Hyundai Palisade News

Hyundai is about to move to a seven-year/unlimited kilometre warranty in Australia, up from its existing five-year/unlimited kilometre item.

In Taylor Swift terms, Hyundai has entered its Fearless Era as it explores bold new design themes that are a major departure from its past.In stark contrast to its humble beginnings, Hyundai is looking to make bolder vehicles, as witnessed by the recently revealed second-generation Palisade. Crucially, the Palisade is dramatically different from the Tucson and Santa Fe, or any other model in the range, as Hyundai pursues a unique design for each of its models. This is opposed to the ‘Russian Doll’ philosophy that many other brands use, which see similar design themes carried over from one model to the next. Interestingly, this more ‘family’ focused design theme is the one pursued by Kia, Hyundai’s sister brand, and in Australia recent years has seen the younger sibling overtake its elder on the sales charts.So, why has Hyundai pursued this very different and deliberately polarising strategy? We were fortunate enough to discuss this with the man in charge, SangYup Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of Hyundai and Genesis Global Design.We spoke immediately after the reveal of the new Palisade and Palisade XRT Pro for the first time outside of South Korea, and Lee used the new family-sized SUV as a way of explaining the brand’s design philosophy.Specifically, he discussed why the Palisade and the similar-sized, but all-electric, Ioniq 9 have almost no visual similarities.“ I think it's a very important question,” Lee said. “Obviously, as I mentioned to you briefly yesterday on Ioniq 9 versus Palisade, the customers are different for a full, dedicated EV versus a traditional ICE and hybrid cars."So we cannot have the same toolbox SUV, so we purposefully have a different direction… where Ioniq 9 is for more like an early adopter and is open for new things.He continued: “Palisade, when you see it, you know it is so easy to understand. It's a toolbox SUV with a lot of premium character, and with the bold DRL (Daytime Running Lights) you can recognize it from a long distance."I'm particularly very proud of the surface DRL, because a lot of DRLs these day, I mean the lamp is a functional piece, but you see a lot of linear DRL."And instead we're doing surface DRL to have a more, like a chunky shape. So you look at it from a long distance, you can instantly notice a Palisade that's coming towards you, which is so important,” he said.Lee highlighted the importance of making a strong visual first impression for each Hyundai model, which is why he and his design teams have opted for a clear differentiation between each model, rather than Kia’s signature look that carries across each of its offerings.“A mid to large SUV is a big face with a bold character, but when you get closer, there's a lot of sophisticated surface treatment,” Lee said.“So what we want to do is like, mainstream, it should be easy to understand, bold yet premium character. So this is our challenge.”He also explained that the different needs of different customers across the various models also plays a major role in Hyundai’s decision to create unique designs.“There are many brands doing the family look… but I always talk to our team, Hyundai is all about customer-centric brand,” he said.“We need to really understand the customer first in order to design. So, I mean, for the Palisade, if you sit inside of the car, it's so comfortable, easy to use, there is no forced area. Everything is all about usability.“I must say, the UX (user experience) is designed this way… because this is a family car. I mean, we are out there, family, parents in a very detailed ."So like, how they drop off kids in the morning, how they pick them up after school hours and how they use a sippy cup, how they use the tailgate and how they use stuff."So it's all about observing customers in order to make it easier, more comfortable, with better design.”

