The Hyundai Palisade is one of a new crop of midsize sport utility crossovers that brought adult-usable third rows and smart ergonomics to the market. Introduced in 2020, the Palisade has become a high-seller in an arena of strong competition.

The Hyundai Palisade is a top pick in our short list of midsize crossovers. It’s a very well done family hauler and stuff carrying machine with a lot more upsides than down. Introduced in 2020, it’s seen only minor changes since.

The Palisade mixes confident driving with good fuel economy to create that balance most buyers are after. Its greatest downside is pricing, which can get out of budget fairly quickly in the upper trim levels. Most buyers, however, will be happy with the well-done lower tiers and their long list of included amenities.

Considering the nature of this SUV and the excellent warranty coverage that Hyundai includes, we consider the Palisade a top choice.

The two models are nearly identical under the bodywork, with similar powertrains, chassis, and other components through Hyundai and Kia’s partnership. The Telluride has a slightly lower price point in its upper trims and a more aggressive exterior look. For most buyers, the choice will really come down to style preferences.

The Palisade is a much more ergonomic three-row than is the Highlander. Despite a recent redesign from Toyota, the Highlander just doesn’t quite match up in terms of interior space, usefulness, and comfort. Where the Highlander does excel, however, is with fuel economy.

The Pilot is pretty well done in its newest model, but the Palisade offers a lot more for about the same amount of money. Especially at the lower and mid-level trim points. The Palisade is more ergonomic and useful as well, though the Pilot is a little more fun to drive.

The base model price for the 2022 Hyundai Palisade is about $35,000, but most buyers are going to be in the $40,000 range when purchasing after delivery costs and upgrades.

The table below shows the most common trim levels and how much they will run you.

Hyundai didn’t change much for the 2022 Palisade versus its debut year and last year. The biggest change is that blind-spot monitoring is now standard on all trim levels. It was previously only available as an option on the SEL and was standard on the other two upper trims.

So BSM joins several other advanced safety features on the Palisade as standard equipment. Previously, forward collision mitigation (emergency braking), rear collision, and backup alerts were already included.

The Palisade is powered by a well-balanced 3.8-liter V6 that outputs 291 horsepower to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive is standard, but we drove the all-wheel drive model. AWD can be had on any trim level.

We found the transmission to be smooth and quick to respond, adding confidence to the engine’s smooth output and long power plateau. There is no time that the Hyundai Palisade feels hesitant about completing a task, whether that be driving around town or attempting to merge on a busy freeway.

Maneuvering in parking lots is where the Hyundai Palisade begins to fall short a little bit. It’s good enough most of the time, but its bulk and lack of visibility for the driver can be a problem. The available enhanced systems like 360-degree cameras can help with this.

The Palisade has received top scores from both crash testing bodies. The only caveat being that it delivered miserably on the IIHS’ new moderate overlap front test and updated side crash test. These failures did not affect the Palisade’s score this year, but will in the future.

Hyundai has one of the best warranties offered in today’s market. That is a big plus, especially given that its warranty carries to new owners if the warranty is still active.

Most ratings outlets have given the Hyundai Palisade a good rating for reliability. Most are above average and a few are in the top 10. Consumer survey ratings have even higher scores.

For many buyers, the base level SE model is probably good enough for budget-minded folks to not feel like they’re being cheated. We like its list of included features like LED headlamps, power seat back folding for the second row bench, and 8-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (non-wireless). Five USB ports throughout the cabin are also handy.

But most buyers are probably going to want to get into the next-up SEL package. This adds a few things like roof rails, keyless entry and ignition, heated front seats, and the (free) option of second-row captain’s chairs. It also brings the ability to upgrade with two add-on packages for appearance, technology, and comfort. Most will consider the Convenience package a nice upgrade.

Hyundai has one of the best warranties in the business. It’s a definite selling point.

• Basic: 5 years / 60k miles
• PowerTrain: 10 years / 100k miles
• Corrosion: 7 years / Unlimited miles
• Roadside Assistance: 5 years / Unlimited miles
• If buying used look at our best extended warranties

At this point, used models of the Hyundai Palisade are beginning to appear on the market. We recommend researching why the vehicle is being sold this early in the game, but some good deals can be had. What’s better, most of Hyundai’s warranties transfer with the vehicle to its new owner, so any Palisade found right now is likely covered under its manufacturer warranty.

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