2023 Hyundai Palisade

Every 2023 Palisade trim, including the volume SEL, uses the 3.8L Lambda II naturally aspirated V6 rated at 291 hp. 2023 was the first generation's mid-cycle refresh year, which brought new styling and the XRT trim but no powertrain change.

The V6 makes 262 lb-ft of torque, peaking high at 5,200 rpm. That trails the low-end pull of turbo and hybrid rivals.

Instrumented results for the 2020–2025 V6 Palisade cluster between 6.9 and 7.6 seconds, which is mid-pack for a three-row mid-size SUV. The 2023 powertrain is unchanged from those tests.

The naturally aspirated V6 is smooth and quiet, with no turbo lag or hybrid handoffs. It has to be revved to deliver its torque, though, and feels stretched when fully loaded.

The 8-speed torque-converter automatic shifts smoothly and unobtrusively, with no CVT drone. Kickdowns can be leisurely when passing.

The 5,000-lb rating applies across the lineup and matches the segment norm for three-row mid-size SUVs.

HTRAC AWD is available on every trim and standard on the Calligraphy. The 2023 refresh added multi-terrain (Snow/Mud/Sand) modes, but there is no low range.

The Palisade is a road-focused unibody crossover with about 7.9 in of ground clearance and no skid plates, all-terrain tires or low range. The XRT trim, new for 2023, is an appearance package rather than off-road hardware.

The 2023 Palisade offers a single powertrain, the 3.8L V6 with an 8-speed automatic, in FWD or AWD. There is no turbo, hybrid or plug-in alternative.

The volume SEL comes standard with FWD and returns 22 MPG combined; AWD drops that to 21. Both figures trail the segment's turbo-four and hybrid rivals.

Both FWD and AWD are rated at 19 MPG city, typical of a naturally aspirated V6 three-row SUV.

The 2023 FWD model is rated 27 MPG highway and the AWD model 25. Both are one MPG better than the MY2024 ratings.

An 18.8-gallon tank at the EPA combined rating gives about 414 miles for FWD and 395 miles for AWD. Both are adequate for road trips.

At EPA's standard assumptions, fuel costs an estimated $2,950 a year for the FWD model and $3,100 for AWD. That is among the higher figures for a mid-size gas SUV.

The 3.8L V6 runs on regular unleaded on every trim, with no premium-fuel requirement.

2023 is the refresh year of the first-generation Palisade (2020–2025), and the refreshed 2023 model carries a 5-star NHTSA overall rating; rollover is the usual 4 stars for a tall three-row SUV.

Earned the 2023 IIHS Top Safety Pick+ with Good results in both small-overlap tests, the original moderate-overlap test, the updated side test (aided by 2023-model structural and side-airbag upgrades), roof strength and head restraints. The updated moderate-overlap test, which was not part of 2023 award criteria, rates Poor for the rear passenger, which holds it out of the high 80s.

With the 2023 refresh, Hyundai SmartSense is standard on every trim from SE up: Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with junction turning, Blind-Spot and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist, Lane Keeping and Lane Following Assist, Smart Cruise Control with Stop & Go, Highway Driving Assist, Safe Exit Assist and Driver Attention Warning. No core item is trim-locked.

IIHS rates pedestrian front crash prevention Superior in both day and night tests, and the vehicle-to-vehicle system earned Superior in the legacy test — top-band results including nighttime pedestrian detection.

Blind-Spot and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist are standard and actively brake, and Safe Exit Assist is standard. Blind-Spot View Monitor camera is limited to Limited/Calligraphy and there is no trailer-aware blind-spot coverage.

Lane Keeping Assist and Lane Following Assist are standard; reviewers regard Hyundai's centering as smooth and well-calibrated, among the better mainstream systems in the class.

Smart Cruise Control with Stop & Go and Highway Driving Assist are standard; the 2023 refresh added Highway Driving Assist 2 with assisted lane changes and navigation-based cruise on Limited/Calligraphy. Refined and well integrated for a mainstream three-row.

No hands-free highway system is offered on any trim; HDA 2 still requires hands on the wheel. Just above the floor for the competent hands-on assist.

IIHS rates the headlights Good — LED projector low and high beams with High Beam Assist — top of the guidance band. Not curve-adaptive.

