2021 Hyundai Palisade

There is plenty of value to be found throughout the Palisade range, with the SE starting at an MSRP of $32,525 in the USA. For the mid-range SEL and Limited, the Palisade price rises to $35,175 and $45,125, respectively, while the new Calligraphy tops the range at $47,750. These prices exclude tax, licensing, and registration costs, along with a $1,175 destination charge. Only the Calligraphy gets AWD by default, with this upgrade costing $1,700 on all other derivatives. Fully loaded with options, the Hyundai Palisade price can climb to over $50,000 for the top-of-the-range Calligraphy.

The Hyundai Palisade is a family SUV so needs to be adept at carting people around in comfort but without falling apart at the first corner. Thankfully, it ticks both of these boxes. The multi-link independent rear suspension helps to provide the Palisade with a compliant enough ride quality, with the typical bumps and lumps of everyday commuting being effectively shut out. That said, there is an underlying firmness to the setup, but it never becomes harsh. In terms of handling ability, the Palisade does a fair job of managing its weight through the corners and, although body roll is noticeable, it's easy to place and control this big SUV when the road gets twisty. Unsurprisingly, feedback through the steering wheel is notable by its absence. It's not as fun to drive as a Honda Pilot, but then again, few customers are shopping around for an eight-seater SUV and looking to be thrilled behind the wheel. Tailoring the driving experience can be done by toggling the drive mode dial, with Eco mode offering a nice and smooth throttle response without feeling sluggish. For occasional dirt road use, the optional AWD system provides more security, but the Palisade is certainly not intended to take on any major off-road obstacles.

Hyundai has managed the balancing act of making the Palisade SUV both heavily styled and utterly sensible at the same time. Together with the spacious and exceptionally well-trimmed cabin, it offers a comfortable ride, a willing V6 engine, lots of features that make transporting a family less of a chore, and excellent cargo space. We especially appreciate that the third row of seats is not just for show, but can genuinely accommodate adults of average size - a rarity in its class. The top two trims are particularly plush inside and come loaded with high-tech goodies, while all versions have proven safety ratings and a brilliant warranty. All of these qualities have not gone unnoticed, with thousands of Americans choosing to park a Palisade in their garages over the last year or two. Although there are many other great SUVs for sale in this segment, such as the more established Honda Pilot, our rankings prove that the Palisade and its Kia Telluride cousin are good enough to be called class-leading.

While the Calligraphy is naturally the most desirable version in the range, its extras are mostly cosmetic when compared with the Limited. With a price difference of nearly $10,000 between the SEL and Limited, an SEL with a few options seems like the sweet spot within the range. Even when adding both the Convenience and Premium packages to the SEL, it still represents a saving of over $4,000 over the Limited, while adding many of the latter's best features. That's why a well-specced SEL is our choice in the lineup - it's all the car that any large family needs.

Sharing its underpinnings and engine with the Kia Telluride, a comparison between these two excellent SUVs is inevitable. With the same 291-hp V6 engine, the two SUVs offer similar performance, although it's the Telluride that is marginally more economical. It's the same story in the cabin, where the figures show that vs the Kia Telluride, the Hyundai has less cargo space, although the difference is small. The Telluride is a bit more of a luxurious and high-tech option, with a standard power-adjustable driver's seat on every trim, along with the availability of a digital driver's display. But again, the differences are minor as the Telluride is still an impressively equipped SUV in its higher trim levels. Trim for trim, the Hyundai Palisade will cost a bit more; this, together with the Telluride's attractive and less polarizing design, makes the Kia our choice by a whisker.

The Honda Pilot has been around for a little longer than the Palisade, and it shows when walking around each vehicle and sitting inside. The new Palisade interior feels more special and, whether divisive or not, its exterior makes more of a visual statement vs the Honda Pilot. Although the Pilot is slightly less powerful with its smaller 3.5-liter V6 engine, it's a bit quicker than the Palisade up to 60 mph and can tow just as much as its Korean rival. We'd say that the Honda handles a bit better than the Hyundai, but both are comfortable on extended trips. Both SUVs are impressively spacious inside, with the Pilot offering slightly more third-row legroom, but the Palisade winning on space for legs in the first two rows. Behind the third row, the Palisade offers more cargo space, unless the Pilot's third row of seats are positioned as far forward and upright as possible, in which case the Honda manages a marginal advantage. The Palisade has more available luxury and tech features, despite being priced very similarly to the Honda. Although the Pilot comes across as the better-engineered product under the skin, the Palisade's attractive cabin and a longer list of features just about edges out the Pilot.