2023 Hyundai Palisade First Drive: A Solid Technopunch

Hyundai's push into the SUV market is strong today—it's easy to forget the Korean automaker had a lousy SUV lineup just five years ago. Now it has six models covering virtually every segment of the SUV market. And when the Hyundai Palisade hit the streets three years ago, it quickly became a sales hit popular with families who wanted style, value, and room for eight. With the new 2023 Hyundai Palisade, a midcycle update brings some fresh styling elements and more technology, plus additional comfort features. We traveled to the beautiful roads outside Asheville, North Carolina, to sample the updated Palisade and try the refreshed SUV firsthand.

Along with a new grille and some exterior details, the 2023 Hyundai Palisade is now 0.6 inch longer than before thanks to an upsized front overhang. The rear overhang is shorter, and the wheelbase remains the same, but overall length is now 196.7 inches. Although the interior dimensions didn't change, designers made these moves to give the Palisade a better stance in profile view—and it paid off.

Inside, Hyundai added comfort features across all three rows to please a wide variety of passengers. Taking a page from sister brand Genesis' Ergo motion seats, the Palisade adds a massaging feature to the driver's seat, and the second row now boasts headrests that bend to provide lateral head support. Heated seats are now offered in all three rows, and the first and second row continue to offer ventilated seats.

Hyundai's remote smart parking assist is available for the first time in the Palisade, which means drivers may get out of their vehicle and move the SUV forward and backward using the key. A new rear passenger-side airbag and parking collision avoidance assist are also present.

Families who missed having a Wi-Fi hotspot in the Hyundai Palisade will be happy, as Hyundai partnered with Verizon to allow drivers to now connect up to five devices at once. A three-month trial is included, but owners thereafter will need to pay $20 per month to use this feature. In-vehicle Wi-Fi hotspots are nothing new, but the 2023 Hyundai Palisade is the first of the company's models to offer the technology.

A new digital key allows Apple and Samsung users to lock, unlock, and start the Palisade with their phones. Working with NFC technology, simply place your phone on the door handle to unlock the Palisade. To start the car, you must place the phone on the wireless charger (where there's another NFC sensor).

The task is easy, and there are five digital keys in total that can be shared with friends via text message. Owners can change the settings of each of those keys to only lock and unlock the Palisade, and owners can remove key access easily. Best of all, the NFC sensors work even when your phone is dead, and the tech works with the Apple Watch, as well.

People familiar with the old Bluelink app know there were a few limitations of what you could do in the Palisade. The 2023 model expands the list of features; it now turns the heated and ventilated seats on and off and sets the temperature when the owner starts the Palisade remotely. Owners will also be able to see and receive notifications about doors and windows left open, as well as fuel levels.

The hardware updates also allow two driver profiles in the Bluelink app and the digital key, so if you share a car with your significant other, the radio presets, seat and mirror positions, and temperature will automatically change depending on who opens and starts the car.

New for 2023 is the XRT trim, which adds rugged styling and darker treatments outside, but there are no hardware enhancements such as all-terrain tires or better approach and departure angles. We spent half a day driving the XRT on city roads near Asheville and on trails around the Biltmore Estate, and we were generally pleased with the way the SUV handled.

There are no mechanical changes to the 2023 model; every Palisade continues to be powered by Hyundai's 291-hp, 262-lb-ft 3.8-liter V-6 engine mated to an eight-speed automatic. The XRT we drove was equipped with all-wheel drive, which was useful during the off-road section. On muddy parts of the trail, the Palisade demonstrated good traction and linear power delivery, making it easy to conquer obstacles. Although the trail was mostly a dirt road with a few ruts and puddles, it was a good representation of what families will encounter when heading on a camping trip.

On the road, the ride was generally comfortable and quiet, with the steering tuned on the lighter side and the engine delivering enough punch to go over Asheville's hilly downtown streets without protest. In the past, we've complained about the Palisade's stiffer ride compared to the Kia Telluride, but because of our limited time behind the wheel for now, we'll wait to render our full judgment once we can get a 2023 model in our hands for testing.

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade is available in five different trim levels—SE, SEL, XRT, Limited, and Calligraphy. Prices start at $36,245 for the SE and rise to $50,195 for the Calligraphy. The all-wheel-drive option adds $1,900.

The midcycle update for the 2023 Hyundai Palisade might look mild on the outside, but it's significant when you look at all the new technology that's come aboard. With remote parking, a digital key for Apple and Samsung, and more features for the Bluelink app, the Palisade feels updated and modern. And Hyundai managed to add all those features while keeping prices competitive.