Facelift (What's new)

• New front grille design that's wider and bolder
• Updated cabin equipment with a fully digital dash and an enhanced infotainment interface
• Now offered only as a seven-seater

The Hyundai Palisade has been updated with an even more prominent design, as well as equipment updates to improve overall quality of life for passengers.

I watch a lot of NBA (American basketball, if anyone's unsure). That means that I watch a lot of American TV. Which, for reasons I shall not specify, also means that I see plenty of American ads. And it is not uncommon to see ads for cars like the Hyundai Palisade - big, domineering seven-seater SUVs.

I won't go so far as to claim that there's something inherently American about such cars, but in the context of large and wide American roads and a sea of F-150s and other full-sized SUVs, a car like the Palisade would not look out of place at all.

Here in Singapore though? On sheer size alone, it's really hard for a car like the Palisade to blend in with the other cars on the road. So, of course, with this facelift, Hyundai has gone and made it even more prominent.

Look at me

It all begins with the car's new face. It's much wider, has a new parametric design, and when paired with the redesigned head lights, just adds a ton of visual heft to the (already huge) car.

If you thought the design of the Palisade was already domineering, this updated one is exponentially more so.

Inside, there's a host of equipment updates. You now get the fully digital cluster seen in other modern Hyundai cars, as well as an updated infotainment interface. The design of the steering wheel is also new. And, the air-con vent design has been updated such that it runs across the width of the cabin - not functionally that consequential, but it does help make the cabin feel more contemporary.

One notable change is that the Palisade is now offered only as a seven-seater variant, rather than the eight-seater previously.

While this certainly improves quality of life for the second row passengers, it does rob the Palisade of one of its more unique selling points - seven-seater SUVs are much more common compared to eight-seaters, though the everyday usefulness of an eight-seater can be a matter of debate.

However, passengers will feel comfortable whether in the second or third row. You have handy access to USB C ports, the seats are plenty spacious and comfortable, and the second row of seats even have ventilation.

Feel me now

For a car as sizeable as the Palisade is (it's basically five metres long), it actually doesn't feel overwhelmingly big to drive on the road. The light steering helps, and of course having a 3.5-litre V6 lump certainly helps. You'll be surprised by how 'not-that-big' it feels on the road. The lane departure warning system, which helps steer you back into the lane, also helps to manage the car's overall size.

There are also plenty of features to help you navigate tighter spots, such as the blind spot camera that appears when you signal, as well as the useful 360-degree top-down camera view (especially useful when parking).

As far as comfort goes, the Palisade is hard to fault. It negotiates bumps on the road with ease, and even going over humps you don't really feel inclined to slow down that much.

Standing out

The updates to the Palisade help improve overall quality of life, thanks to more equipment and increased overall comfort. And the new design certainly adds to its overall distinctiveness and sense of imposing presence on the road. It really does stand out.

The big question, pardon the pun, is whether anyone needs a car this big. The answer, inevitably, is of course yes. The appeal may be somewhat niche, but there's certainly a market for it. Like super tall basketball players, sometimes not blending in is precisely the point.

The fact that it's now only a seven-seater does rob the Palisade of some of its utilitarian uniqueness, but its worth noting that at its $302,999 price point (as of March 23, 2023), it's still the cheapest full-size seven-seater SUV you can get. And honestly, you're getting quite a lot of car for the money.

So yes, if you really want to go big, then the Hyundai Palisade is certainly worth checking out.

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This article was first published in sgCarMart.