Hyundai Australia may still be waiting for a ute, but it just got the next best thing - a rugged, Toyota LandCruiser-rivaling SUV.Unveiled overnight at the 2025 New York International Auto Show, the Hyundai Palisade XRT Pro is the most off-road capable model the South Korean brand has ever offered in Australia. Due to launch locally in early 2026 as a fully-fledged member of the new Palisade line-up (rather than an option pack like the Santa Fe XRT), this new model features a raft of off-road-focused enhancements.There’s a unique grille, with a unique lower bumper that incorporates twin, chassis-mounted tow hooks, as well as creating more ground clearance for an improved approach angle of 20.5-degrees. New side skirts and a similar treatment to the rear bumper improve the departure and breakover angles to 22.4 and 18.3 degrees, respectively. Underneath there is a new XRT Pro-exclusive rear electronic limited-slip differential for better off-road capability as well as downhill brake control and new terrain modes for mud, sand and snow. There’s also real-time pitch and roll, compass and elevation displays and a new camera at the front to provide a clear view of the road ahead when you’re off-road and can’t see over the bonnet.However, aside from a ride height increase, to give the Palisade XRT Pro 213mm of ground clearance, the suspension is unchanged from the rest of the Palisade range. This is also partly helped by the new all-terrain tyres that wrap around the 18-inch off-road styled alloy wheels.Under the bonnet the XRT Pro is exclusively available with a 214kW/252Nm 3.5-litre V6 naturally aspirated petrol engine. This is paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission and Hyundai’s all-wheel-drive system.Speaking at the New York reveal, Olabisi Boyle, Senior Vice President of Product Planning and Mobility Strategy for Hyundai Motor North America, explained the reasoning that went into developing the XRT Pro."The 2026 Palisade XRT Pro is for people doing it all - raising families, chasing goals, showing up every day,” Boyle said.“We built this SUV by putting people first - thinking about real lives, real needs. It’s got space for your crew, capability when the road gets rough, and the kind of comfort, style, and efficiency that proves luxury doesn’t have to come with a luxury price.“We wanted to deliver a vehicle where affordability can meet lifestyle - no matter where off-road you want to go."Hyundai Australia has confirmed other versions of the new Palisade will go on sale in late 2025, starting with the new 192kW hybrid powertrain variant. The XRT Pro will follow soon after, in early 2026, with pricing and final specifications expected to be announced closer to them going on sale.

Hyundai has detailed its largest combustion SUV, the Palisade, before it goes on-sale in Korea. Expected to arrive in Australia some time in 2025, the three-row SUV ditches its diesel powerplants for an all-petrol based offering, including a new powerful hybrid model with the Toyota Kluger, Kia Sorento and Nissan Pathfinder in its sights. The new-generation Palisade is bigger than its predecessor: 65mm longer (5060mm), 5mm taller and wider, riding on a 70mm longer 2970mm wheelbase. The Palisade rejoins a busy seven-seat segment with the brand also offering the Ioniq 9 electric car and smaller Santa Fe in Australia.In Korea, the Palisade is available in a nine seat configuration with a three-wide front bench. Normally, that would be unlikely for Australia but Hyundai has engineered a twin centre airbag for safety, so it may get in. It is otherwise a seven seater with two front, two middle ‘captain’s chairs’ and a three-wide rear bench.The interior has been completely overhauled in the style of the smaller Santa Fe, with upmarket trims such as Calligraphy getting twin curved 12.3-inch displays, with the centre working as the multimedia touchscreen. Upholstery comes in a variety of colours with top-spec variants getting the choice of black or brown leather in Korea. Huge 21-inch alloy wheels are available optionally. Helping keep the ride plush are the first adaptive dampers ever fitted to a non-N Hyundai SUV. The technology is borrowed from Genesis models. Under the bonnet you’ll find a 2.5-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder in place of the old 3.8-litre V6, while the more efficient diesel is effectively replaced by the new hybrid system. Petrol alone, the Palisade develops 210kW. The hybrid’s 1.65kWh lithium-ion battery and electric motor bumps this to 249kW with combined driving range in excess of 1000km. Electric car-like features include vehicle-to-load (V2L) along with ‘Stay Mode’ that allows the car to idle for long periods of time without compromising on air-con effectiveness. Australian pricing is yet to be confirmed but in Korea, Palisade prices have jumped by up to 15 per cent. If we apply that same increase to the flagship Calligraphy model ($81,719) today, it’s possible a new AWD hybrid could be pushing $95,000 before on-road costs.

In 2025, no other car company in Australia will offer quite the combination of body styles and powertrain choices for buyers seeking an SUV or crossover with three rows of seating as Hyundai.

