2024 Hyundai Palisade Review

MotoPickers Rating: 9/10

Hyundai’s 2024 Palisade is a mid-size three-row SUV starting at $36,450. The Palisade is Hyundai’s flagship SUV and a top contender within its segment. This competitiveness stems from its attributes: a roomy and comfortable cabin, capable safety systems, accessible pricing, a modern design, and reliability. More specifically, these characteristics appeal to families across the US.

The Palisade has been in production since 2018 and was released by Hyundai for the 2020 production year. Hyundai’s 2024 Palisade remains part of the first generation, launched in 2020. Changes for the 2024 Palisade consist of advanced safety features, Bluelink+ connected service without subscription fees becoming standard on more trims, and a new grade called SEL Premium.

Comparable rivals of the 2024 Hyundai Palisade are:

• Kia’s Telluride
• Honda’s Pilot
• Toyota’s Highlander
• Mazda’s CX-90
• Ford’s Explorer
• Chevrolet’s Traverse
• Volkswagen’s Atlas
• Jeep’s Grand Cherokee L

The 2024 Palisade continues its nameplate’s reputation for offering quality interior space in each row, a comfortable ride, and quality style. However, we’ll also explore observed downsides, like unideal storage solutions for smaller items, cabin road noise, fuel economy, and handling. Check out the rest of our evaluation of the 2024 Palisade below to see how it stacks up against its competition and whether its upsides outshine its drawbacks.

Exterior spotlight

This Hyundai SUV’s exterior commands a commanding presence through touches like a bold front grille, a unique vertical headlight design, muscular lines on areas like the hood, and an extending profile with balanced proportions from front to back. The rear is less eye-catching, creating somewhat of a mismatch with the rest of the exterior, but it’s by no means an unpleasant sight, and the taillights contribute to the model’s contemporary design.

Wheel sizes measure 18” to 20”, and LED tech is present within headlights, accent lighting, and Daytime Running Lights (DRLs). Bulb-type taillights are standard within the base SE trim, but you’ll find LED taillights within the remainder of the 2024 Palisade’s lineup. Door handle welcome lights and side mirror approach puddle lights are available. A hands-free smart liftgate is standard in all grades except the entry-level model.

Exterior color choices include:

• Abyss Black Pearl
• Typhoon Silver
• Hyper White
• Sierra Burgundy
• Moonlight Cloud
• Steel Graphite
• Robust Emerald

The front grille designs consist of a dark-tinted chrome rear H and Palisade badging, Black/Chrome coating or Dark finish, Premium with Satin Chrome coating, or Dark finish. Each trim except the base grade has roof rails in silver or black for added utility. The side mirrors are heated, auto-dimming to reduce glare from other cars, and equipped with LED turn-signal indicators.

A dark-finish chrome rear bumper garnish is available, while lower bumpers come in a two-tone, body color, or black gloss configuration. Additional standard features like a roof-mounted center-high-mount stop light contribute to the exterior’s modern design feel.

If you’re drawn to the 2024 Palisade’s commanding presence, Kia’s Telluride and Jeep’s Grand Cherokee L offer similar aesthetics. The 2024 Grand Cherokee L’s front grille isn’t as dramatic as the Palisade’s, but this Jeep’s exterior lines and proportions help form a sleeker overall profile.

Interior close-up

Upholstery options for the 2024 Hyundai Palisade include cloth, H-Tex synthetic leather-trimmed seats, H-Tex trim in black only, leather trim, premium Nappa leather, or Dark premium leather. This mid-size SUV offers seating for 7-8 passengers, with the SE and SEL trim offering optional 8-passenger capacities. The base 2024 Palisade’s driver’s seat contains a 6-way manual adjustment design, while other trims have an 8-way power-adjustable configuration.

Driver seats can also come with available 2-way or 4-way lumbar support and an optional thigh cushion. Heated front seats aren’t included in the base trim but are in the 2024 Palisade’s remaining grades. Ventilated front seats, heated second-row, ventilated second-row, and heated third-row seats are all available. The third row also offers an optional power-folding/unfolding configuration with a reclining feature. This SUV’s second row can come in a bench seat or captain’s chair setup.

