Hyundai palisade vs santa fe 2023

Hyundai Palisade

Likes

• Refinement
• Practicality
• Safety

Dislikes

• Petrol V6’s thirst
• Average steering feel
• No hybrid

Hyundai Santa Fe

Likes

• Wireless charging
• New advanced safety tech
• New grille design

Dislikes

• No high mounted centre console on entry grade
• Curtain airbags don’t cover the third row
• Warranty could be longer

Summary

Hyundai Palisade

Hyundai Santa Fe

Good timing. Why? Well if you had bought a Santa Fe halfway through 2020, you’d now be driving around in the old one. 

See, Hyundai has just updated the Santa Fe and it’s not a small revision, it’s a pretty significant overhaul which has added a new look, new features, new and refreshed engines and new safety tech. I’m here to tell you all about it.

And I should know, because not only did I go to the Australian launch of updated Santa Fe, where I drove it on beautiful country roads but I also lived with it in Sydney on awful traffic-choked roads.

I drove it in the rain, battled for spaces in multi-level car parks, did the preschool run, the swimming lessons dash, ferried home small trees and cow manure in it (don’t tell Hyundai) and then turned it from a Santa Fe into Santa's sleigh when we did the Christmas presents shopping in it.

Anyway, there’s a lot to tell you. Ready? Let’s go.

Verdict

Hyundai Palisade7.9/10

This upgraded Palisade has the refinement, practicality, and value to stand up as a quality option for those seeking big family accommodation. It’s nicely put together, safety’s top-shelf, and it certainly stands out from the crowd.

A hybrid powertrain would be nice, because the V6 particularly, likes a drink. But given the new Sante Fe will offer hybrid power later this year, maybe that’ll come in time.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with accommodation and meals provided.

Hyundai Santa Fe8.1/10

The previous Santa Fe was outstanding among its rivals and this new one in most ways is even better. Yes, I didn’t find the new Santa Fe quite as engaging to drive as the outgoing one, but it’s comfortable and easy to pilot, plus the new features, tech and safety equipment, along with increased practicality make the new version better overall than the old one.

The sweet spot in the range is the Active grade which comes with a proximity key, dual-zone climate control, leather seats, the high mounted centre console and privacy glass without the price tag of the Elite or Highlander.

Design

Hyundai Palisade8/10

It feels like the Palisade’s only been around for five minutes, but closing in on two years is the reality, and it’s been on-sale elsewhere since 2018, so a design refresh is timely.

This is a big canvas to work with, and you’d never guess the US is a prime market for this model. 

Up front, the already sizable grille is squarer and even more imposing, while the LED headlights are vertically-stacked down each side, and the indicators are hidden behind shaded geometric pieces extending out from the top of the grille. 

For car spotters, the Palisade Elite’s grille is tinted predominantly black, while the Highlander’s has bright accents.

The 20-inch alloy wheels are the same size but new design on both grades, and the Highlander features satin chrome door handles and rocker sill panels.

At the back the full-width high-mount stop light is upgraded to LED, the tail-lights are revised, and the exhaust outlets have been squared off.

Things have changed inside, too. The centre air vent is more neatly integrated, the new-look steering wheel has four spokes, plus there’s a 12.3-inch HD multimedia screen, and 12.3-inch digital instrument display on both models.

There’s also an adjustable centre armrest, the indicator stalks have been massaged into a more geometric shape, and overall there’s a nice blend of screen functionality and physical controls.

The look is distinctively assertive outside and that little bit sleeker inside.

Hyundai Santa Fe8/10

This updated model looks so different from the front that we were stopped in a car park by another family in a Santa Fe who asked if this was the new-generation car. 

The answer is no, but it’s a really big update which has added a new rectangular grille, inset LED headlights, T-Shaped LED running lights and new tail-lights which are now joined by a horizontal reflective strip.   

This generation Santa Fe has always been a good looking mid-sized SUV and the new face lands a punch filled with attitude. 

It’s interesting that this grille is a departure from the Y-shaped frame used across the brand’s range during the past decade and if I didn’t know better it could be a glimpse of the changing face of Hyundai.

