Tested! The Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy Is Almost a Genesis

With the democratization of active safety features, big displays, and phone connectivity, automakers must work harder than ever to differentiate luxury cars from the mainstream vehicle market. The theatrical drama of Audi's LED walk-up light show, Lincoln's Detroit Symphony Orchestra door-opening motif, and Rolls-Royce's starry night illuminated headliners are great examples of how fancy brands go the extra mile to make drivers and passengers feel special.

Hyundai successfully spun off Genesis as a bona fide luxury brand, so the automaker no longer has the pressure to build ritzy versions of its mainstream lineup to appeal to those aspirational customers. Still, that doesn't mean Hyundai is wanting for superbly well-equipped models with some luxurious flair. The flagship 2023 Hyundai Palisade SUV is offered in a range-topping Calligraphy trim, which decks it out with many fixings that are usually reserved for luxury-badged products like, well, Genesis. As impressive as it appears on paper, we wondered how upscale the Palisade is in the sheetmetal. That's what we set out to determine during our weeklong road test.

As the top trim in the range, the 2023 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy comes loaded with a ton of features and stuffed with high-quality leather seating. Despite checking the boxes for luxuries such as a heated and ventilated front- and second-row seats, automatic driver's seat bolster adjustment, and a suede headliner, the interior design is very subdued. The silver-on-black color scheme in our test car was fairly dour and uninspired compared to other vehicles in the three-row segment like the Honda Pilot or Kia Telluride. It could use more theater, in other words. The drama stops with the Calligraphy trim level's name, which winks at Land Rover's bespoke Autobiography models.

Also, the button layout on the center stack and interior scheme is a bit old-school. Rather than updating the Palisade to make use of Hyundai's newer avant-garde layouts—keep in mind, the Palisade was refreshed for 2023—the cabin's aesthetics are rooted in Hyundai's previous-generation of products. A next-generation Palisade or a late-cycle refresh will likely move to a new layout, which we think would elevate the flagship status of this Hyundai.

Another gripe we have with the Calligraphy trim is the automated driver's seat lumbar system, even though we like the concept of this feature in a vehicle in the three-row SUV segment. We took issue with the airbags in the back of the seat that deploy at 30-minute intervals with the intention of stretching out the driver's back and alleviating fatigue. Even though it sounds helpful in theory, once the process begins, it can't be canceled. This is especially an issue when the driver is overly hydrated, if you get our meaning. We ended up disabling the back stretch capability after a few annoying, bladder-busting deployments.

We appreciated Hyundai's new Ergo Motion seat when it helped us stay upright while navigating curvy roads during our testing. When the program  activates, the side cushions of the driver's seat snug up when the vehicle travels at freeway speeds or when the car is set to Sport mode. It's not quite as sophisticated as the Active Multicontour Seat package offered in some vehicles by Mercedes-Benz, but the Ergo Motion seat certainly contributed to the Palisade Calligraphy's appeal.

We more universally liked the rest of the Palisade Calligraphy's high-tech appointments. A large 12.3-inch LED display made our Apple CarPlay readout easily legible, and the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster sports stylish graphics. The spacious cabin offers no shortage of USB ports, and the Wi-Fi hotspot should keep occupants entertained on long road trips. Other features like the 360-degree parking camera view, blind-spot visualization, and head-up display were well integrated into the infotainment suite. Even though we don't love the aesthetics of the Palisade's button-heavy interior, we commend its conduciveness to eyes-up driving.

Around town and in the suburbs where most Palisade owners will use their vehicles, we enjoyed the drivetrain's relaxed character, as it matches the Calligraphy model's luxurious intentions. With 291 hp and 262 lb-ft on tap, the V-6 motivates the Palisade deliberately but smoothly. Getting to 60 mph requires 6.9 seconds. That's quick enough to keep up with traffic, but we felt like Hyundai could have juiced up the 3.8-liter V-6 engine to make it feel more spirited. The large six-cylinder engine emits a burly note under full-throttle acceleration, which helps compensate for the lack of oomph. Fuel economy is rated at a respectable 19/25 mpg city/highway, which is better than the all-wheel-drive versions of the Kia Telluride and Honda Passport but trails the Toyota Highlander.  

Excellent sound deadening helps the ride quality feel better damped than it is; over rough surfaces some flintiness penetrates the cabin, but the three-row SUV's tires thumping over jagged pavement hardly makes a sound. To the ears, the Hyundai Palisade delivers a solid impression of a luxury SUV. 

On winding canyon roads where few Hyundai Palisade drivers will venture, the three-row SUV is surprisingly sure-footed. The steering is heavy and direct, an anomaly in the three-row SUV segment. As we scooted up the steep and turning roads of Malibu's canyons, Hyundai's HTRAC all-wheel-drive system intelligently distributed power to the wheels. As we leaned deep into the powerband on our technical test route, there was no ignoring the lazy and unresponsive nature of the eight-speed automatic transmission. When called upon for a downshift, the hesitant gearbox took its time clicking down from one gear to another.

This issue also reared its head at our test track, where we had to resort to paddle-shifting in order to secure our best figure-eight lap time of 27.0 seconds. Despite the Palisade's 4,503-pound curb weight, brake feel is remarkable. Descending from high-elevation hill country, the big SUV's deceleration was easy to control. Initial bite feels firm, and the pedal provides ample feedback. In our testing, we managed to come to a stop from 60 mph in as little as 118 feet, which is comparable to other three-row SUVs.

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy exhibits all-around competence without being particularly sporty or luxurious. As a suburban runabout, its precise steering, low-key drivetrain characteristics, and strong braking capabilities contribute to its genteel nature.

The grandiosity of the Calligraphy trim level's name wasn't quite backed up by the SUV itself. There is no denying that this three-row hauler comes stuffed with an impressive suite of active safety assists, modern infotainment technology, and clever comfort features. The best contemporary luxury cars pull out all the stops to make passengers feel extra special, but the Palisade Calligraphy merely assails occupants with equipment without curating the experience. We'd like to see a more artful approach to the brand's top model's highest trim, especially when its as-tested price of $53,300 places it in the realm of upscale models like the Lincoln Aviator and sporty Acura MDX. We're looking forward to what the brand accomplishes with the next-generation version of its flagship, but for now, stick with the lower-spec models for better value.