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-   -   Domesticated in a Hyundai Palisade | The Burgundy Barouche comes home | Ownership Review (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-drives-initial-ownership-reports/277761-domesticated-hyundai-palisade-burgundy-barouche-comes-home-ownership-review.html)

I would like to start this ownership thread by being thankful and grateful to the Almighty, and count my blessings for the chance and opportunity to experience and own some of my dream machines.

Dad's cardinal rule: No touching the car until I got a proper license after turning 18. He refused to teach me on his car. Said I had to go to a driving school. Period! No points for guessing, for my 18th birthday, I asked to be enrolled in a driving school. Being licensed to drive, I was allowed to drive short distances under his supervision. Back then, we lived in Mira Road(a suburb in Mumbai) and my driving boundaries were from home till a point just before hitting the Mira-Bhayander highway.

My dad upgraded his car to a Santro LS in 2001. Still in Engineering, I wasn't really allowed to take the car on my own. It had to be with dad around. No exceptions to that rule. A trip that I vividly recall was an impromptu drive to Mahableshwar with dad around Dec 2006. I called it a little sojourn with dad.


Bought my first car in June of 2011, a blue Hyundai i20 Magna (Diesel). Six fwd gears, Climate control AC, MID, a peppy 1.4L diesel made for good economy with decent power. What else could I ask for ? It was my daily drive and for the many fun road trips in and around Bombay. I found this book - "The Outlook: Guide to 52 weekend road trips from Bombay". As newly weds, new car - we had to tick off as many places as possible from travel guide book After moving to Pune in early 2013, Lonavala plans were made at the drop of a hat! My i20 continues to serve us faithfully, doing duty with my dad in B'lore.


Got an opportunity to go onsite in 2016. The go-to car for a new "transplants" is a Honda or Toyota. I went the Honda route and got a 2016 Accord EX with the Honda Sensing. Coming from an i20 to the Accord - What a thrill factor it was. The dual screens, the adaptive cruise control, big roomy cabin blah blah blah ! I had the Accord for about four and a half years clocking about 48xxx miles. Most of our initial road trips were done on the Accord. A nice sedate sedan dutifully crunched the miles, returning an amazing mileage with barely any maintenance costs.


Sometime around Feb'2019,we got a used 2011 VW Golf, because my wife wanted a compact car to start with. She wasn't comfortable with driving the Accord. Used it like a beater for about 6 months till I got the dreaded Check Engine light. Listed it on Craigslist and was sold the very next day.


Had that 3 year itch to get something else having sold the VW Golf. I was keen on a Certified Pre-owned X3, but every specimen I saw just left me disappointed. I felt the tech levels in my 2016 Accord were better than those in the X3. A chance visit to a Benz showroom, and we found this little unicorn that had just come in. It was a 2017 GLC300, loaded to the gills with Ventilated seats, HUD, Pano sunroof, heated steering, Burmester sound system, extendable under thigh support etc. with only 8000 miles on it. I couldn't let it go. Driving the GLC changed my perspective of the Germans. The seats were plush. Ultra quiet cabin. Afterall, its a 3 pointed star. I could clearly differentiate between the Accord's 180 hp engine to the 250hp GLCs.




Then come 2021, and the car of my Dreams enters our life aka the BMW M340i. This was hoots to drive, and my first ownership thread on this forum as well. Adieu Accord, Hallo Blauer Pfeil. It was mine for about 16 months clocking about 15xxx miles, before parting ways.


Circa 2024, with life coming a full circle and starting the next phase as parents to twins, we needed something bigger, especially with visiting family and stuff. Funny, I mention about life coming a full circle, with my first car being a Hyundai i20 (diesel) way back in 2011.
The twin stroller took up the entire trunk space (in the GLC300) leaving barely anything for groceries or the baby bags. The infant car seats meant, no one else could sit in the rear. Priorities switched, time to wear the practical hat and let the brains rule. We had to get something bigger than the GLC300.