The Santa Fe isn’t huge, but you should check to see if it’s going to fit in your garage. A glance at the dimensions reveals it’s grown in length by 15mm and now measures 4785mm end-to-end. With roof rails the Santa Fe stands 1710mm tall and it’s 1900 mm across.

From the outside all Santa Fes look pretty much the same, but inside there are two quite different cockpits. Look at the images of the entry-grade Santa Fe’s dashboard, now look at the Highlander’s. Yep the entry grade Santa Fe doesn’t get the ‘floating’ high-mounted centre console which is on all the other grades above. 

That’s a shame, as the new centre console not only looks great but puts the buttons for climate and media within easier reach. The shifting buttons on the raised centre console also look beautiful – the entry-grade misses out on this, too.

Still, the cabin, even on the entry-grade car, is a premium feeling place with the layered effect to the design of the dash we first saw in 2018 when this generation Santa Fe was introduced. The range-topping Highlander goes ‘next level’ with Nappa leather seats and the virtual instrument cluster.

The Highlander is the grade I spent the most time in and while the cabin looks posh, the interior feels tough. Our car had the 'Camel' Nappa leather, but the Highlander also can be had with black Nappa leather at no extra cost. The standard black suede headliner is also a nice touch on this grade.

The entry-grade Santa Fe has black and grey cloth upholstery (see the images), the Active gets black leather, while the Elite comes in a choice of black or 'Cognac' leather.

There are eight exterior paint colours. The two standard ones are: 'Glacier White' and 'White Cream.' The premium colours are: 'Typhoon Silver', 'Magnetic Force', 'Phantom Black', 'Taiga Brown', 'Rain Forest' and 'Lagoon Blue.' 

Practicality

Hyundai Palisade9/10

Does large scale automatically deliver big practicality? Well, in this case the answer is yes. Big doors and heaps of interior space combine with thoughtful storage options, to deliver family-friendly practicality.

There’s hectares of room in the front as well as two lidded bins, one large one between the seats, the top of which doubles as a centre armrest, and a smaller box in the centre console, containing two expandable cupholders. The console is also a two tier arrangement with an awkward to reach into but still handy oddments tray on the lower level.

The glove box is a decent size, as are the door pockets, complete with a sculpted area for large bottles. 

Move to the centre row and you’ll slide into one of two ‘captains chairs’ in the seven-seat configuration, complete with adjustable ‘wing’-type headrests on the Highlander, familiar to any seasoned air traveller. It’s a three-position bench in the eight-seater.

If space is luxury, middle seaters in the Palisade cop a five-star experience. There’s ample head, leg and shoulder room, with enough space for three child seats or baby capsules across in the eight seat set-up. 

An ability to slide the centre seats fore and aft should quell any turf wars between second and third row occupants (although the backrest recline function could heat this up again), pull-up window shades are a plus, and there’s adjustable ventilation control as part of the three-zone climate system.   

Storage includes a large and small cupholder in each door, as well as a bottle holder underneath, map pockets on the front seats backs (with smartphone-sized pouches built-in), and another pair of cupholders on the centre armrest on eight-seat versions.

Tilt and slide the second-row seat via a one-touch ‘Walk-in’ function, and you have low-stress access to three third-row positions.

Legroom is okay for me at 183cm (with the middle row in a reasonable position), and headroom is fine. When it comes to width, adults will need to be on good terms to share the space on what would hopefully be a short trip. But up to mid-teens won’t have a problem, especially as these seats recline, too.

You’re even looked after with ventilation (in the roof), dual cupholders either side and USB power outlets.

Speaking of which, there’s a pair of Type-C USB outlets for power in each row (total six) with a single USB-A port in the front for media connection. Add two 12V sockets in the front, plus another in the second row and devices won’t be going short on charge.

And how’s this for a party trick? Hyundai has created a media cable tunnel between the top and lower tiers of the front centre console, to keep unwieldy cables under control. Plus, the wireless device charging pad has been upgraded to 15-watts for quicker turnaround.

Also worth noting a ‘Quiet Mode’ function limits audio volume in the first row and mutes it in the second two. Nice for parents with sleeping kids (or those with the Airpods in) in the back, who would still like some musical company up front.