All trims except the base have a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and the Calligraphy trim has a two-tone leather version for a more luxurious feel. A heated steering wheel and quilted leather door panels are optional. The headliner can be cloth, melange, or microfiber, and a dual-panel sunroof creates a more roomy feel within the cabin over the standard conventional sunroof.

Hyundai’s 2024 Palisade offers a solid amount of rear cargo space behind the third row, measuring 18 cubic feet (cu. ft.). Folding down the third row gives you 45.8 cu. ft. of storage. Ultimately, there’s enough space for adults in all three rows and features like a one-touch second-row seat slide and 60/40 split-fold rear seats make adjustments seamless.

The available integrated memory system allows you to save preferred driver seat and exterior mirror position settings and features like a dark aluminum console contribute to a luxurious feel. However, while the 2024 Palisade’s cargo capacity is relatively competitive, the door storage pockets are narrow, and the cabin lets in more wind noise than we were expecting. Kia’s Telluride, Honda’s Pilot, Chevrolet’s Traverse, and Volkswagen’s Atlas have higher cargo capacities behind their third rows.

Power and performance

This Hyundai’s 3.8-liter 6-cylinder engine produces a solid 291 horsepower and 262 lb.-ft. of torque across its trim lineup. The 2024 Palisade operates in front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD), and its five drive modes include Comfort, Eco, Sport, Smart, and Snow. Hyundai equips this mid-size SUV with an 8-speed automatic transmission while towing maxes out at 5,000 lbs.

While the 2024 Palisade has competitive horsepower and torque, its fuel efficiency is average at 19 MPG in the city and 24-26 MPG on the highway, and handling falls short of rivals like Mazda’s CX-90. The 2024 CX-90 also has a mild and plug-in hybrid version, allowing its mileage to exceed the Palisade’s. Toyota’s 2024 Highlander is another rival with a hybrid option, but its handling is comparable to that of this Hyundai.

Handling within the Volkswagen Atlas, Honda Pilot, and Kia Telluride isn’t as athletic as the 2024 CX-90, but they’re more balanced than the Palisade. Overall, the 2024 CX-90 has the most competitive performance with dynamic handling, horsepower ranging from 280 to 340, and decent fuel economy.

If you prioritize power and speed, you may want to consider Ford’s Explorer ST, which delivers 400 horsepower and 415 lb.-ft. of torque. Jeep’s Grand Cherokee L is also competitive, with 357 horsepower and 390 lb.-ft. of torque. We’ve touched on some of the 2024 Mazda CX-90’s performance strengths, but one of its weaknesses in this area is its towing capacity, which falls far below the Palisade’s 5,000-lb. maximum rating at 3,500 lbs.

Tech overview

The 2024 Palisade features a competitively-sized central infotainment touchscreen measuring 12.3”, but the driver instrument cluster is smaller at 4.2”. Standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are complemented by an available 12-speaker Harman Kardon audio system, simultaneous connectivity of up to two devices, and wireless charging within all trim except the base grade.

This mid-size Hyundai comes standard with onboard navigation and traffic flow data reception, as well as a WiFi hotspot, dual automatic climate control, and a rear seat quiet mode that mutes audio volume in the rear seats. There’s also a talk in-car intercom, making communicating with back passengers easier. Dynamic voice recognition allows for vocal feature commands, while an auto-dimming rearview mirror reduces glare from other cars’ headlights.

One of the 2024 Palisade’s most dynamic tech features is its available head-up display (HUD), which digitally projects essential driving information like navigational directions and your current speed onto the windshield within your driving line of sight. Optional ambient lighting offers 64 colors, while available rain-sensing windshield wipers enhance convenience alongside additions like the HUD.

Kia’s Telluride, Honda’s Pilot, Toyota’s Highlander, Mazda’s CX-90, Ford’s Explorer, Chevrolet’s Traverse, Volkswagen’s Atlas, and Jeep’s Grand Cherokee L all have larger digital driver displays than the 2024 Palisade, with Kia’s Telluride taking the lead at 12.3”. Still, the Palisade’s 12.3” infotainment touchscreen is one of the larger central display sizes you’ll find within this class.

