The 2024 Hyundai Palisade is a vehicle with presence, thanks to its American-influenced in-your-face grille and imposing side profile. Once known as the Highlander, the range topping Calligraphy is packed with features.
Tested here with the more refined and venerable 2.2-litre diesel, and all-wheel drive, the Calligraphy will set you back around $86,500 drive away. You can opt for seven or eight seats (we have the latter). There’s an array of colours too.
We’ve scored the classy Robust Emerald, but you could also choose Gaia Brown Olivine Grey, Abyss Black, Graphite Grey, Moonlight Blue, Shimmering Silver or Sierra Burgundy. For those wanting something a little more sinister, there’s a Black Ink edition.
The 20-inch wheels suit the Calligraphy trim level and differentiate from the lower Elite spec, even if they are a pain to keep clean. It’s inside where the Palisade steps things up though, with classy leather seats and a plush roof liner that is soft to touch.
The trim can be had in traditional black leather, or a two tone black and dark khaki Nappa option. Comfort levels are high and there’s plenty of space for the first and second row occupants, with only those banished to the third likely to struggle for room.
We would think that’s a child-only zone but they do score their own USB ports and air conditioning vents. Front and second row seats gain heating and ventilation, and for those super cold Australian winter mornings, there’s a heated steering wheel.
Storage is in decent supply throughout, including a large area under the centre console that you’ll probably forget is there. The door storage bins can handle decent sized bottles, and there are a whopping 17 cup holders.
The second row has adjustable reclining and heaps of leg room, allowing occupants to stretch out, or access their own USB ports (in the front row seat backs), as well as their own air conditioning zone.
The seats split in a 2/1 configuration to allow access to the third row, with the single seat being on the driver’s side rather than the safer passenger side. It’s no deal breaker, but clearly something that wasn’t translated for the right-hand drive market.
For child seats, there are five tether points across the rear rows, and three of those spots also have ISOFIX connectors. The Calligraphy’s rear doors, aside from opening quite wide, also include retractable sunshades.
A panoramic glass roof lets in plenty of light. There are some neat features too, like Passenger Talk, which makes use of the rear speakers to project the voices from the front row to the back.
Standard audio is handled by a 12-speaker Infinity system which does a decent job. Up front you’ll find dual 12.3-inch displays that are clear and provide all the relevant information we’ve come to expect from Hyundai.
The instrument cluster changes dials depending on which drive mode is selected, with Comfort, Eco, Sport and Smart on offer, as well as terrain modes for Snow, Mud and Sand. The Calligraphy also features a 10-inch head up display.
Native satellite navigation is included but owners may opt for Apple CarPlay or Android Auto via a wired connection to their phone. A wireless charging pad is available as well. The centre HVAC display is a non-reflective digital screen.
Boot space starts at 704-litres and opens up quite easily to 2447-litres with the second and third rows down. The Palisade Calligraphy comes with an automated tailgate for convenient access, while the spare wheel sits under the rear of the car.
The Hyundai Smart Key allows you to remote start the car as well as manoeuvre it backwards and forwards into or out of a tight spot. When in reverse, the car has additional lighting to alert others and assist in low light.
The Calligraphy also gains blind spot cameras and 360-view (over the Elite trim), which are welcomed in such a large vehicle. For when the car is carrying a full load of passengers, the rear view mirror can display a video feed to assist with visibility.
On the safety front, there’s all the usual suspects, including the wonderfully beep happy speed limit warning that pings for every kilometre over the speed limit it detects you are doing. It was better here than we’ve seen in other Hyundai vehicles though.
It still frequently misreads speed zones. That aside, driving around feels easier than it should, which also means you forget you’re in a fairly large SUV. The diesel engine delivers 147kW of power and 440Nm of torque, with a claimed fuel economy of 7.3-litres/100km.
The best we could do in real world testing was 9.5-litres/100km, which still isn’t awful. Braked towing capacity sits at 2,200kg. A practical, but more expensive option than say the Staria people mover, the Palisade is well worth considering.
Backed by a 5-year unlimited kilometre warranty, and with a range of pre-paid service packages available, the 2024 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy comes with some nifty features for those longer drives. It’s not cheap, but still represents good value.
To find out more, you can visit the Hyundai Australia website, or talk to your local dealership. To get a low rate finance quote on your next vehicle purchase, talk to Australia’s best reviewed car finance broker; Credit One.
To see a great range of vehicles for sale, check out OnlyCars.com.au.
Our test vehicle was provided by Hyundai Australia for independent review purposes.