With all three rows upright, boot space is 311 litres (VDA), which is enough to be useful for day trips when you have a full house on-board. Fold the third row and that grows to 704 litres, and with the second and third rows down you’re at 2447 litres, and that’s plenty.

There are tie-down anchors and bag hooks galore, the loading height is manageable (there’s only a modest lip to deal with), a hands-free, speed- and height-adjustable power tailgate is standard on both grades, and there’s a full-size alloy spare on-board.

Hyundai Santa Fe8/10

I think the Santa Fe can pull off a better balancing act than its mid-sized SUV rivals of being practical while still being stylish.    

There are seven seats as standard and yes that third row isn’t big enough for me, but I’m 191cm (6'3") tall and I can sit behind my driving position in the second row with even more room now in this updated version. Headroom in the second row is also excellent – even with the sunroof.

My six-year old son had no issues climbing in and out of the second row, and those wide opening rear doors offered plenty of space for me to get in and fasten him into his car seat.

The front passenger seat has a power adjustment on the side of the bolster for rear passengers to move it back and forth. Parents beware: kids will be drawn to this and small fingers might get squashed if they play with it.

Boot space with the third row in place remains the same at 130 litres, but with those back seats folded there's 24 litres more space now with a luggage capacity of 571 litres.

The handsfree tailgate opens just by standing next to it with the key in your pockets which sounds brilliantly convenient but there were times when it opened when I didn’t want it to and was just walking past.

Cabin storage is good with cupholders on either side of the third row, two in the second row and another two up front.

There’s a large centre console storage box and medium sized door pockets. And under the floating centre console (on the Active grades up) is an area large enough to stow a small backpack

The upright design of the wireless phone charger with its little trapdoor is ingenious. All Santa Fes come with the wireless charger, plus two USB ports for the second row and two more up front.

There’s dual-zone climate control, and that means no temperature setting for the second row, although there are directional air vents in all three rows.

Price and features

Hyundai Palisade8/10

This three-row, up to eight-seat SUV flagship boasts a refreshed exterior and interior design, new tech and improved safety, with the previous entry-grade model deleted and prices starting from just under $66K, before on-road costs.

There are now two variants only, but as per the out-going model, two engine choices. We’ll get to the details of each shortly, but for now, petrol means front-wheel drive, and diesel means all-wheel drive.

The Elite grade kicks things off at $65,900 for the petrol 2WD and $69,900 for the diesel AWD. It retains features like 12-speaker Infinity audio, active cruise, leather-appointed seats, dual-zone climate, a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, heated front seats, LED headlights, DRLs, tail-lights and fog lights, and a power tailgate.

Headline additions are a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, 12.3-inch HD multimedia screen, a glass sunroof, remote start and Bluelink connected services. 

Bluelink is a first for Hyundai in Australia, and features things like a valet mode, back-to-base collision notification, an SOS function, voice control, weather advice and more. 

Step up to the Highlander ($75,900 petrol 2WD / $79,900 diesel AWD) and things like Nappa leather-appointed seats, ventilated first and second row seats, rain-sensing wipers, and an eight-way power-adjustable front passenger’s seat will be familiar to current owners.

Additions in this refresh include a 3D surround view function, remote smart, wing type headrests on the outer positions on the second row, and a digital interior mirror.

For eight-seat SUV capacity you’re looking at heavyweight competitors like the Toyota LandCruiser 300 and Nissan Patrol, which the Palisade undercuts by a significant margin, without giving too much away in terms of equipment. So, fair play on value-for-money there.

But more direct competitors are the Toyota Kluger and Mazda CX-9, as well as Nissan’s new Pathfinder, arriving late in 2022, kicking off from around $54K, with a petrol V6, two- and all-wheel drive, and offering eight seats in all grades.

Hyundai Santa Fe9/10

The entry-grade Santa Fe is now simply called the Santa Fe and the petrol version costs $44,700. Then, there’s the Active for $48,300, with the Elite next up at $54,300, and at the top of the range is the Highlander for $61,700. These are the prices for the petrol variants, and diesel versions are $3500 more for each. 

Santa Fes with a petrol engine are front-wheel drive and the diesel-powered versions are all-wheel drive.

