Hyundai’s New Palisade SUV Is What The VW Atlas Should Have Been

Remember 2017? That’s when VW put its mid-size Atlas SUV into production, after its official unveiling at the LA Auto Show the prior year. It was also the year in which the German automaker had supposedly figured out the recipe to having strong SUV sales in the U.S.

Yet, throughout 2017 as well as the first two quarters of 2018, the Atlas couldn’t even come close to being middle of the pack as far as overall sales were concerned. Now, it’s not that we have a crystal ball or anything, but we doubt Hyundai’s new Palisade will struggle the same way.

The reason for that is simply the fact that Hyundai ticked all the necessary boxes with its new flagship SUV. Compared to something like the Atlas, the Palisade is more stylish, more modern and has a higher-quality interior, or at least perceived quality – which can be equally important. It has the looks and the tech (on paper), to hang with the segment’s best, and as long as it’s going to be competitively priced, we have no reason to doubt its success.

What’s there to like?

While we can always debate things like exterior styling or interior design, there’s no denying the fact that Hyundai stuffed the Palisade full of modern-day safety and convenience features. Here’s a list: Forward-Collision Avoidance Assist with Pedestrian Detection, Blind Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist, Lane Following Assist, Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Avoidance Assist, Safe Exit Assist, High Beam Assist, Driver Attention Warning and Smart Cruise Control with Stop and Go. You even get seven airbags as standard and an optional safety feature dubbed Rear Occupant Alert.

The cabin holds premium quilted Nappa leather, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 10.25-inch infotainment screen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Heads-up Display, Qi wireless charging pad and an Infinity audio system with Clari-Fi and QuantumLogic Surround Sound technology.

As for what makes it go, that would be a 3.8-liter V6 unit, producing 291 HP and 262 lb-ft (355 Nm) of torque, feeding the wheels with the help of an 8-speed automatic transmission.

But what do you guys think? Would you rather have the Palisade, or a segment stalwart like the Ford Explorer, Toyota Highlander or the Honda Pilot?