Genesis is the upscale Hyundai brand that hit our shores in 2017. It has been a great success, and the luxury offered by the brand is impressive for the price. But Hyundai has also stepped up its game, so consumers have a tough choice to make—a fully loaded Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy or a Genesis GV80? You can’t go wrong with either choice. Both feature powerful powertrains delivered in different ways. The Hyundai does without turbochargers and is a little slower compared to the Genesis, but you will save a few dollars by purchasing the Palisade. It comes fully loaded at just under $55K, whereas the Genesis starts at $58K. In this situation, I would lean toward the blue-jeans practicality of the Palisade over the dress-pants refinement of the Genesis. After all, this Palisade offers all the luxuries at a lower price point. Moreover, it is a wonderful and comfortable three-row SUV!
Smooth Power
The Palisade is powered by a 3.8-liter V6 connected to an eight-speed automatic transmission. My tester had the optional all-wheel-drive system. The powertrain is quiet and refined. Fuel economy isn’t bad at 19 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway—pretty good considering the large size of the Palisade and its all-wheel-drive capability. The Genesis GV80 uses a turbocharged four-cylinder or six-cylinder engine, but in this scenario, simpler may be better.
Luxuries Abound
Popping open the hatch of the Hyundai, I was surprised to see motorized third-row seats. There are even heated seats for those seated all the way in the back. Need to discuss where to stop? The driver can access a feature in the infotainment system that broadcasts their voice to the potentially bickering kids in the rear. It makes road trips more bearable—without yelling.
Olabisi Boyle, VP of Product Planning at Hyundai, notes, “The enhanced Hyundai Palisade offers the design appeal and features worthy of Hyundai’s flagship SUV. More than ever, Palisade is the ultimate family vehicle for daily use and memory-making road trips.”
The Ergo driver’s seat is designed to provide comfort and help reduce fatigue during long road trips. There are even adjustments for forward leg and thigh support. The second row of seats now offers wing-out headrests—if you pull the sides of the headrests, they cradle your head for more comfort. The second row also features seat ventilation for added luxury.
For the driver, an available full-display digital center rearview mirror uses a rearview camera to provide a clear view behind the Palisade without obstructions from passengers or cargo. The Palisade’s slim, trendy horizontal air vents add a sense of spaciousness and premium ambiance. The instrument panel has been designed for a voluminous appearance with customizable ambient lighting themes.
Interior Tricks
One common issue with Qi wireless charging is that phones sometimes heat up without charging efficiently. Hyundai addressed this by upgrading the conveniently located charging pad from 5 watts to 15 watts for faster, more effective device charging. In real-world use, it worked well.
The Palisade supports the latest version of Hyundai Digital Key. Digital Key 2 Touch allows you to leave your car key at home and use an iPhone, Apple Watch, or Samsung Galaxy smartphone to lock, unlock, and start the Palisade. Once the car key has been added to Apple Wallet or Samsung Pass, users can hold the supported device near the door handle to lock or unlock the car. Touching an Apple Watch near the ignition area or placing the phone in the wireless charger and then pressing the start button allows the driver to fire up the engine.
Apple Wallet and Samsung Pass also enable secure sharing of vehicle access with family and friends. When you connect the car to Hyundai’s BlueLink service, you can even lock, unlock, or start the car using Google Assistant or Alexa.
Harman Audio
The Palisade’s Harman Kardon audio system sounds great. It features 12 speakers, including a dedicated center channel, and delivers 630 watts of power. There’s even an 8-inch subwoofer tucked near the second and third rows.
The system incorporates Harman’s QuantumLogic Surround (QLS) technology, designed to enhance audio sources and create an immersive surround sound experience. According to Harman, this patented technology separates input sources and redistributes them into individual streams across speakers, delivering high-quality, multidimensional sound—from deep bass notes to high-pitched instrumentals. While it doesn’t outperform the best aftermarket systems, it is a well-tuned factory system that will satisfy most listeners.
Advanced Safety and Value
The Palisade offers all the modern safety features you’d expect. Rather than relying solely on a blind-spot warning system in the side-view mirror, the Palisade displays a camera image of the blind spot directly in the instrument cluster. For some drivers nervous about merging, this feature alone might be worth the price of admission.
The Palisade Calligraphy trim comes fully loaded at $55K, with little left to add. Those looking for three-row practicality without all the extras can opt for the base SE model, which starts at $37K. But once you experience today’s luxury features, it’s hard to go back.
