The 2025 Hyundai Palisade is making a strong statement in the three-row SUV market, redefining expectations with its luxurious appointments and upscale design, especially in higher trims like the Calligraphy, offering a premium feel that rivals more expensive vehicles and making it an excellent choice for families and individuals planning their next great road trip.
While the Palisade carries over mostly unchanged for 2025 after a significant refresh in 2023 and the introduction of the sleek Calligraphy Night Edition for 2024, its foundational strengths remain highly relevant. We will delve into its performance capabilities, advanced safety systems, interior comfort, and technological offerings, all crucial factors for any long journey. Our aim is to provide an objective, detailed evaluation, emphasizing real-world usability and value for the consumer.
In the competitive landscape of three-row SUVs, where it faces rivals such as the Kia Telluride, Subaru Ascent, and Toyota Grand Highlander, the Palisade distinguishes itself with a compelling blend of features and refinement. For those considering a vehicle that excels in comfort, safety, and technology over long distances, the 2025 Hyundai Palisade presents a strong case, offering a near-luxury experience without the exorbitant price tag typically associated with it.
1. **Sophisticated Design and Near-Luxury Ambiance**
The 2025 Hyundai Palisade, with its “Malibu-adjacent name,” consistently positions itself as the most upscale model within the Hyundai lineup. It actively “challenges traditional thinking about what it means to be a luxury car,” providing an experience that often blurs the lines between mainstream and premium vehicles. This inherent sophistication is evident from the moment one approaches the vehicle, hinting at the refined experience within.
Inside, the Palisade truly shines, especially in its range-topping Calligraphy trim, which is “stuffed with near-luxury amenities, and some downright swanky materials.” The attention to detail in material selection and finish contributes significantly to the vehicle’s upscale ambiance. From Nappa leather seats to soft-touch surfaces on “all of the high-touch areas,” the cabin design elevates the driving and riding experience, making long journeys considerably more enjoyable and less fatiguing.
This SUV truly impresses with its high-end materials and design, providing an experience that feels significantly more luxurious than its price tag suggests, a fact echoed by reviewers who note, “the Palisade falls just short of true luxury, but it gives a good enough impression of a much pricier vehicle that you probably won’t care what badge is on the grille,” and with many guests commenting, “The interior is a nice place to be. We almost always get comments from friends and acquaintances who have not been in it before.”
2. **Spacious and Adaptable Interior Comfort**
When it comes to long journeys, the Hyundai Palisade’s spacious cabin shines as “one of the larger interiors within the three-row SUV segment,” providing ample room for everyone to relax and stretch out, which is absolutely crucial for keeping passengers comfortable and minimizing fatigue during those extensive hours spent on the road.
Specifically, the second-row legroom is “abundant,” a feature highly appreciated by adult passengers who might feel cramped in lesser vehicles. The seating configurations further enhance this adaptability, with the base SE trim offering eight seats via a standard second-row bench. The SEL trim provides flexibility with either seven or eight seats, while higher trims transition to a seven-seat setup with captain’s chairs in the second row, offering a more individualized and comfortable experience for those key passengers.
Despite some common segment criticisms about third-row space, the Palisade manages to provide a respectable experience. One test-driver noted, “I had my 6-foot-tall companion sit in every row; naturally, he found the first two the most spacious. Still, with the second row in its standard position, he felt comfortable sitting in the rearmost row during a short trip.” This suggests that while it might be “a bit cramped” for adults on very long hauls, it is generally suitable for most family road trip scenarios, particularly for children or shorter adults. The seats themselves are consistently described as “very comfortable,” further enhancing the appeal for extended travel.
3. **Powerful and Smooth Driving Dynamics**
Under the hood, every 2025 Hyundai Palisade is equipped with a robust “3.8-liter V-6 engine developing 291 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque.” This powertrain is coupled with an “eight-speed automatic transmission” as standard across the entire model range. This combination ensures ample power for highway merging, passing maneuvers, and maintaining speed, even when the vehicle is fully loaded with passengers and cargo, a common scenario on road trips.
The Palisade’s “ride and handling balance aided its win in our seven-way three-row SUV comparison test,” indicating its superior on-road manners. Reviewers consistently praise its smooth operation, noting that the “engine is smooth and quiet.” This quietness extends to the cabin, with one owner highlighting, “It’s so quiet on the highway, quieter than the 2018 Toyota Highlander I traded in.” A serene cabin environment is paramount for reducing driver stress and passenger fatigue on long drives, allowing for easier conversation or enjoyment of the audio system.
