The 2020 Hyundai Palisade Will Come To MENA By Summer 2019

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Hyundai confirmed the 2020 Palisade flagship SUV will go on sale in select markets in the Middle East and Africa in summer 2019.

Hyundai’s new premium three-row SUV, the Palisade, was unveiled at the Los Angeles Motor Show 2018. It will go on sale in certain African and Middle Eastern markets by the summer of 2019.

What’s the Palisade?

In simple terms, Hyundai wants a piece of the luxury SUV pie. The Palisade is a direct rival to the likes of Chevrolet Traverse, Honda Pilot, and Subaru Ascent. Indeed, it begins by offering more legroom than any other SUV in its class, even for third-row passengers. With a lengthened wheelbase, the Korean premium SUV also gobbles up generous amounts of cargo.

Hyundai has named the SUV after the Pacific Palisades, an upscale neighbourhood in California. This is an attempt by the company to attract “parents with growing families and active lifestyles,” in its own words. I am not sure how far the tactic will work, but the car itself seems well-appointed from appearances.

How luxurious is it?

Let us start with the most ignored passengers in a three-row SUV: the ones in the third row. Hyundai has bestowed last-row passengers this time around with 800mm of legroom. The second-row passengers get a full metre (1,000mm) of legroom. Customers can also replace the second-row bench with optional captain seats with heated surfaces. All the seats are electrically folding, with the second-row ones featuring power-assisted reclining.

Every seat across the car has access to a USB port. The driver has the facility of an intercom to communicate with passengers in the rows behind him. Leather is available optionally for a wraparound finish, and there are a host of creature comforts like electronics and music system to affirm the SUV’s role in the premium space.

How’s the performance?

The 2020 Hyundai Palisade uses a 3.8-litre V6 motor that makes 290hp and 355Nm. Performance stats are not out yet, but the torque figure should make the Palisade an able highway machine. The SUV also features HTrac all-wheel-drive with power fed to the wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission.

Pricing on the 2020 Hyundai Palisade has not been disclosed yet. Expect a formal Middle Eastern launch around April 2019.