Palisade

Make
Hyundai
Segment
SUV

While Kia has already unveiled the Telluride SUV and made it available to buyers in the US, we had yet to hear details about the Hyundai Palisade, the Telluride's corporate cousin set to follow the Kia to America and renew Korea's charge into our large SUV market.

But that information gap is no longer an issue because Hyundai has released the Palisade's pricing and trim information just before the SUV arrives on our shores from its Ulsan, Korea production facility. And for those thinking that the Palisade would be the Telluride's more expensive and upscale relative, we have good news: Hyundai is back to its old ways of trying to conquer the market by undercutting its competitors, which is why the base Palisade is actually cheaper than Kia's full-size SUV.

Hyundai keeps things simple, giving every Palisade the same 3.8-liter V6 that makes 291 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. Power is routed through an eight-speed automatic transmission and goes out the front wheels unless buyers opt for all-wheel drive. The trim options are just as straightforward, with SE, SEL, and Unlimited models being the only three choices.

A base front-wheel drive SE costs $31,550, which is $140 less than the cheapest Telluride (not including destination). Opting for the SEL brings the price up to $33,500, while the range-topping Limited makes a big leap to $44,700, with destination for all models coming out to $1,045. Selecting all-wheel drive pushes the price of each model up by $1,700, bringing the SE to $33,250, the SEL to $35,200, and making the most heavily outfitted Palisade money can buy come out to $46,400.

Like the Kia Telluride, the Hyundai Palisade comes with three rows and a host of standard features across the board, including LED running lights to complement projector headlights, an 8-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (a 10.3-inch screen is added to Limited models), folding second-row seats, and a few driver aids like adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keep assist.

SEL models get a few more goodies, like keyless entry, pushbutton start, dual-zone climate, heated front seats, blind spot assist, and rear cross-traffic alert. The Palisade Limited, on the other hand, gets the luxury treatment that includes a 360-degree camera. a heads-up display, a heated steering wheel, ventilated front seats, a digital gauge cluster, a Harmon Kardon sound system, a panoramic roof, a self-leveling rear suspension, leather upholstery, and 20-inch wheels. Given the high number of standard features and its relatively low asking price, it looks like the Palisade could become a serious thorn in the side of its competitors.