New features on the entry-grade Santa Fe include: super bright LED headlights (the previous entry-grade non-LED headlights were really dim), there’s the 8.0-inch screen (an inch bigger than before); and there’s a wireless charger now. 

The rest of the standard features list includes cloth seats, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, air con, leather steering wheel, drive modes, rear parking sensors, roof rails, a rear-view camera and 17-inch alloys.

There’s also new safety tech which I’ll cover in the section below.

Stepping up to the Active adds 18-inch alloy wheels, leather seats, a proximity key, front parking sensors, rear privacy glass, dual-zone climate control, puddle lamps, electronic child locks, rain-sensing wipers and power folding mirrors. 

The Active also gets new stuff in the form of paddle shifters, plus a raised centre console with gear shifting buttons (and a terrain mode control). 

The Elite sits above the Active and scores new equipment such as 20-inch alloy wheels, a 10.25-inch media display, and a Harman Kardon stereo. This is on top of its previous standard features such as sat nav, digital radio, power driver’s seat, power tailgate, luggage net and rear door blinds.

The top-of-the-range Highlander gets the most new stuff. There are 20-inch alloy wheels (19-inch on the old car). Also new is the Nappa leather interior, the 10.25-inch media screen, a Harman Kardon stereo, and a 12.3-inch fully digital instrument cluster and remote smart parking assist. 

That’s on top of other standard equipment such as the panoramic sunroof, head-up display, heated and ventilated front seats, heated steering wheel and heated rear outboard seats, plus LED tail-lights.

All Santa Fes come with seven seats, too. 

Is it good value? The prices have gone up a smidge, but the value is outstanding.

Rivals include the Mazda CX-8, Nissan X-Trail, Skoda Kodiaq and the Kia Sorento.

Engine & trans

Hyundai Palisade7/10

Engine choice is unchanged with a 3.8-litre naturally aspirated petrol V6 in front-wheel drive variants, and a 2.2-litre turbo-diesel four powering all-wheel drive models. Both are matched with an eight-speed automatic transmission.

The ‘Lambda II’ petrol V6 is an all-alloy unit, featuring direct-injection, and variable valve timing on the inlet and exhaust side (D-CVVT) to produce 217kW at 6000rpm and 355Nm at 5200rpm.

The ‘R series’ diesel four features an iron block and alloy head, a single turbo and direct-injection to deliver 147kW at 3800rpm and 440Nm from 1750-2750rpm.

Tweaks to the eight-speed auto transmission include a new carrier for the rear gear set, low-friction sealing at key points, a revised input shaft, an updated selection actuator, lower viscosity oil, and a dual-chamber design torque converter on diesel models.

Hyundai Santa Fe8/10

You can choose between a diesel or a petrol engine to power your Santa Fe, and a hybrid powertrain is coming soon.

The petrol is a refreshed version of the previous 3.5-litre V6 making 200kW/331Nm, while the 2.2-litre diesel is new and produces 148kW/440Nm.

Also new is the eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission found in the diesel variant. It’s a wet-clutch type of DCT and it’s smooth and quick.

The V6 has a regular eight-speed automatic.

The hybrid power train arriving in 2021 looks to be promising and it'll be all-wheel drive.

Fuel consumption

Hyundai Palisade6/10

Hyundai’s official fuel economy figure for the Palisade FWD petrol on the combined cycle is 10.7L/100km, the V6 emitting 251g/km of CO2 in the process. The equivalent numbers are 7.3L/100km and 193g/km for the AWD 2.2-litre turbo-petrol four.

Nothing to set the world on fire, but it’s worth remembering this is a properly big, roughly two tonne, three-row SUV. That said, although the launch drive included a small amount of city and suburban traffic, freeway running was over-represented, so we’ll wait for a full road-test to capture real-world figures.

The tank holds 71 litres on both versions, which using the quoted consumption number, translates to a range of around 660km for the petrol and 970km for the diesel.

Hyundai Santa Fe8/10

Hyundai says that after a combination of open and urban roads the V6 petrol should use 10.5L/100km. That’s pretty thirsty.

The diesel engine goes through less, even though it’s powering all four wheels. Hyundai says the mileage after the same sort of combination of roads should be 6.1L/100km. 