I've broken out the thread into:

1. Cars Evaluated.
2. Palisade, it is!
3. Dealer experience and Delivery
4. Initial Driving Impressions
5. Final Thoughts

In typical Team-BHP style, first the likes and quirks, followed by the saga :)

Likes

1. Styling. I personally love the floating roof effect.
2. S P A C E ... Loads of space.
3. Usable third row. Albeit with a compromised trunk space. But this is more of a city tourer if used as a 3 row SUV.
4. Very comfortable driver's seat with massage function and under thigh support (available on the Calligraphy trim).
5. Heated and Ventilated Front and second row seats, Third row has heated seats.
6. Love the Digital IRVM (on the Calligraphy trim).
7. Electrically controlled third row seats.
8. Ample cubby holes and USB C ports.
9. Captain seats in the second row making it easier for the third row to get in and a little extra leg room.
10. Good quality switches.
11. Clear and bright HUD.
12. Smart Park* (there is a catch to this, will detail it out).
13. Plush interiors, soft touch leather wrapped dashboard, Leather seats and suede headliners makes for a very inviting cabin. Giving off a premium feel.
14. Commanding driving position.
15. Good all round visibility.
16. High resolution cameras with 360 degree views
17. 20" tires make for a comfortable ride.
18. Range Rover-esq rims on the Calligraphy trim. I love them.
19. Intuitive App.

2.Quirks

Being the flagship product, and at this price point, I feel here are a few misses, and should have been optional / standard on the higher trim levels.

1. Wireless Android Auto / Carplay. Even the cheaper Kona has wireless.
2. Power Foldable mirrors (should have been standard on higher trims).
3. Power adjustable steering (should have been standard on higher trims).
4. Extendable under thigh support should have been standard for the passenger seats as well (make it available on the higher trim levels).
5. Panoramic sunroof. It's cousin, the Telluride comes with one.
6. No cabin lights for the third row or trunk lighting.
7. Single USB port that controls either a wired Airplay or USB (for media).
8. Auto high beams have to be turned on each time the car is started. No "Leave on & forget" switch.
9. The HK system is Blah!
10. Lane follow assist has to be turned on each time the car is turned on. Not linked with the ACC. It should have been always "ON" with an option to turn it Off.
11. Road / tyre noise is on the higher side. (The GLC has spoilt me. Its set the bar very high. Maybe I am being a little unfair here).
12. Its strictly a Point A to Point B family hauler.

Cars Evaluated.

We quickly realized a bigger vehicle was the need of the hour. The dealership where we got the GLC from, had this exquisitely maintained Certified Pre Owned 2021 GLE 580, with barely 16xxx miles on it. Back then, the heart still ruled over the brains. I felt like a boy in a toy store.


Lets just say, the stars weren't aligned on that one.


A chance conversation on the T-BHP Rust Belt chat group led me to consider the X7. I wanted to go the CPO route and started searching around for MY 21 and 22 CPOs. Now that the X7 was in the mix, why leave a GLS behind.

A non negotiable feature was the adaptive cruise control (Driver assistance pro in the BMW and the Distronic+ in the Benz). Most of the vehicles (X7s and GLS') filtered didn't have them :unhappy.

Some of the other wheels considered:

• Tesla Model Y: Basically just a slight advantage on storage space with the frunk. Retaining my GLC felt like a more practical proposition as compared to the Model Y. Rightly said, everything centers around the giant screen. I personally like the lights, buttons, switches etc., and this had nothing to entice me!
  
  
• Lexus TX: Very stylish, modern and tempting. Brand new kid on the block. As you start adding options and features the price goes $ to $$ to $$$. Just didn't make sense at that point.
  
  
• Toyota Grand Highlander: An improved version of the Highlander. The quality of the interiors, packages were a let down. Felt very plasticky and dated.
  
  
• Subaru Ascent: I love the Outback and thought the Ascent would be a step up. But again, let down with the quality, fit and finish. Access to the third row was a tight squeeze and wasn't very practical either.
  
  
• Land Rover Discovery: I love the stance of the Land Rover Discovery (I guess I'm drawn to the floating roof styling). All the prospects found had too many miles on them, besides their reliability is iffy. Besides more of them had the 2L motor. For a vehicle of that size, it felt very sluggish as well.
  