This is our first offical glimpse at the new Hyundai Palisade.Leaked images shared by Autospy have given us a look at the next-generation large SUV, which is scheduled to arrive in showrooms next year as the bold Hyundai Santa Fe's big brother, as well as a Toyota Kluger, Nissan Pathfinder and Kia Sorento rival.Notwithstanding its move to a new platform that will accommodate hybrid power for the first time in the model’s history, it has been completely redesigned inside and out.Leaked images show a bold new front end, with a new rectangular front grille and thick, vertically-striped LED headlights.The entire design appears larger and boxier than before, with sharper lines and bonnet creases giving it the feel of a super-sized American family SUV, such as the GMC Yukon Denali.So too does its brand new multi-spoke alloy wheels.Previous reports have suggested the Palisade could adopt a nine-seat configuration, suggesting that the dimensions will indeed be larger for 2025.A top-down image shows the option of dual sunroofs, as was offered on the previous generation, along with roof rails.Inside, the Palisade appears more opulent than before, with the cabin clad in brown leather upholstery and ambient lighting with metallic and wooden-look trims.The twin-screen setup for digital-driver’s displays and the multimedia touchscreen is integrated into the leather-clad dash, while physical buttons remain for climate controls.As has become standard on modern Hyundais, the gear shifter is situated on the steering column, freeing up space for a floating centre console, a cupholder and what looks to be a storage area for a mobile phone or wireless charging pad.From what engine the next-generation Palisade will source its power from is unclear at this stage, however, it is all but certain that the 3.8-litre naturally-aspirated V6 will be dropped from the range.Speculation suggests the Palisade will run with a 2.5-litre turbo-petrol engine, paired to a single electric motor for a hybrid version.Pricing is still well off, but the current Palisade starts at a list price of $66,800, before on-road costs.

Hyundai is set to go big with the new Palisade in terms of both design and production.

Hyundai’s next-generation Palisade large SUV has been spied testing again, this time we’ve been given a glimpse of the interior and it sure looks like it has nine seats.

The next generation of Hyundai Palisade three-row SUV is expected to debut in 2026. Ahead of that, 3D designer NYMammoth has created another set of renders based on the latest spy shots of the new large SUV testing. As before, the Palisade will be a monocoque large SUV though this time a plugless hybrid is all-but confirmed to replace the thirsty 3.8-litre V6 and previous-gen diesel currently available. Though tougher in looks, the new Palisade is unlikely to have anything to do with the new frame platform developed by Kia for the Tasman ute and its potential off-road wagon relative. It will still ride on a new platform, according to reports. The new render has a distinct Palisade relation in its boxy body proportions. The bonnet has a squarer profile while a little more width in the hips lends the new car extra road presence. Like its smaller Santa Fe relative, Hyundai’s Toyota Kluger and Nissan Pathfinder rival gets squared off wheel arches for a more futuristic appearance. Of course, we can’t ignore the huge grille. The Palisade has always featured unique and bold front masks and the latest attempt is no different. The imagined concept has a mass of black slats for cooling, snuggled down the left and right sides are LED lighting features for a distinct appearance. There are no images of the rear-end renders but imagine it will adopt some of the Santa Fe’s design language – expect a similar broad, tough look to the front. NYMammoth has also imagined the new interior with almost Ioniq 6-like details. The door cards and semi-circular handles, for example, while it gets a Land Rover Defender look-alike steering wheel. There was buzz about as-yet unseen Palisade as far back as the 2023 LA Auto Show. At the time, engine speculation suggested new, more efficient powertrains. As reported by Korean Car Blog, the Palisade is expected to get a 2.5-litre petrol-electric hybrid powertrain and a 200kW/331Nm turbo-petrol V6 from the US-market Santa Fe, offering cleaner and more powerful options than the existing 3.8-litre petrol V6 and iron block 2.2-litre turbo-diesel. An electric model is not expected. Instead, the forthcoming Ioniq 7 will do EV family shuttling duties at Hyundai. Whether the new Palisade will make it to Australia is unconfirmed. The vehicle has enjoyed reasonable success locally with around 2.5-3.0 per cent share of the mainstream large SUV market. Not offering fuel efficient powertrains like the Toyota Kluger has likely hurt its sales, though it’s the towing capable vehicles, such as the Ford Everest and Isuzu MU-X that currently dominate the segment. 

Hyundai confirmed its worst-kept secret - it’s toughening up and launching the XRT sub-brand in Australia.