Tall seating and large side glass give good forward and side sightlines, but thick D-pillars and third-row headrests limit the rear view. Surround View and Blind-Spot View Monitor compensate only on upper trims; the volume SEL relies on the rear camera.

IIHS rates LATCH ease of use Acceptable — workable but not as easy as Good-rated rivals. Wide rear doors, one-touch sliding second row and a usable third row make multiple car seats livable in 7- or 8-seat layouts.

The volume SE and SEL trims seat eight on a second-row bench. Captain's chairs drop the upper trims to seven.

Front headroom is generous for the class without a sunroof. The sunroof on upper trims costs about 1.4 in.

Front legroom is near the top of the mid-size three-row class.

Second-row headroom is excellent, and even the third row clears 37 in.

Second-row legroom is among the most generous in the segment.

This is a real third row: 37.8 in of headroom and a one-touch sliding second row for access. With 31.4 in of legroom, though, adults tolerate it on short trips rather than ride comfortably. Power folding and the new heated third-row seats come on the top trims only.

Cargo space behind the second row is class-competitive. The 18 cu ft behind the third row fits groceries or a stroller.

Maximum cargo space is solid for a mid-size three-row. It trails the Traverse and Atlas but beats most rivals.

Storage is strong: a large floating center console, an underfloor cargo bin, plenty of cupholders and second-row releases you can reach from the cargo area. A household outlet is available, but only on upper trims.

Reviewers repeatedly praise the front seats, and the second row is roomy and supportive. The 2023 refresh added wing-out second-row headrests and an Ergo-Motion massaging driver's seat (Calligraphy). The base SE's manual cloth seat keeps it out of the top band.

The ride is well controlled and composed on the 18-in wheels of the volume trims. On the 20-in wheels of the XRT, Limited and Calligraphy it is acceptable but not plush over broken pavement.

The cabin is quiet at idle and cruise, helped by an acoustic windshield. The 2023 refresh added acoustic rear door glass on the Calligraphy. Tire noise on the 20-in wheels is the main intrusion.

Second-row climate control and third-row vents are standard, and heated front seats arrive with the SEL. Upper trims add ventilated fronts, heated second and third rows, and side sunshades. The 2023 refresh brought ventilated second-row seats, which are rare in the class. The base SE has no seat heating.

The 2023 Palisade is the facelift year of the first-generation (2020–2025) model, and it opens with the SE FWD at $34,950 before destination. That entry price sits in the middle of the three-row mid-size class.

The SEL is the volume trim and most Palisades are sold with HTRAC AWD, which comes to about $41.1K delivered before options.

The naturally aspirated 3.8L V6 and eight-speed automatic are a conventional powertrain, but Edmunds' projection for the 2023 SEL is above the class midpoint. CarEdge's model-level figure is lower (about $2.8K), so the Edmunds number is the more conservative of the two.

Palisade residuals are sound for the class. CarEdge projects 49% depreciation over 5 years (51% retained), and Edmunds' 2023 SEL depreciation figure implies about 57%, so the value used sits between the two. The 2023 example was still holding about 71% of its original price in CarEdge's data at around three years old.

Hyundai's 5-year/60,000-mile new-vehicle limited warranty is two years longer than the Honda, Toyota and Ford norm and tops the band.

The 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain coverage tops the band. The caveat is that it covers the original owner only.

Hyundai Complimentary Maintenance covers scheduled oil changes and tire rotations for 3 years/36,000 miles, alongside 5 years of unlimited-mileage roadside assistance and a complimentary Bluelink trial. That is genuine multi-year included maintenance, which the Telluride and Pilot lack. It sits just below the top band because only basic services are covered.

$41,145 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (53% retained, or about $21,807) leaves about $19,338 in depreciation. Add the projected $6,616 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $25,954 in total.

The 2023 is the facelift year of the first-generation Palisade (fourth model year of the platform), carrying over the proven powertrain but adding new Idle Stop & Go hardware. J.D. Power rates it 'Great', while independent aggregators and owner sentiment read closer to average, keeping it below the Highlander-class top tier.

Hyundai sits above industry average in J.D. Power's dependability study and Hyundai Motor Group leads initial quality as a group, but it is not a consistent top-five dependability brand, and the legacy Theta II engine campaigns still weigh on its long-run record.

