hyundai's new palisade three-row suv has bold styling, lots of space inside, and a long list of standard and optional features. this new model slots in at the top of the company's suv lineup, being significantly larger than the old santa fe xl that used to be hyundai's offering in the three-row crossover segment.
now that pricing has been released, we decided to play with the 2020 palisade's build-your-own tool and configure our ideal version of this new people-hauler. compared to the conservative, value-minded approach we took when spec-ing its sibling, the kia telluride, we went all-out with the palisade, loading it to the gills.
model we'd pick:
- palisade limited awd ($47,445)
of the palisade's three trim levels, the limited is the most expensive but it seems worth it to us. it comes standard with a boat load of equipment that other suv competitors either charge extra for or don't offer at all. it's also priced reasonably at well under $50,000, which rivals such as the ford explorer cannot claim for its top trim levels. the palisade limited has features such as a panoramic sunroof, a head-up display, a harman kardon premium audio system, heated and cooled first- and second-row seats. that all sounds worth $47,445 to us. we also added all-wheel drive for $1700; all palisade models come with a 291-hp, 3.8-liter v-6 engine mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission.
options we'd choose:
- carpeted floor mats ($160)
there aren't really any extras to choose from on the palisade limited, as it comes fully kitted to start. we opted for the blue-ish moonlight cloud exterior paint and the beige nappa leather, both no-cost options. while the light-colored interior may seem a risky move on a family suv that's likely to be packed with messy kids, the $160 optional carpeted floor mats should make it a bit easier to clean out the cabin.
all in, we're looking at a sticker of $47,605, which is just about the most you can pay for any hyundai product sold in the u.s. that doesn't wear a genesis badge and isn't the hydrogen-powered hyundai nexo crossover.