  
• Volvo XC90: I was surprised by how cramped the cabin is, for it to be called a three row SUV. It's probably the smallest of the lot. The third row was too tight a squeeze with the non existent trunk space. Though the 2L turbo was fun, it missed out on the big picture objective.
  
  
• Audi Q7: Again, I was looking for a CPO with either the 2L or the 3L motors. I did td a '21 Q7 55 Premium. It didn't generate any excitement or interest. Their tail lights have some interesting animations but do I really want to own one - Probably not now.
  
  
• KIA Telluride: For all practicality, it is the same vehicle under the skin. I preferred the styling of the Palisade over the Telluride. Trim for trim, feature for feature comparison, the Telluride has a manual folding third row vis-a-vis the electric ones on the Pali, and the quality of materials used (for the interior) felt inferior. The side profile of Palisade looked classier than the Telluride. Price was almost the same. It boiled down to my personal preference.
  
  
• Minivans (Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna): I guess I had a mental block towards them and ruled them out. As practical as they are, I was just not ready to go down that path.
  

The local BMW dealer had a '21 X7 M50i that was a sweet deal, but had too many miles on it. Besides, it was shod with Performance Tires. Meaning I would have had to either invest in winter or all season tires. Another expense - Phew!

Big shout out to @Jeevandeepan-(Jeeva), for taking time out to td an X7 in the NJ area. His thorough inspection led to one line - Walk away. The price was right, but too many niggles. Likewise @Landcruiser123-(Lalith), for taking time out to td another X7 in the Chicago area. The car had everything I wanted but way above the KBB.

Gratitude to @vj123-(Vibin) and Mpower-(Deep), for helping with the sifting through and shortlisting through multiple dealer inventories, along with his technical inputs.


Some that I missed:

• VW Atlas
• Honda Pilot
• Acura MDX
• Ford Explorer

Palisade, is it!

Comparisons and evaluations done, the decision was pretty much made - Palisade it is!

I did look through various YouTube reviews and began comparing the trim levels. Initially, the Limited trim made more sense, having ticked off all the features I wanted/needed.

Rationale behind the Palisade (LX2 - wonder if there was an LX1?).

For starters, Hyundai has come a long way in terms of their quality, styling, technology offered and overall VFM. This is evident in their product line-up and pricing.

Besides, the name - "Palisade" has a nice little ring to it, giving the impression of something luxurious.

What got it going for us, over the competition:

• Driving position: I was impressed with the commanding position and view from the driver's seat. Fairly high with good visibility.
  
  
• Quality of materials: The seats, the material, quality of stitching felt very premium (for this price point). The stitching and materials on the dash too felt elegant.
  
  
• Engine: The 3.8L V6 NA (G6DN) generates a healthy 291hp / 262 lb-ft of torque. On the initial TDs, it didn't feel underpowered. Though not the quickest off the block, she pulled neatly over the famed hilly terrain of Pittsburgh roads. NA does feel old school, with everyone going the Turbo route, but it is like one less headache of a failure point/maintenance cost.
  
  
• Transmission: The wet DCT is designed for smoother shifting and maximizing mileage. I felt it was quick enough without any jerky motions while upshifting or downshifting. I did play around with the paddle shifters (TBH - I felt stupid trying to use them on a Palisade lol:).
  
  
• Heated and Ventilated seats: The second row captain's chairs have heated and ventilated seats too. The third row has heated seats with power recline! That was a first for me, for this segment. What a boon the heated and ventilated seats are, both on a cold or hot day.
  
  
• Cabin space: The cabin does feel very roomy and airy. Comfortable ingress and egress. The space between the second row captain seats is sufficient for the passenger to walk through to the third row. That space doubles up as additional legroom for the third row passengers as well.
  

Dealership experience and Delivery

.

For narrative purpose, lets refer to the Dealerships as A, B and C. A being the furthest from home, B was the closest and C was a neutral one, from where we eventually got the vehicle.