I covered 174 km in my fuel test of the diesel Highlander and the trip computer said I used an average of 8.1L/100km.

A hybrid variant makes so much sense on an SUV which is likely to spend a lot of time in urban and suburban settings and we're expecting it to be highly fuel efficient. 

Driving

Hyundai Palisade8/10

Not surprisingly, the drive characteristics of petrol and diesel Palisade models differ. The naturally aspirated petrol V6 lacks the low-down punch of a turbo with maximum torque (355Nm) arriving at 5200rpm. But it’s still strong in the mid-range, and the upside is ultra-smooth and linear power delivery, the peak (217kW) arriving way up at 6000rpm.

As mentioned earlier, choosing petrol automatically means front-wheel drive, which can result in a tendency towards understeer in tighter corners. But over a mix of city, freeway and B-road driving on the launch program there wasn’t a hint of push on the front axle.

Swap to the turbo-diesel four and additional thrust (440Nm) immediately makes its presence felt, but we’re not talking sports car acceleration here. 

It might pull hard initially but the diesel Palisade runs out of puff at higher revs, with peak power (147kW) hitting at 3800rpm, and you can expect it to accelerate from 0-100km/h in around 10 seconds. The free-revving (and circa 90kg lighter) petrol Palisade will hit the same mark in roughly eight seconds.

The AWD diesel brings extra security on loose or slippery surfaces like the track to your favourite camping spot, a cheeky trip to the snow, or negotiating the local boat ramp. 

Speaking of which, braked trailer towing capacity for petrol and diesel versions is 2.2 tonnes, which means a big dual-axle caravan is off the agenda, although a single axle camper-trailer or hitching up the tinnie will be fine. A trailer pre-wiring package is standard.

For the more adventurous types the approach, departure and break-over angles are 18.5, 20.3, and 17.9 degrees respectively.

The upgraded eight-speed auto transmission is smooth with both models featuring wheel-mounted shift paddles for when you want to take control.

What was that about the Palisade being big? At just under 5.0m long it’s a sizeable machine and suspension is strut front / multi-link rear, with new selective dampers and revised spring rates on both models.

The tricky dampers feature an additional sliding valve (below the main fixed valve) to better control frequency, and it’s worth noting that unlike other recent Hyundai models where the suspension has been tuned locally, the Palisade’s final ‘global’ suspension configuration was finalised at Hyundai’s Namyang R&D centre in South Korea.

There was Aussie input along the way, though, and on the basis of this first drive the overall result is a positive one.

Ride quality, even over coarse and pock-marked backroads and riding on 20-inch rims, is good, with minimal engine and wind noise intruding thanks in part to more sound insulation, thicker rear door glass, better body sealing and revised drivetrain mountings to minimise vibration.

With revised bearing, the electric power steering is nicely weighted and pleasingly progressive. Not a stand-out in terms of road feel, but not tragic, either.

You can feel the weight of the car, though it remains predictable and stable in corners, be it a FWD petrol or AWD diesel.

Braking is by big ventilated discs all around (340mm fr / 314mm rr), which is nice to know when towing comes into the picture. The pedal is nice and progressive and stopping power is strong.

Parking is surprisingly straight-forward given the size of this truckster and three rows of seats, with the Highlander’s 3D surround view function and digital interior mirror welcome.

The latter frees up rear vision when headrest, passengers or big loads get in the way, but I know I’m not alone in finding these camera-based systems disconcerting initially because of their limited depth-of-field.

The front seats remain comfortable in the face of long stints behind the wheel, although the rear seats feel relatively flat and firm.

In terms of ergonomics, the blend of screen-based and physical controls is spot-on.

Hyundai Santa Fe8/10

This generation Santa Fe came out in 2018 and since then I’ve covered thousands of kilometres in all grades in every engine variant. I’ve also driven and tested its competitors and it has stood out from them in terms of how good it is to drive. 

Not many of its competitors were able to offer the combination of connection, comfort and easiness which the Santa Fe offered.

For this updated Santa Fe only the diesel variants were available to drive at the Australian launch and I tested the top-of-the-range Highlander and the entry-grade Santa Fe. 

