Palisade punches into big spend space

All but entry model is over $100k – the base offer is just $10 below – while the top spend is almost in BMW X5 territory.

SIX figure price tags attach to all but the entry edition of Hyundai’s first full-sized seven seater sports utility, the Palisade.

The brand’s announcement of the model line-up, finalised specification and pricing confirms Palisade will hold status as the most expensive vehicle any Korean maker has offered to Kiwis – the spend topping out at an almost BMW X5-hunting $119,900. 

The sharing of information also reinforces that a vehicle that offers in right-hand-drive to just Australasia at the moment is a much more expensive choice here than across the Tasman.

Hyundai NZ has three variants - Elite, Limited and Limited Nappa Edition – whereas our neighbour has two, but both countries achieve all the same choices. The difference is that a Nappe leather update that is optional to Australians packages as a specific model choice here.

The base model here is better kitted than Australia’s – here, for instance, every Palisade is on 20 inch rims while the cheapest in Australia is on 18s – but parity seems to accomplish at flagship level. There is parity in seat counts (eight in Elite, seven for Limited) engine and drivetrain choices. 

So, here, as there, a 3.8-litre petrol V6 driving the front wheels and a 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel, running through all-wheel-drive. 

The line here starts at $99,990 for the Elite petrol, with the range topping out at $119,990 for the Nappa Edition, which is only provisioned with the diesel.  

The other choices - Elite diesel, Limited petrol, and Limited diesel - are priced at $106,990, $107,990, and $114,990 respectively. 

At today’s exchange rate, Palisade RRPs (excluding, as here, delivery costs) are much lower across the Tasman.

 There the V6s sell for the equivalent of $NZ64,490 through to $NZ76,290, while diesel variants span from $NZ68,770 to $NZ80,590.

Hyundai NZ has not given explanation for its pricing strategy in material sent out today.

However, it recently reiterated to MotoringNZ that the Palisade would cost more than the SUV that has previously been its largest and most expensive offer here, the Santa Fe, which now peaks at $89,990.

The two models will likely stand comparison, given they share some common technology, though the recent refresh for Santa Fe has left it with more driver assists and a newer, more efficient version of the turbodiesel.  

The diesel Santa Fe also has dropped the orthodox eight-speed automatic that goes into Palisade for a direct-shift unit, also eight-speed.

Though both run V6s, the Santa Fe’s is a 3.6. The Palisade’s 3.8-litre, meantime, is from the Genesis luxury sedan that Hyundai NZ was unsuccessful in installing into the NZ market in 2016. The car was, then, the most expensive Korean model sold here.

Hyundai NZ cites outputs of 217kW/355Nm from the petrol and 147kW/440Nm from the diesel.

Hyundai says the Palisade’s V6 uses 10.7 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres, which is just 0.2L.100km worse that a six cylinder Santa Fe’s claimed optimal. The diesel’s economy suffers in the Palisade – Hyundai cites 7.3L/100km for the larger unit, against 6.1L/100km in a Santa Fe. 

Palisade’s size doesn’t reflect in it being brawnier for towing – quite the opposite, in fact. Towing is capped at 2200kg, whereas new Santa Fe can tow 2500kg.

 The eight-seater has two separate seats up front then two bench seat rows behind and the seven-seater provides with a bench in the very back and otherwise has captains’ chairs. 

The entry-level Palisade Elite comes with a 10.25 touchscreen, 12-speaker Infinity audio, motorised tailgate, heads-up display, three-zone climate, leather appointments, and 20-inch wheels.

The full SmartSense safety suite is also standard, inclusive of stop-go radar cruise control, lane keeping and lane following, and more.

There’s no ANCAP safety rating yet, but it’s unclear if it will achieve a four, or five-star rating with the lack of a centre airbag, deemed a new requirement by some manufacturers to achieve top safety marks.

Palisade was originally made for two big left-hand-drive markets, North America and the Middle East. It was re-engineered into right-hand-drive after Australia petitioned for it to be reconfigured.

Hyundai subordinate brand Kia also has a model based off the Palisade, but there is no likelihood of that car, called the Telluride, challenging the same turf, as Sorento does against Santa Fe, as there are no plans to make Kia’s biggest model in right-hand-drive.

 “The all-new Hyundai Palisade has a certain presence about it, making it worthy of Hyundai’s flagship SUV. Palisade indulges on every level – from space to connectivity to capability, all packaged in a cutting-edge design,” says Hyundai New Zealand General Manager, Andy Sinclair.

“This new upper-large SUV is the ultimate vehicle for practical, comfortable daily use, as well as open road adventures.”

Palisade’s Aus price gives Santa Fe a knock

The Palisade, Hyundai’s new super-large SUV, could present a big deal here if pricing reflects the Australia market strategy.

FAVOURABLE positioning against the just-landed Hyundai Santa Fe could seem a potential for that model’s big brother, the Palisade.

