The Star E-dition

Palisade fences in class, comfort

WILLEM VAN DE PUTTE willem.vdputte@inl.co.za

SOUTH Africans like big people carriers; whether it’s a minivan, bus or SUV, you’ll be sure to see them on your daily commute.

Hyundai is no newcomer to the space with their H1 Bus and Santa Fe, but now they also have the very upmarket and luxury seven- or eightseater Palisade that’s likely to ruffle a few feathers.

If you think it may have a twinge of American styling in it, you’ll be right. Launched at the Los Angeles Auto Show in 2018, it competes against the Kia Telluride, Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander and Ford Explorer in that market.

Locally Hyundai says it’s a bit of a loner, but if you have to look at competitors, it would be the Volvo XC90, Audi Q7, BMW X5, VW Caravelle, Land Rover Defender and VW’S Touareg.

The competition may be strong, but the Palisade, at R990 900, costs significantly less, especially when you start to tick the options list, almost all of which Hyundai provides as standard.

It’s powered by a 2.2-litre turbo diesel with 142kw and 440Nm coupled to an eight-speed automatic transmission running on 20-inch alloys. It’s also fitted with paddle shifters should you need them, but during the launch we found them almost superfluous and you’ll probably only need them for overtaking on narrow roads.

It’s no speedster and wasn’t designed to be one. The Palisade prefers cruising long distances quietly, comfortably and economically with all-wheel drive sending power to wheels as needed thanks to its Drive and Terrain modes, with settings for snow, mud and sand as well as Sport, Eco, Comfort or Smart options selected via a rotary dial.

Smart mode adapts to your own driving style, which I reckon is probably best once you’ve settled down with it for a couple of weeks.

The interior is as good as any of its competitors. Finishes and fittings are top notch and one touch second row seating allows the seat to move forward and out of the way for access in and out of the third row seats.

Seeing as the Palisade will see duty mostly as a family carrier, Hyundai have fitted USB outlets to all three seating rows, allowing seven people to keep their various devices plugged in, while a wide angle conversation mirror allows the driver to clearly see what the passengers in the back are up to.

The eight-inch touch screen infotainment system is Android Auto and Apple Carplay compatible and allows two Bluetooth devices to be connected, one for mobile phone duties and the other for audio streaming. There’s also a wireless charging pad.

Interestingly the Palisade has what Hyundai calls Rear Seat Quiet Mode that allows the driver and front passenger to listen to their music without it being transmitted to the second and third row audio speakers.

The centre console with its shift-bywire system leaves a clean and clinical impression which pretty much sets the tone for the rest of the interior as well that includes twin sunroofs.

It’s economical too, showing just under 7L/100km after almost 300km that included some spirited driving.

On dirt roads with the setting on Sand, it’s surprisingly nimble and stable with the AWD HTRAC system that includes an AWD locking differential doing its thing electronically. Safety-wise you’re well taken care of with a string of features that include Blind Spot Detection, Rear Cross-traffic Alert, Safe Exit Assist, and Rear Occupant Alert.

Pricing: Palisade R2.2 7-seater Elite (auto) R 999900.

Palisade R2.2 8-seater Elite (auto) R 999900.

It comes with a 7-year/200000km manufacturer’s warranty, a seven-year/ 105 000km service plan and 7-year/ 150000km roadside assistance.

Lifestyle

en-za

2021-09-11T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-09-11T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://thestar.pressreader.com/article/281938841036284

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