To me this new Santa Fe rides more comfortably than that previous model, but offers less of that connected feel that made the outgoing car feel planted and sporty. This may be down to a different suspension set-up. 

Hyundai told us that for this new Santa Fe, rather than have an Australian-specific suspension set-up (as with the previous car), this new one has a global, one-size-fits-all tune. Hyundai still had an input, but the tune isn’t exclusively for Australia.

Yup, the last Santa Fe was so good that this new one has big shoes to fill, and to me it can’t quite match its predecessor’s all-rounder driving qualities.

Still, the new Hyundai Santa Fe is better to drive than almost all of its competitors, with good engines and transmissions, great visibility, and ease of control which makes it a breeze to pilot anywhere from dirt roads and motorways to car parks.

Safety

Hyundai Palisade9/10

Safety’s a tough subject when it comes to the Palisade. After more than 18 months on sale here the superceded model has only just been assessed by ANCAP, and mainly because it scored less than 80 per cent in the adult occupant protections test, and a less than 70 per cent safety assist examination, it was handed a four- out of five-star rating.

But additional active and passive safety tech, including ‘Multi-anti-Collision Brake’ which reduces the risk of additional impacts after a crash, rear brake assist, and inclusion of a front centre airbag has redressed the balance, and this car scores five stars against 2022 ANCAP criteria. The floor and side structure have also been reinforced.

Standard crash-avoidance tech also includes, blind-spot monitoring and ‘Collision Avoidance Assist’, driver attention monitoring, AEB (up to highway speed with car, pedestrian and cyclist detection, and ‘Junction Turning’ function), ‘High Beam Assist’, ‘Speed Limit Assist’, lane following and lane keeping assist, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise, and tyre pressure monitoring. There’s more, but you get the idea.

If a crash is unavoidable, as well as the new front centre airbag, there are front and side bags in the first row, as well as side curtains covering all three rows.

For securing child seats or baby capsules, there are two or three top tethers in the second row (depending on seven-or eight-seat configuration) and another two in the outer positions of the third row. There are two ISOFIX mounts in the second row, and one in the back.

Hyundai Santa Fe8/10

For a car that’s not a new-generation model there’s been a lot of changes and this goes for the safety tech as well.

Previously, all Santa Fes came with AEB, effective from 10-65km/h  for pedestrian and cyclists, and up to 75km/h for cars. Now there’s a 'Junction Turning' function from the entry-grade up. 

This means that when you’re turning right at an intersection with your indicator on the Santa Fe will brake to avoid a collision with an oncoming car, cyclist or crossing pedestrian.  Also new from the entry-grade up is lane following assist.

The Highlander is also given new safety equipment in the form of a blind spot view monitor, and parking collision avoidance

All Santa Fes have adaptive cruise control, and rear cross traffic alert with braking and lane keeping assist.

For child seats there are two ISOFIX points and three top tether mounts across the second row.

A weakness in an otherwise outstanding array of safety equipment is the curtain airbags which don’t completely cover those third-row windows. The Kia Sorento also has this gap in its defences.

Here’s some good news. In a world of space saver spare tyres becoming the disappointing norm, it makes this reviewer’s day knowing Hyundai has made a full-sized spare wheel standard across the Santa Fe range. The spare is located under the car.

The Santa Fe has a maximum five-star ANCAP rating, but this was awarded back in 2018 and these days the standard to get full marks is higher.

Ownership

Hyundai Palisade8/10

Hyundai covers the Palisade with a five-year/unlimited km warranty, which is standard in the mainstream market now.

12 months roadside assistance is provided, which is renewed for another year every time you service your vehicle at an authorised Hyundai dealer - up to a maximum 10 years.

Service is recommended every 12 months or 15,000km, and pre-paid capped price servicing is available across various agreed time and distance combinations.

Hyundai Santa Fe8/10

The Hyundai Santa Fe is covered a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty. 

Servicing is recommended every 12 months/15,000km and the pricing for the V6 petrol is capped at $399 for each service for five years while the diesel is $459 for the same time.

How much bigger is a Palisade than a Santa Fe?

What is the Hyundai Santa Fe comparable to?

How dependable is the Hyundai Palisade?

Is Palisade a luxury?