Autoblog and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article.Hot off an update that totally overhauls the Palisade, Hyundai's biggest SUV is also at its best. The SUV rides better, looks better, goes better, and does more than ever before. Still, it's not exactly perfect. The SUV has its problems, most of which are minor foibles compared to the total package. Still, after a week, some things rubbed me the wrong way. These are all of them.This Silly Drive Selector Is Bad And Should Go AwayChase BierenkovenSee if you can spot the drive selector in the photo above. Tough, huh? Tucked up under the wheel on the right, it's also where Hyundai has stuck the start button. It's a little tough to reach, and even after a week of driving this car nearly every day, I was still misusing it. Rocking the switch forward (I think) sticks the car in Drive. Back for Reverse, but my smooth brain just couldn't get used to this. I'd routinely stick the thing in the wrong gear.Backing Up Is AnnoyingChase BierenkovenAll of Hyundai's cars do this. With Auto Hold enabled, the car won't move forward after you take your foot of the brake once it has come to a stop. Sounds convenient for traffic, and Hyundai leaves the system on by default even after you power-cycle the car. That's nice too. But it also stays on when you're reversing. So, when backing into a tight spot, you can't feather the brake. You hit the gas to disable Auto Hold and lurch backwards. You've got to remember to turn the system off after you put it in reverse, then turn it back on after parking.The Gas-Powered Palisade Is SLOWChase BierenkovenHybrid models are faster, more efficient, and easier to live with for the two reasons prior. Gas-powered ones, however, are not. Even front-drive models get just 21 mpg combined. They only make 287 horsepower, and the engine is coarse and obtrusive. Hybrids solve for this, but at a cost.$60,000 For A Hyundai Is A LotChase BierenkovenAdvertisementAdvertisementThis Hybrid Calligraphy model with all-wheel drive starts at $58,380, but with options and fees, clears $60k. That is quite a lot more money than nearly anything else in the segment. Hyundai's argument is that the Palisade offers more, and it does. This SUV has reclining seats, after all. But it also eschews Hyundai's typical value-oriented argument for a luxury-driven one. The end result is a very high price point, but thankfully only for top trims. A mid-range model is the better option for most.The Palisade's Low Dash Is A Blessing And A CurseChase BierenkovenThe Palisade has a very low dash that's easy to see over and gives you this sense of openness that just isn't common in today's cars. There is a trade-off, though. To achieve the low dash and low-mounted screens, Hyundai seems to have compromised on the mounting point for the steering wheel. It's very low, which can make ingress and egress tough, especially in models that don't reposition the seat and wheel when you park.This story was originally published by Autoblog on Aug 24, 2026, where it first appeared in the Features section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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