While the 2024 Palisade’s available 12-speaker audio system isn’t anything to look past, Jeep’s Grand Cherokee L has a better optional sound setup with up to 19 speakers. Hyundai’s Palisade establishes itself as a family-friendly vehicle with features like the in-car intercom, but you’ll still find this capability within competitors such as Kia’s Telluride, Honda’s Pilot, Toyota’s Highlander, and Jeep’s Grand Cherokee L.

Safety capabilities

The IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) gave the 2024 Palisade its second-highest passenger crash protection rating of Top Safety Pick behind Top Safety Pick+, and the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) gave this Hyundai its highest score of five stars.

Standard driver-assist safety features within the 2024 Palisade include:

• Blind-Spot Collision Warning
• Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist
• Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with Car/Ped/Cyclist Detection and Junction Turning
• Lane Following Assist
• Lane Keeping Assist
• Driver Attention Warning
• Safe Exit Assist
• Parking Distance Warning (reverse)
• Rear Occupant Alert
• Highway Driving Assist
• Navigation-based Smart Cruise Control with Stop & Go and Curve Control

Blind-Spot Collision Warning provides visual and audible alerts of hazards but won’t implement automatic assistive steering to help drivers avoid collisions. Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist reflects why the 2024 Palisade’s safety is award-winning, as many competitors mark this feature as an upgrade, along with other offerings like Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with Car/Pedestrian/Cyclist Detection and Junction Turning and Parking Distance Warning (reverse).

Lane Following Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, and Highway Driving Assist use audible and visual alerts, along with automatic assistive steering, to keep drivers within their lane, while Highway Driving Assist goes above and beyond with functions like automatic acceleration and deceleration. Driver Attention Warning monitors for patterns indicating distracted driving, like drowsiness, and will suggest a break from behind the wheel on the driver display when triggered.

Rear Occupant Alert reminds you to check your rear seat so nobody or nothing is left behind. At the same time, Safe Exit Assist warns of oncoming traffic so passengers can leave the Palisade seamlessly.

Available safety features

Available safety features within the 2024 Palisade are:

• Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with Car/Ped/Cyclist Detection & Junction Turning, Junction Crossing, Lane-Change Oncoming, Lane-Change Side, Evasive Steering Assist
• Parking Distance Warning (forward)
• Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist (reverse)
• Highway Driving Assist II
• Surround View Monitor
• Blind-Spot View Monitor
• Remote Smart Parking Assist

Overall, the 2024 Palisade does an excellent job equipping the Palisade with enough standard safety features to establish thorough driver protection.

Trim guide and owner considerations

Keep reading to discover starting prices and some highlight-worthy features for each of the 2024 Palisade’s six trims.

SE – $36,650

The entry-level 2024 Palisade offers 291 horsepower, a 12.3” touchscreen, and 8-passenger seating.

SEL – $39,400

Graduating to the SEL gives you 7- or 8-passenger seating, wireless smartphone charging, and synthetic leather-trimmed seats.

XRT – $41,800

The XRT trim comes with a darkened front grille, 20” wheels, and black roof rails.

Limited – $47,950

Leather-trimmed seats, heated third-row seats, and a 10” HUD help the Limited trim establish its value above lower grades.

Calligraphy – $50,350

The Calligraphy trim offers Premium Nappa leather upholstery, Remote Smart Parking Assist, and 20” wheels.

Calligraphy Night – $53,850

A Calligraphy Night Palisade features a dark chrome front grille, dark premium leather seating surfaces, and dark chrome rear bumper trim.

Warranty info

Hyundai gives 2024 Palisade purchasers a five-year or 60,000-mile basic warranty, whichever comes first, and a ten-year or 100,000-mile powertrain warranty.

Final verdict

The 2024 Palisade remains one of the most competitive options within its segment in terms of overall appeal. While we’ve identified some downsides, choosing another vehicle will come down to a strong preference for a competitor exceeding one of its specific weaker areas, like fuel economy. If you select an alternative, you’re also likely to settle for a rival that’s less family-friendly than the Palisade, as this Hyundai’s spacious, flexible three-row seating, tech like the intercom system, and acclaimed safety are hard to pass up.

Hyundai’s Palisade deserves a 9/10 rating.