That’s on assumption stickers announced in the only other right-hand-drive market have been a guidance for the NZ distributor.

Hyundai New Zealand has confirmed intent to have the Palisade on sale here next month, but has yet to provision local specifications and prices for what will be the fifth SUV in its line-up and the first to offer eight seats.

It did not respond to a request to offer clarity on where it could stand, but conjecture has been fuelled by announcement of the car’s pricing in Australia.

If transferred here, our neighbour’s strategy would conceivably give the larger model a good start – but perhaps at expense of the Santa Fe, with which it shares a platform, a diesel drivetrain and even a common assembly line in South Korea. 

Across the water, Palisade will sell for the equivalent of $NZ63,850 in entry form and $NZ79,800 in a flagship trim, those recommended retails precluding on-road costs.  

If carried into NZ, that strategy would see a base Palisade siting $50 below the cheapest Santa Fe, but would also leave the top Palisade siting almost $20k beneath the most expensive Santa Fe here, the Limited.

 Australia has decided on an eight-seater entry model, simply called Palisade, and a range-topping version it calls Highlander, available with either seven or eight seats, both in front-drive petrol V6 and four-wheel-drive 2.2-litre turbodiesel.

 New Zealand and Australia are presently the only right-hand-drive markets for the car, which was originally expected to only be sold in North America, so conceivably that’s the full menu for us as well.

It became available for NZ consideration, with sign-off for sale confirmed in June, after Hyundai’s distributor in Australia successfully petitioned Seoul head office to start a right-hand-drive build programme.

Hyundai NZ has previously indicated thought that it sees good potential for Palisade, but has made clear it will not deliver it in as many formats as the Santa Fe. And don’t expect to see the Highlander badge – Toyota NZ obviously already has right to that name for its own SUV. It’ll be a Palisade Limited here, to maintain continuity with Hyundai NZ badging protocols. 

The big selling Palisade has previously been identified as the 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel four-wheel-drive. That’s been the top choice for Santa Fe, too. Palisade takes it the virtually identical tune, power output drops by 1kW in Palisade, to 147kW, but torque is identical at 440Nm.

Palisade’s alternate V6 is a 3.8-litre, creating 217kW and 355Nm, whereas Santa Fe runs a 3.5 good for 200kW/331Nm. They all run the same eight-speed automatic transmissions. Only the Santa Fe’s entry petrol, a 2.5-litre, is not in the larger setting.

Hyundai says the Palisade’s V6 uses 10.7 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres, which is just 0.2L.100km worse that the Santa Fe’s claimed optimal. The diesel’s economy suffers in the Palisade – Hyundai cites 7.3L/100km for the larger unit, against 6.1L/100km in a Santa Fe.

The exterior is to Hyundai’s current design language, but reminds of larger American SUVs, according to Australian website CarAdvice.

The entry car runs on 18-inch wheels, the high-end car on 20-inch wheels for the Highlander, together with bi-LED headlights and tail-lights.

Inside, buyers get a choice of black leather with metallic-look trim and a knit headliner in the Palisade, while the high-end model gets burgundy or beige Nappa leather with beech wood-look trim and a suede headliner.

A 10.25-inch infotainment screen featuring satellite navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability, and multi-connection Bluetooth, which runs through a 12-speaker Infinity premium audio system, is a common fixture.

Due to the expansive cabin, the Palisade also offers 'Driver Talk', which allows the driver to speak to second- and third-row occupants through the car's audio system. The system also has a 'Quiet Mode' which mutes the rear speakers, and sets the front speakers to a low maximum volume.

Front occupants get wireless smartphone charging in the centre console, while second-row passengers have access to USB ports.

As well as three ISOFIX child seat restraints, the Palisade also features four top tether child seat anchor points in the seven-seat Highlander, and five anchor points in eight-seat configuration (all variants). The second-row of seats features one-touch folding to help with third-row loading.

Front occupants get to enjoy heated and ventilated power seats, while the driver gains a 7.0-inch LCD digital instrument cluster. The 10.25-inch, all-digital instrument cluster offered in overseas markets doesn’t feature in right-hand-drive, but a head-up display goes into the flagship.

On the Highlander, a blind-spot view monitor shows a live feed of the Palisade's left and right blind-spot zones within the instrument cluster when the indicator is engaged, as well as a surround view monitor with guidance provides a 360-degree birds-eye view when parking.

A dual-panel power sunroof and hands-free power tailgate are also standard on the more expensive model.

Hyundai's SmartSense safety suite comes standard, featuring blind-spot collision-avoidance assist, high beam assist, rear cross-traffic collision-avoidance assist, driver attention warning with leaving vehicle departure alert, lane-keep assist, lane following assist, safe exit assist (top model only), rear occupant alert, autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist recognition, and adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go.