2021 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy Road Test and Review

2021 Hyundai Palisade ・ Photo by Hyundai

Measured up against every other vehicle in the crowded midsize SUV class, the Hyundai Palisade has achieved a good reputation for extra value in just a short time on the market. Many reviewers have compared it to luxury-brand SUVs of similar size. Now, for the 2021 model year, Hyundai is taking the Palisade to an even higher level of refinement with its new Calligraphy model. With a more distinctive exterior style that has several special features, the Palisade Calligraphy has the goods to appeal to luxury-brand shoppers in the segment. The added touches include 20-inch alloy wheels, new and exclusive front and rear LED lighting signatures, and a headliner made of microsuede. From its introduction just a year ago, the Hyundai Palisade has proven to be one of those vehicles that looks more expensive than it is. With the new Calligraphy model, that impression has been amplified. And the 2021 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy also sports functional improvements that make it a better value. Prime among them is standard HTRAC all-wheel drive with AWD lock.

Exterior Style

Hyundai designers gave the Palisade a squared-off and formal exterior, and it is one of those rare SUVs that looks much bigger than it actually is. Hyundai product planning execs told us the Palisade’s stately exterior design is in keeping with the fact that the vehicle is regarded as the brand’s top-of-the-line flagship. The SUV’s front end is quite imposing with a Calligraphy-exclusive front grille fascia added to an all-LED-all-the-time lighting motif that includes headlights, daytime running lights, and accent lights. The Calligraphy trim also includes side “puddle lamps” that bathe your feet in the Calligraphy identity, and there is an additional side door “garnish.” At the rear, the Palisade Calligraphy model has an ultra-wide LED center high-mounted stoplight, and its rear-end light “signature” is unlike any other Palisade's. Additional exterior “jewelry” includes HTRAC badging and attractive 20-inch alloy wheels that are exclusive to the trim.

Photo by Hyundai

Interior Accommodations

It is obvious that the Hyundai designers have treated the Palisade Calligraphy as the place to show off their ability to craft a luxury-level cockpit. The interior is sumptuous, with quilted-leather door panels and a microfiber-suede headliner lending exclusive touches. The steering wheel in the Calligraphy is covered with perforated leather, and the cargo sill protection plate is properly upscale, too. The seats are covered in premium Nappa leather, and they are heated, ventilated, and of course, power-operated. Second-row seating in the Calligraphy is in comfortable captain’s chairs that slide for and aft depending upon the circumstances, and they are within easy reach of their own automatic heating-and-ventilation controls. The three-passenger third row offers power-folding, unfolding, and reclining seats, which are a boon for cargo carrying.

Photo by Hyundai

Powertrain

While many vehicles in the segment offer several engine options, the powertrain choice in the Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy is a simple one. The vehicle’s only engine is a normally aspirated 3.8-liter V-6. With dual continuously variable valve timing, the direct-injected gasoline engine produces an estimated 291 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm and an estimated 262 lb.-ft. of torque @ 5,000 rpm. Interestingly, it runs on both an Atkinson and an Otto cycle, depending upon driving conditions, and it is teamed with an 8-speed automatic transmission. The Palisade is offered with front-wheel drive in some trims, but at the Calligraphy level, the vehicle relies on Hyundai’s HTRAC all-wheel drive with AWD lock. Exclusive additions to the Calligraphy model are downhill brake control and snow mode.

Photo by Hyundai

Infotainment

The Palisade offers a generous 10.25-inch wide touchscreen infotainment system supplemented by a 12.3-inch fully-digital TFT instrument cluster. The infotainment’s icons and controls are exceptionally clear and easy-to-use in contrast to the infotainment systems in many luxury-brand SUVs. The Calligraphy trim also offers Hyundai’s latest navigation system, plus standard Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Its Harman Kardon audio system features Clari-Fi and QuantumLogic Surround Sound technology, and a Qi wireless charging pad is available for compatible Android devices as well as recent iPhones. Two Bluetooth devices can be connected to the system simultaneously, with one for a mobile phone connection and the other for audio streaming. The Palisade also offers a Blind View Monitor that provides easy-to-see views to the rear and side of the vehicle when the turn signal is activated.