Performance-wise, the Palisade is responsive, with an “eight-speed automatic transmission [that] is very smooth and predictable.” When tested, a Palisade Calligraphy with AWD accelerated from “0 to 60 mph in 6.9 seconds,” which is a respectable figure for a vehicle of its size. The steering is described as “predictable, not too heavy, not too light,” contributing to a confident driving experience. The ability to use “regular gasoline” for full horsepower is an additional practical benefit for cost-conscious travelers.
4. **Comprehensive Safety and Driver-Assist Systems**
Prioritizing safety for road trips, the 2025 Hyundai Palisade is equipped with an impressive suite of protective features and driver assistance technologies, building on the success of the 2024 model which earned the IIHS’s “Top Safety Pick” award and a perfect five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA, assuring peace of mind for all occupants.
Hyundai’s commitment to safety is further exemplified by its “SmartSense suite of active safety and driver assist tech,” which comes standard on every 2025 Palisade. This comprehensive suite includes essential features such as “automatic high-beams, front and rear automatic emergency braking, intersection collision mitigation, side cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, and lane keep assist.” These systems work in concert to actively prevent accidents and mitigate their severity, offering an extra layer of vigilance that is invaluable during long hours on varied roads.
Adaptive cruise control is also standard, which significantly reduces driver fatigue on monotonous highway stretches. Moving up the trim levels, Hyundai enhances the safety package with “emergency evasive steering assist,” a “camera-based blind-spot monitoring system,” and “enhanced adaptive cruise control.” A specific highlight mentioned by an owner is the “Blind Spot View,” a camera system that displays a view of the blind spot on the dash, allowing drivers to “keep your focus on the dash, Heads Up Display and road ahead, have a better view without turning your head,” a truly innovative and useful feature for merging safely.
One owner, detailing their experience with safety features, appreciated the “Emergency Steering” assist, which activated when another vehicle unexpectedly entered their path. They also noted the effectiveness of the “Steering Assist and Cruise control on” for highway driving, enabling the vehicle to “almost drive itself on the highway,” which can significantly ease the burden of long-distance travel.
5. **State-of-the-Art Infotainment and Connectivity**
Modern road trips demand seamless connectivity and intuitive infotainment, and the 2025 Hyundai Palisade delivers with a standard “12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen” that’s not only “easy to read” but also “very responsive to inputs,” ensuring that navigation and entertainment are always just a touch away and remarkably user-friendly even while navigating busy highways.
Seamless smartphone integration is a given, with “Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility” standard across the lineup. This allows drivers and passengers to access their preferred navigation apps, music, and communication tools directly through the car’s interface. Beyond basic integration, the Palisade offers “dual Bluetooth connectivity” and “Wi-Fi hot spot capability,” transforming the vehicle into a mobile office or entertainment lounge, crucial for keeping everyone connected and entertained during long stretches.
To keep devices charged and ready for use, the Palisade thoughtfully provides “three front-row USB ports, and dual second-row ports,” with “third-row USB ports” available on higher trims. This ensures that every passenger, regardless of their seating position, has access to charging, preventing arguments over limited power outlets. While lower trims feature a standard 4.2-inch display in the instrument cluster, higher trims upgrade to a “fully digital 12.3-inch screen,” offering a modern and customizable driver information interface that complements the central touchscreen beautifully.
6. **Premium Comfort and Convenience Features**
Beyond basic functionality, the 2025 Hyundai Palisade elevates the road trip experience with a suite of premium comfort and convenience features designed to pamper occupants. One of the most talked-about amenities, particularly in the Calligraphy trim, is the “massaging driver’s seat with automatic ergonomic support.” This feature can be a game-changer on long drives, helping to alleviate driver fatigue and maintain alertness by providing active comfort and support.
Keeping everyone comfortable in any climate, the Palisade boasts an effective climate control system, with “a/c keeps the inside cool for everyone” even in scorching Texas heat, while “heated and reclining seats” offer customizable comfort, and for those in the back, the “second-row pull-up window shades” provide essential relief from the sun and welcome privacy.
Enhancing the journey further, the available “12-speaker Harman Kardon audio system” transforms the cabin into an immersive sound experience, complemented by practical “cup holders throughout the cabin” and door pockets, though it’s worth noting that “door pockets of both models are narrow” compared to some competitors, but the overall comfort and thoughtful design make long trips a pleasure.