On some errand close to Dealership A, I clubbed my errand with a TD. The LTD trim sort of sufficed my wants and was shown a Burgundy one on their lot. Loved the color. But their quote was on the higher side. The SA and his manager sort of put me off with their attitude. That's when I got to know that Hyundai randomly adds certain accessories (like cross rails, privacy cover, first aid kit - Yes! First aid kit is an optional accessory, wheel locks, cargo net) to each vehicle. The one I liked didn't have the privacy cover. Dealer A didn't want to install it either. Decided to leave. Just as I was leaving, the SA gave me some gobbledygook on Hyundai's plants going in for some major maintenance that would impact new Palisade inventories - blah blah blah. Untrue!

Reached out to Dealership B; this is the closest to my home. Very welcoming and non persuasive. They better-ed the quote on the LTD trim and dropped the price on the Calligraphy as well, but didn't have the burgundy in stock. They had a grey Calligraphy and a white LTD trims in stock. Got to compare both trims side by side, and the scale tilted in favor of the Calligraphy. Dealership was near closing time and we agreed to touch base the following day. A day or two later, the SA called stating that Hyundai had increased a rebate / discount and they were able to further lower the cost, but no Burgundy!


Switching gears - going into some of the little and not so little "Calligraphy" specific features over the LTD trim.

Significant upgrades.

• Smart Park: Nifty feature to have considering how wide the doors are. I find it useful in a scenario where in we might need to load / unload the infant car seats. Doing it with a half closed / open door is quite a challenge, assuming the car is boxed in tight spot. There is just not enough space to take out the car seat. The feature basically just straightens the steering and drives forward or reverse (without acceleration - I'll touch base on this in the next section)
  
  
• Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist - Reverse: Rear cross traffic alert with pedestrian crossing feature. Funny, it isn't a standard safety feature across all trim levels or even the LTD trim.
  
  
• Massage Seats (Driver only): Pelvic, back or whole body massage function with three strength settings. I wish it were available for the passenger seat as well. I guess after the initial novelty effect wears off, I might not even turn it on. It feels relaxing in the low and moderate settings, but nothing compared to a proper massage chair. I'm yet to try it on a long drive, though.
  
  
• Digital Rear view mirror: This is particularly useful. Primary objective is to have an unobstructed rear view in the event your cargo or passenger's heads impede vision. I tried it at night as well and was impressed with the illumination of the roads in pitch dark conditions. During the day, there wasn't too much of a difference, but you get that clean view of the rear, rather than trying to adjust the mirror for max coverage through the rear windscreen that has the headrests popping in on the sides - lol:
  
  
• Wheel Design: The Range Rover-esq wheels makes it look oh-so classy compared to the other rim designs.

The little nuances

• Vertical Tail light strips: Vertical light projections over the little chrome plate (adjacent to the tail lights) makes for an aesthetic touch.
  
  
• Nappa Leather Seats, Suede Headliner and the two toned leather wrapped steering wheel: Again, very aesthetic and classy feel.
  
  
• Door Trims and Speaker Cover: The door trims have this pine strip design running through making for a nice touche d'élégance. The speakers covers get a neat little chrome covering. Wonder why this treatment wasn't carried over to the rear speakers as well?
  
  
• Touch screen AC Controls.
  
  
• Winged Headrests for Second Row seats.
  
  
• Side Mirror Approach Lights: aka Puddle lights.
  
  
• Classy looking HMSL: The Calligraphy comes with a very classy looking HMSL strip.
  
  
• Door Sils: I would have loved, if they were illuminated.
  
  
• Body Colored lower Bumpers: Looks better than the two toned one with the brushed aluminum look.
  

Checked out Dealer C's inventory and saw they had a Burgundy Calligraphy listed as - in transit. Called the SA for details, and he asked if I had a previous quote that they could match or better (if possible). I had!

A few days later, the SA called, stating that the car was at their lot and had the "factory fitted" accessories I wanted - The Privacy guard, the cargo net, wheel locks and the first aid kit. It didn't have the Cross Rails, but I could live with it. Better yet, sweetened the deal by dropping the price a tad bit - for the Calligraphy. I had mudguards (Yes! They don't come as standard equipment) installed by the dealer.

