctive and bold road presence,” said SangYup Lee, head of Hyundai’s Design Center.
Powering the Hyundai Palisade is an Atkinson-cycle 3.8-liter V6 direct-injected engine that makes 291 hp at 6000 rpm and 355 Nm of torque at 5000 rpm. A multi-plate torque converter eight-speed automatic transmission sends all this power to either two-wheel or HTRAC four-wheel drive system.
The HTRAC all-wheel drive system comes with different modes including Normal, Sport, and Smart. There is also a Snow Mode on offer that optimizes traction and driver control in slippery conditions by adjusting front and rear torque distribution, left and right wheel slip control, engine torque, and shift patterns depending on the available traction levels.
Inside the cabin, the Palisade gets a 12.3-inch fully-digital TFT center instrument cluster offering various view modes and differentiated drive mode illumination. The infotainment is taken care by a 10.25-inch touchscreen in widescreen format paired with Clari-Fi and QuantumLogic™ Surround Sound technology. The system supports Bluetooth, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity and has Hyundai’s latest navigation system inbuilt.
The second and third row seats of the Palisade come with power controls with one-switch access for more convenience, with power-folding/unfolding and reclining seats. For convenience in each row, there are a total of seven USB outlets and as many as 16 cupholders in all rows combined.
Among the number of hi-tech safety features, Hyundai has equipped the Palisade with Rear Occupant Alert (ROA). The system is designed to prevent children and pets from being forgotten in the car, or in the case of children accidentally locking themselves in. This system monitors the rear seats using an ultrasonic sensor that helps to detect the movements of children and pets.
It reminds drivers to check the rear seats when exiting the vehicle with a message on the center instrument cluster display. If the system detects movement in the rear seats after the driver leaves the vehicle and locks the doors it will honk the horn and send a Blue Link alert to the driver’s smartphone via Hyundai’s Blue Link connected car system.
The Palisade also comes with seven airbags as standard and Hyundai expects it to receive a five-star NHTSA crash rating. “The new 2020 Hyundai Palisade clearly evokes design imagery worthy of Hyundai’s flagship SUV, with new levels of all-road, all-weather capability, technology, safety, roominess and efficiency, all packaged in cutting-edge design,” said Mike O’Brien, vice president of Product, Corporate and Digital Planning, Hyundai Motor America.
In the global market, the SUV will take on the tough competitors like Toyota Highlander, Honda Pilot, Nissan Pathfinder, and Ford Explorer. Looking at the segment and the market behaviour, there is hardly any chance that Hyundai brings the Palisade in the Indian market.
Source: Hyundai