I just finished my stint in Autoblog‘s long-term 2021 Hyundai Palisade and while I did not spend nearly as much time behind the wheel as I’d have liked, my month spent with the keys left me even more impressed with Hyundai’s big three-row than I was before.
My qualms with the Palisade are few and far between. I still find the adaptive cruise control to be a bit too timid for my tastes, and I often wish it had more torque or a more responsive transmission (or both), but as a total package, it’s a very competent, sure-footed family hauler. And as for all of the adulation rained upon its platform mate, the Kia Telluride? Well, I have a confession to make. I actually think the Palisade is a better buy.
Strictly speaking, it is a slightly better value. They’re are nearly identical mechanically and even share my above criticisms. Their interior size and seating layouts are basically the same, too. Load both up, however, and the Palisade is nearly a thousand bucks cheaper. It also comes with a killer feature that the Telluride lacks: a push-button, power-folding third row. Allow Green Editor John Snyder to demonstrate:
@autoblog “Speedy” seats in the 2021 Hyundai Palisade ##autoblog ##palisade ##hyundai ##cars ##carsoftiktok
But you know what the best feature of the Hyundai Palisade is? You can buy one. Like, today, and probably even at sticker. Yes, thanks to the chip shortage, new-car pricing is pretty nutty all around, but Palisades prices are much less ridiculous than what you might see for the equivalent Telluride. West Coast Editor James Riswick reported that a friend in Los Angeles was quoted a price of $12,000 over sticker for the Palisade’s ultra-popular Kia sibling.
So, is it worth that markup (or even one that’s less crazy) to get the Telluride’s more SUV-like exterior aesthetic? If I haven’t convinced you, maybe this will: Snyder liked those seats (and probably some of the other stuff) so much that he actually ordered a Palisade.