Photo by Hyundai

Cargo-carrying Ability

The 2021 Palisade Calligraphy is right in the middle of the segment when it comes to cargo-carrying capacity. In comparison to the Ford Explorer that was launched at about the same time as the Palisade, the Hyundai offers 86.4 cubic feet of cargo volume versus the Ford's 87.8 cubic feet. With all three rows occupied, the Explorer has an impressive 18.2 cubic feet of luggage space, while the Palisade is nearly as big with 18.0 cubic feet, and it benefits mightily from its power-folding and unfolding third-row seats. The Calligraphy offers four 12-volt power outlets including one in the cargo area and a 155-volt household-type outlet as well. Total interior volume is a roomy 173.3 cubic feet.

Photo by Hyundai

Driver Aids

Like all Palisades, the Calligraphy is equipped with the Hyundai SmartSense array of driver-assist features. It includes a robust collection of advanced safety technologies, like Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with Pedestrian Detection, Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Following Assist, High Beam Assist, Driver Attention Warning, and Smart Cruise Control with Stop and Go. Highway Drive Assist and Safe Exit Assist are also standard on Calligraphy models. While Ultrasonic Rear Occupant Alert is optional on the lower-line SEL version of the Palisade, it's standard on the Calligraphy, and it monitors the rear seats using an ultrasonic sensor to detect the movements of children and pets. The potentially life-saving goal of the technology is to help drivers remember to remove their loved ones from parked vehicles when they exit them.

Photo by Hyundai

Driving Impression

With more-than-adequate power and a smooth, quiet driveline, the 2021 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy is a pleasure to drive. Its suspension strikes a nice balance between ride and handling, and most drivers should find themselves very comfortable behind the wheel. The elaborate head-up display is a useful feature in all types of driving. It projects virtual images onto the windshield, delivering a broad host of pertinent driving information that can be seen without taking your eyes off the road. Among the types of information it delivers are speed, cruise control status, navigation and directions, speed limits, and audio system data. Those who speak with other members of their family will appreciate the Driver Talk in-car intercom system. It allows the driver to communicate separately with the second and/or third rows of the vehicle via the vehicle’s audio system, and it also includes a Rear Seat Quiet Mode that allows the driver’s row to listen to the selected audio without transmitting that audio to the second and third rows. As a family conveyance, the Calligraphy checks a lot of the right boxes.

Photo by Hyundai

Towing & Fuel Economy

The product planners who put the Palisade project together had towing in mind when they spec’d the vehicle. Trailer sway control is standard equipment, and the Palisade Calligraphy is rated to tow trailers up to 5,000 pounds when they're equipped with trailer brakes. The 2021 Palisade’s trailer pre-wiring connectors, an important feature for those who tow, has been upgraded from a 4-pin connector to an enhanced 7-pin connector design. The Palisade’s tow rating stands in good stead in the midsize crossover suv class. The class leader is the Dodge Durango that, when fitted with the 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 engine, has a tow rating of 7,400 pounds. In fuel economy, the Palisade Calligraphy has an EPA rating of 19 mpg city/24 mpg highway/21 mpg overall, very similar to a V-6-engine-equipped Durango. The 2021 Ford Explorer with the 2.3-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder EcoBoost engine turns in fuel economy of 20 mpg city/27 mpg highway/23 mpg overall, according to the EPA.

Photo by Hyundai

Pricing & Value

Viewed through the lens of Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price (MSRP), the Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy is a bargain. Its suggest retail price is $47,750 plus $1,175 in transportation fees. While this is higher than the average price for a midsize SUV, the Calligraphy is essentially an all-in vehicle filled to the gunwales with added features. Furthermore, it has exclusive exterior and interior styling that set it apart from other Palisades. Viewed in comparable trim levels, the Palisade’s MSRP is several thousand dollars lower than the Ford Explorer and a bit less than $2,000 lower than the Toyota Highlander. When it comes to warranty protection, the Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy is the winner in the class with a 5-year/60,000-mile limited warranty and a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. If you are looking for luxury and a rich feature set in a midsize SUV, the 2021 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy fills the bill.

Photo by Hyundai