The 2023 Palisade is covered by five NHTSA campaigns, including a park-outside fire-risk recall on the new Idle Stop & Go oil-pump controller and a small brake-booster vacuum-leak recall specific to this model year, plus fleet-wide wiper-motor, seat-belt-buckle and third-row curtain-airbag campaigns. It avoids the 2024-only valve-spring engine recall, but the volume is still busy for a mature platform.

The naturally aspirated 3.8L Lambda II V6 with Hyundai's in-house 8-speed automatic is a broadly proven combination shared with the Kia Telluride since 2020, with no engine-internal recall on the 2023; the new ISG electric oil-pump controller fire campaign keeps it out of the high-mileage-proven band.

The 2023 refresh upgraded the cabin with richer trim and introduced the Calligraphy grade with quilted Nappa leather and a suede headliner; even the volume SEL feels above-class for the money, with hard plastics confined to low-touch areas.

Ulsan-built assembly is consistent on a mature body, reflected in J.D. Power's 'Great' quality rating; owner complaints centre on infotainment glitches and minor trim noises rather than structural fit, though first-year-of-refresh launch issues trim it slightly.

Hyundai's 800-plus US dealers give dense nationwide coverage, and the 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty plus 3-year complimentary maintenance lower ownership friction, though dealership experience ratings are only average.

Mechanical parts are plentiful and normally priced because the 3.8L V6 and 8-speed are shared with the Telluride and other high-volume Hyundai/Kia models; refresh-specific body and lighting parts are dealer-sourced, and repair costs track the mid-size SUV average.

The 2023 refresh made the 12.3-in 720p navigation touchscreen standard on every trim, including the base SE.

Menus are logical and well organized, with physical shortcut keys and knobs. The dark graphics look dated, and the push-button gear selector draws criticism.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard but wired-only on every 2023 trim. The 12.3-in navigation unit never gained wireless projection, which reviewers call a glaring omission.

Native navigation is standard on every trim from 2023, along with enhanced Dynamic Voice Recognition that can control cabin functions. It is capable, but it is not a natural-language assistant, and most owners still use phone projection.

A 12-speaker Harman Kardon system with QuantumLogic Surround is available on mid trims and standard on the Limited and above. The base 6-speaker system is ordinary.

The SE and SEL keep analog gauges with a 4.2-in color display. The 12.3-in digital cluster is part of the SEL Premium package and standard from the Limited up.

Over-the-air updates cover navigation maps and infotainment only. This generation has no whole-vehicle OTA.

Bluelink offers remote start with climate, lock/unlock and vehicle finder. The 2023 refresh added Digital Key 2 Touch, which works with iPhone and Android, from the SEL. Remote services become a subscription after the complimentary period.

The 2023 refresh replaced USB-A with 3-amp USB-C ports throughout and raised wireless charging from 5 W to 15 W (SEL and up). Third-row USB and the 115 V outlet are reserved for upper trims and packages.

Proximity entry with push-button start is standard. Remote start works through Bluelink, phone-as-key arrives with the SEL, and the SEL adds a hands-free smart liftgate.

A rear camera and rear parking sensors are standard. Surround view and Blind-Spot View Monitor come with the Limited (or the SEL Premium package). The Calligraphy adds Remote Smart Parking Assist and a digital full-display mirror, both new for 2023.

A 10-in color head-up display is offered only on the Limited and Calligraphy, not on the volume SE, SEL or XRT trims.

Daily family logistics are easy: an eight-seat bench or captain's chairs, a one-touch sliding second row for third-row access, a large second row, and the 2023 upgrade to ultrasonic Rear Occupant Alert with phone notification. IIHS rates LATCH ease of use only Acceptable.

It earned the 2023 IIHS Top Safety Pick+ and a 5-star NHTSA overall rating. Forward and blind-spot collision avoidance, Safe Exit Assist and Rear Occupant Alert are standard, and the 2023 refresh added standard rear side airbags (nine airbags in all).

Second-row climate control, third-row vents, USB-C in every row and Rear Seat Quiet Mode / Passenger Talk make long trips easy. The 2023 refresh added ventilated second-row seats and heated third-row seats on top trims. With every seat filled, 18 cu ft behind the third row limits luggage.

The V6 and 8-speed are smooth with no turbo lag, Smart Cruise with Stop & Go handles traffic, and the front seats are excellent. The daily annoyances are the push-button shifter and the vehicle's size in tight lots.

