The recently leaked images on the web were indeed real. The 2020 Hyundai Palisade previewed earlier this month is identical to the midsize SUV that the Korean automaker just unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
Earlier this year, the 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe replaced the former Santa Fe Sport with a design inspired by the KONA. This change in direction – and nomenclature – also meant the end of the Santa Fe XL, the three-row SUV that will be removed from the lineup at the end of 2019.
The 2020 Palisade, which replaces the Sante Fe XL, looks far more robust than its predecessor. In fact, the newcomer is not unlike the big SUVs marketed by General Motors, especially because of the massive C-pillar. The least we can say is that the Palisade is imposing in person.
Hyundai is changing its strategy to better address this already crowded segment of established competitors, like the Ford Explorer, the Dodge Durango, the Toyota Highlander, the Honda Pilot and even the Kia Sorento, to name a few.
Under the hood, the large utility is powered by a 291 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque Atkinson-cycle 3.8-liter V6. Like several Hyundai products unveiled in recent years, it comes with an eight-speed automatic transmission, which in this case, is responsible for routing all the power to its four-wheel drive configuration.
It’s also another application of the in-house all-wheel-drive called HTRAC, which now offers a Snow driving mode designed for harsh winter conditions. The usual driving modes are also back, like many vehicles in the Hyundai lineup.
Of course, the size of this behemoth enables designers to add a third row of seats which means the Palisade can accommodate up to eight passengers.
Hyundai Canada has not yet announced the pricing for the 2020 Palisade but has confirmed the arrival of the new model for early summer 2019.
