Motor Trend - USA (2020-05)

2020 Hyundai Palisade

HEADROOM, F/M/R 39.3/38.3/37.2 in

LEGROOM, F/M/R 44.1/42.4/31.4 in

SHOULDER ROOM, F/M/R 61.2/60.8/55.2 in

CARGO VOLUME BEHIND

F/M/R

86.4/45.8/18.0 cu ft

CURB WEIGHT; DIST, F/R 4,459 lb; 56/44%

GROUND CLEARANCE 7.9 in

APPROACH/DEPART ANGLE 18.5/21.2 deg

TURNING CIRCLE 38.7 ft

TOWING CAPACITY 5,000 lb

COVER STORY

LAYOUT, HYUNDAI PALISADE

67.2”

68

.^9

”

77.8”

67.6” 114.2”

196.1”

at the track, the Pilot tied for first (along

with the Traverse and Highlander) in

60–0 braking, stopping in 116 feet.

Whereas most of the SUVs we tested

were equipped with all-wheel drive,

our Traverse was front-drive only. Its

3.6-liter V-6 is good for 310 hp and 266

lb-ft of torque, making it the SUV with

the most horsepower, and its nine-speed

gearbox provided smooth shifts during

our drive. We also enjoyed the steering

precision and heft. But because this is

the largest SUV of the group, we noted

plenty of body roll. Rechtin experienced

awkward head toss even when going

over smaller bumps, and he commented

on the suspension undulations. And

although its engine felt pretty power-

ful, it whined like an old-time Hoover

vacuum with a full bag when asked for

more power.

The virtually identical Koreans shine

inside and out, but underneath they

aren’t outstanding. The Telluride and the

Palisade share the same powertrain—a

3.8-liter V-6 engine that delivers 291 hp

and 262 lb-ft mated to an eight-speed

gearbox. And although their performance

numbers are nearly identical, they’re not

top of the class. Seabaugh complained

about the lack of low-end torque, and

Walton described the transmission as

“lackadaisical.”

In the real world, the Palisade’s

ride feels stiffer and sportier than the

Telluride’s plush suspension, and the

Kia’s brakes outperformed the Hyundai’s.

Neither feels slow, but a bump in

horsepower and torque wouldn’t hurt.

If the Koreans need more power, the

Highlander needs more road isolation.

Whether it’s the wind or road noise,

the Highlander’s cabin was pretty loud.

Its eight-speed automatic and 295-hp,

263-lb-ft 3.5-liter V-6 are carried over

from the previous generation. Seabaugh

criticized the way the engine and the

transmission played together (or rather,

didn’t), adding that the “lack of powertrain

refinement is far more galling than its

The Palisade’s AWD system has a center diff

lock that splits the torque 50/50 front/rear.

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