Did a quick PDI - compared the VIN, tires, vehicle mileage and a quick visual inspection. Everything in order, finished the paperwork.


Paper work done, the manager and SA agreed to deliver the vehicle on the day requested - it was 3 months to the day the kids were born (little fun things to do before the kids turn one). Leap year - Feb 29.

... And the Burgundy Barouche comes home ...

Initial Driving Impressions.

Time to let the visuals take over.

Styling

The MY 2023 refresh looks much better than the previous version. The rectangle grill and the Cadillac inspired sabretooth like styling of the DRLs, gives it a commanding stance. Vertical headlights complete the look. The indicators merge into the grill, which is pretty neat.


Blacked out B pillar and body colored wheel arch gives it a nice touch, along with the minimal chrome. Side profile is clean without too many confusing lines. I've said this earlier, I just love the floating roof effect and the Burgundy. Makes it look a lot bigger / longer than it actually is. Other than that, there isn't too much on the outside.


Notice the tiny little detailing around the chrome strip adjacent to the tail light.


The Calligraphy comes with a neat looking HMSL strip. Tucked in, under that is the rear view camera.


Driving

My initial driving impressions are based on the last 3 weeks of owning the Pali. I've driven it for about 300 odd miles now.

Thankfully, it doesn't suffer from the dreaded yo-yo effect and the excessive body roll. Though not as tight and engaging as the GLC300, it does a neat job around corners and bends.

Took the Pali to flex its legs on some twisty empty back roads, and she handled pretty well for her size and weight, albeit a little understeer on some very tight - sharp corners. I guess I was pushing it too far (or maybe I was still wearing my GLC300 hat).

Interestingly, the side bolsters activated (and I wasn't in Sports mode) on those turns and speeds, pinning me in. Reminded me of good friend and fellow Team-BHPian's (@rohittunga aka Rohit) beautiful M5 (E60). I am not sure if this a trim specific feature or standard across all models.

In sport mode, the bolsters tighten by default, giving you the pseudo race feeling.

Though I have the AWD, the Pali is essentially a FWD biased SUV. Better for space management and fuel economy. There is an option to turn on the AWD. The Snow mode turns on the AWD by default. Makes sense to me. We definitely do not need the AWD kicked in at all times.

The sensors were smart enough to detect wet roads and activated the AWD, which I got to know by the power distribution graphic on the dash. Nice little nifty alerts and notifications! It'll tell you when you are in a School zone, road conditions, the Highway Driving Assist (HDA) turns on at speeds above 60mph. Again, I am not to sure between the regular Adaptive cruise control + lane follow and the HDA. Probably gimmicky. At least the car tells you it's doing something - hehe.

Driving Modes

Touch screen AC controls, Drive mode knob and the Heated / Ventilated seats Controls on the centre console.


Modes offered are:

• Sport: No points for guessing - stiffens the steering, activates/tightens the bolsters, changes the color of the dials to a RED - And makes you think your Palisade has suddenly transformed by the engineers from Maranello rl:
  
  
  Oh my! The guys from Maranello just loaned some horses.
  
  
  
  
  
• Snow: Keeps the vehicle in all time AWD mode.
  
  
• Comfort: One of those relaxing modes. Does nothing.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• ECO: Makes for a sluggish drive. I'll check if this mode actually improves mileage on a highway drive. I haven't noticed any difference in drive characteristics or mileage between Comfort and Eco modes.
  
  
• Smart: "The Smart mode learns my driving style and adopts", is what the SA told me. I'm sure Hyundai is not incorporating AI in a Pali. All gobbledygook. But I have been driving in the "SMART" mode, hoping some of its smartness transfers to the driver.
  
  
  Supposed to be from the futuristic mode
  

Interiors

Here is where the Pali aces the competition. Nappa Leather seats, Suede finished headliner, the pine stripped door trims etc.

Soft leather, pine striped door trim and the Chrome speaker cover. Controls are well laid out and buttons have the premium touch.


Ambient Lighting on the doors, front console. I would have loved it if the strip were extended till the third row.



The rear windows get the manual shades. Cuts out the sunlight to quite an extent, without impeding sight Good for the kiddos in the rear seats.


