LA show: Hyundai confirms Palisade SUV
BY TIM NICHOLSON | 9th Nov 2018
HYUNDAI has confirmed the Palisade moniker for its forthcoming eight-seat upper-large SUV that will sit above the Santa Fe in the company’s growing SUV line-up.
The South Korean car-maker has not revealed many other details about its latest high-riding wagon, aside from a single image of the Palisade badge under a Hyundai badge on the model’s tailgate.
Set to be revealed at the Los Angeles motor show later this month ahead of a US launch in mid-2019, the Palisade will likely share many of its underpinnings with the related Kia Telluride that will also offer seating for eight.
Hyundai says the name references “a series of coastal cliffs”, but most people will be familiar with the Pacific Palisades area of Southern California.
Interestingly, Hyundai says the Palisade’s exterior design theme will be “bold”, yet somehow also “understated”, while adding that it will be different from its SUV siblings to ensure it stands out as the company’s flagship.
It is likely to take styling cues from the HDC-2 Grandmaster large SUV concept that was revealed in June this year.
Hyundai also says it will feature “intuitive technologies”, a “reassuring level of high-tech, intelligent safety features”, along with premium materials and “commodious” cargo space.
It is unclear if the Palisade will be built in right-hand-drive configuration and therefore be offered in Australia.
If it does get the green light for Australia, it would be a unique proposition in the upper-large SUV segment that is currently home to the off-road-friendly, V8-powered Nissan Patrol and Toyota LandCruiser.
It could also compete with some people-mover offerings, such as the Kia Carnival and Honda Odyssey given its eight-seat configuration.
The Palisade could also appeal to people that can’t quite stretch to the premium upper-large models such as BMW’s forthcoming X7, the Range Rover and Mercedes-Benz GLS.
Hyundai has yet to detail powertrains, but it could use the 147kW/440Nm 2.2-litre turbo-diesel shared by the Santa Fe, as well as a 206kW/336Nm 3.5-litre V6 found under the bonnet of a number of Kia and Hyundai products.
Hyundai Motor Company Australia (HMCA) is yet to officially confirm if it is considering the Palisade, but the company’s chief executive JW Lee has previously said it would be a good fit for Australia.
“I have always wanted to include a bigger SUV in Australia,” he said.
“As you said, there is the (Toyota) Kluger, Prado – size-wise they are bigger than this current TM (Santa Fe), even though the new TM is bigger than the earlier DM. And this bigger-size SUV market has quite strong demand, I think, in Australia.
“Not only in Australia but also in some other markets too, especially the Middle East and also the United States. They also need a bigger-size SUV.”