At 19 mpg city and 21–22 mpg combined on regular fuel, it is typical-to-weak for a V6 three-row with no hybrid option. That makes it a relatively costly daily commuter.

At about 196 in long and 78 in wide, with a 38.7-ft turning circle, it is manageable rather than easy to park. Surround view and Remote Smart Parking Assist help, but only on upper trims.

A 5,000-lb tow rating and 86 cu ft of cargo space handle light work. Payload and the unibody construction rule out anything heavier.

The naturally aspirated 3.8L V6 and conventional 8-speed are a proven combination. Still, the Palisade is a family crossover with upscale interiors and no fleet or hard-use reputation.

Work provisions stop at roof rails, an accessory hitch and an available 115 V outlet. There is no upfit ecosystem.

Excellent seats, a quiet cabin and Highway Driving Assist make it a relaxing mile-eater. A range of about 400 miles is only average.

HTRAC AWD with terrain modes, about 7.9 in of ground clearance, roof rails and 5,000-lb towing handle gravel roads and campers. The new 2023 XRT is a styling package, not an off-road trim.

A 60/40 split third row (power-folding on the Limited and above), an underfloor bin and roof rails swallow bulky gear well. Maximum cargo volume is good rather than class-leading.

It is secure and well controlled, with grip around the class average, but it never feels nimble.

The steering is precise and well weighted for a big crossover, but it offers little feedback.

The brakes are a highlight, with strong initial bite and good modulation. Stopping distances sit right at the class average.

The naturally aspirated V6 and 8-speed are smooth and linear, but low-rpm punch is lacking and kickdowns can be slow.

The V6 is near-silent at idle and cruise. It becomes audible at full throttle but not intrusive.

The turning diameter is typical for a mid-size three-row SUV. The 2023 refresh did not change the chassis or wheelbase.

The view is commanding, adjustment is good from the SEL up and the physical controls are logical. Against that, the wide console and door pulls crowd taller drivers, the high dash cuts airiness, and the push-button shifter is slow to use.

It is pleasant, competent and refined, but nothing about it invites the long way home.

The 2023 refresh made a 12.3-in navigation touchscreen, Highway Driving Assist and an expanded SmartSense suite standard on the $34,950 SE, along with tri-zone climate and eight seats. Rivals such as the Highlander L/LE and Pilot reserve comparable screens and driver-assist features for higher trims.

About $36K delivered buys a well-equipped eight-seat three-row with a 291-hp V6, and the Calligraphy delivers near-luxury content for about $50K, below comparably equipped Toyota and Ford rivals. Hyundai's 5/60 basic and 10/100 powertrain warranties and 3-year complimentary maintenance add value Honda and Toyota don't match.

Five well-spaced trims run from the SE through the SEL, the new-for-2023 XRT and the Limited to the Calligraphy, each with FWD or $1,900 HTRAC AWD and seven- or eight-seat layouts. The gap is the powertrain: there is a single 3.8L V6, with no hybrid or turbo choice.

Palisade US sales rose 8% in calendar 2023 to 89,509 units, a then-record, as the refreshed model arrived. That is a strong upper-tier result for the three-row class, though it trailed the Telluride, the Highlander and the Explorer.

Hyundai's image has climbed on design, warranty and value, and the Palisade is its upscale family flagship. It sits at the upper end of neutral because Hyundai still lacks Toyota and Honda's default-choice standing and resale advantage.

The 2023 Palisade launched while inventory was still tight after the chip shortage, and early buyers often paid near or above MSRP. Modest APR, lease and retail-cash support returned through 2023 as supply recovered, so buyers saw occasional modest incentives rather than deep deals.

MY2023 is the facelift year of the first generation (2020–2025). It brought new front and rear styling, 12.3-in screens, more standard driver-assist features and the new XRT trim, so a 2023 buyer got the freshest version of the platform. The underlying platform was entering its fourth year, and the second generation followed for 2026.

Reviewers consistently praise the refreshed Palisade's upscale cabin, quiet ride and value, and the 2023 model earned Car and Driver Editors' Choice and an IIHS Top Safety Pick+. It falls short of the top band because the Kia Telluride twin usually wins head-to-head comparisons and takes the bigger honors.