Default View of the infotainment unit. Not a big fan of the Black + Purple theme. Wish it were configurable with different themes (Hyundai - Are you listening?)



Plenty of storage options and cubby holes. This one is below the center console with usb ports.

Heads Up Display

Can be configured to display:

• Vehicle Speed.
  
• Cruise Control speed.
  
• Route Guidance with turn by turn indication.
  
• Media (albeit it will display once only on user input).
  
• Various Traffic warnings.
  
• Surrounding vehicle alert.

Quirks

• No Ipod Support: I know, I know ... iPod ... Seriously ... who uses one in times of streaming music of choice. As stupid as it may sound, I'm sentimental about my 6th Gen iPod nano, besides my fav songs are on it. Alas! It's not compatible.
  
• Very dim internal lights and no lights over the third row: Why would Hyundai omit a dome light for the third Row???
  
• The HK sound system is BLAH! Coming from the Burmester (in the GLC300), this sounds crap.
  
• Trunk Space (with the third row seats in use): Trunk space is tight with the third row up. There are few cubby holes in and around but tiny. It isn't a practical vacation vehicle if I need to have both the third row seats in use. Thankfully, its got a 60:40 split.
  
• Auto High beam has to be turned on each time. It is not a set and forget function. :Frustrati
  
• Lane Watch assist needs to be turned on each separately. I would have loved if it were part of the ACC function. The lane watch is default.
  
• Wireless Carplay: Come on guys, this is a standard feature on entry level models with the competition including the very own Kona! I did read some article about licensing issues when the screen is over a particular size. Apparently, the Pali comes with wireless carplay / android auto on models that don't have navigation. Clueless about the logic, I am.
  
• Power Folding mirrors: A miss from guys in Seoul. If not standard, should have been offered on higher trim levels.
  
• Door Safety Reflector: It is just a reflector on the front doors only. Should have been a proper red light on all doors.
  
  
  

Surround traffic alert graphic is a joke. For all the tech and animations, vehicles depicted in and around are shown as "Blocks" - Yes, just an opaque block.



Remote Smart Parking Assist aka Smart Park

Before getting delivery, I had this little imagination where in, I would drive home, get off the car on the drive-way and use the smart park for the car to self drive and park! The first thing I checked when the car came - and guess what - It didn't work. The minute I'd press the forward or reverse button, it would shut off the engine. :disappointed

Googled around and found an article that said, if the gradient was over a certain degree, the Smart Park would not work. Its designed to just about crawl with minimum engine input. If the gradient is higher than a certain degree warranting additional engine input - it will shut down. Interesting safety feature - but I wish I knew about this.

Good thing is, it at-least works while taking the car out of my garage and on flat surfaces.

Final Thoughts

.

I intend to keep the Palisade and chronicle my journey through various events and milestones.

Penning this review after nearly a month of owning the Pali, I'd say it is a Value for money family hauler. Hyundai has come a long way in terms of their build quality, tech offered and product line up as a whole. I am now beginning to find my sweet, comfortable driving position, mirror positions, my audio presets and a little muscle memory around the various controls and settings.

I have been spoilt rotten by the M340i and the GLC300, but its time to get domesticated (with this new phase of life and priorities!).




The Pali is a paradigm shift from the previous vehicles in terms of handling and power of the M340i and the luxury & plushness of the GLC300, and I acknowledge I am unfair to compare them.


Again, Big thank you to my Wife - for always being supportive (although she got fed up with the test drives and me watching all YouTube reviews rl: ) with all purchases. Making our life complete - Our two little Angels!

Friends (who are more like an extended family now) from the Team-BHP community for always being around to advice, help and guide.

If you have made it this far - Drop a like ---- Just kidding :D. Thank you for taking time to read through. Hope this is useful for anyone considering the Pali.

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Reviews section. Thanks for sharing!

Going to our homepage tomorrow :thumbs up

Big fan of the Hyundai Palisade & Kia Telluride. These showcase the ambitions of the South-Korean brands, as well as their capability. The two SUVs have garnered quite a loyal following.

Congrats on your new ride again and this is a comprehensive review.

Wishing you miles of happiness and tons of memories with the Palisade & the little ones!

First of all congratulations on the twins. I am sure you are going to create tons of memories in Burgundy Barouche.
Hyundai and Kia have finally shed their image of being not reliable in American market with two of their gem of products.
I had looked hard at Palisade before I decided to go over to the Tesla world.
Burn those mile my friend

Congratulations Nikhil on the new ride. I am sure you would have liked to own another Merc or the Beemer. But yes, family comes first and you have gone with one of the best 3 row SUV's in the US. Wising you lot of happy s(miles) with the new car and best wishes from my family to yours :) Have fun :loveit

Congratulations on your wonderful Palisade.

On a family visit to US last year since we were a big group I was entrusted to drive my brother in law's Palisade and what a lovely vehicle to drive within city as well as on the highway. Even in tight parking in New York city basement parking, it was very easy to park. There was a comic situation on my first drive- I saw the passengers have vanished from the inside rear view mirror! rl: then realized its the camera view

The features on offer are absolutely endless and the fit and finish is all premium.

I was happy with the cable connected Android Auto for google maps but the wireless one was still not as responsive as the BMW system, which I feel is the best.

Congratulations on your new ride!! It's a beautiful car. I am in the same boat as you were in, and the timing is perfect. The palisade looks pristine. I remember seeing it for the first time and was gobsmacked by its looks. By far the best-looking mid-size SUV with all the creature comforts you could ask for.

My only grouse with the Palisade is the way it handles. A great family hauler no doubt, but I felt the handling wasn't inspiring. Surprisingly, the Telluride felt better placed on corners. Looks like Kia uses a slightly stiffer suspension setup in comparison.

I drive a Mazda CX-9, a car that I adore. The best handling SUV by a large margin. The CX-90 is much improved, but for some reason, it doesn't appeal to me as such. At the moment, I'm playing the waiting game to find the right X7. Searching for 2023 LCI models, with less than 20k on odo.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on Palisade's cornering ability.

Super, congratulations on the new ride @nikhilarni.

Palisade is the perfect chariot for the family. And I love the color too :)

Wish you many memorable miles on your newest journey (fatherhood).

Hi Vibin,
Thank you very much, and thank you for helping with your inputs during the shortlisting process. Hopefully the next TOD in a Pali with diaper changing and feeding breaks lol:


Hi fast_n_curious,

Thank you and thank you. True, the Hyundais and Kias are coming of age with the tech and VFM they offer. The Pali felt more premium than other cars in the similar price point, and offered much more tech.

Congratulations on your Model Y. We were 90% in for a Y, but needed that extra space.


Hi Sunay,

Thank you and thank you for all the wishes. The Pali was a brains over heart decision lol:. You need to return quickly now.


Hi Haroon,
Thanks for the kind words. It does have a tight turning radius making it easy to park and navigate tight spaces.

Hilarious incident. At times I have the same feeling - something missing in the rear view. Guess we are accustomed at using the frame of back-glass for reference.
The other day, someone pulled up very close to me and threw off my judgement on how close they actually were, till I switched back to the mirror view



Hi RSM_TorqueZoner,

Thanks for the kind words.
1. The Pali and Telu have the same setup and ride is the same. Both have a "pseudo" offroad variant that has a slightly stiffer suspension setup.

2. The Pali is not going to handle like a Beemer. It feels grounded on the curves and doesn't feel bouncy (floating effect)

3. Good luck with the X7 (beautiful SUV). I was looking for the pre-facelift MY21 or 22 models with the Driver Assistance pro and either Premium or exec packages, under 35xxx miles. Didn't really find anything and time was running out.

4. Just for kicks, I threw the Pali around some sharp corners (backroads near my house), and noticed is a little understeer. I don't think I would ever drive it that way.

But for the regular/sedate driving - It does just fine. No complains for a vehicle this size. Good sharp turning radius as well.


Thanks Landcruiser123 aka Lalith.

The Burgundy makes it look classy. Appreciate all the inputs you gave and taking time out to TD that X7.

Thank you for the kind wishes too.