Like beauty, value is in the eye of the beholder.
Take this week’s test ride: a 2025 Hyundai Palisade, which for this occasion came all dolled up in top-tier Calligraphy trim.
A delivered MSRP of $54,700 might understandably not strike some as a “value,” strictly speaking. In a time when average new car and truck pre-tariffs pricing has soared north of the 40-grand mark, though, personal transportation is an expensive proposition.
In the matter of the Palisade, though, the real value-added factor sets in when one considers just how much more dear things could get to achieve the same lush driving experience we enjoyed recently. The quiet and comfortable ride quality coupled with a smooth and decently powerful V-6 engine and long lists of standard creature comforts put it in the same league as some competitors that wear tonier badges on their lift gates.
We should point out that not all examples of Hyundai’s big crossover/sport-ute command that kind of coin. There are a whopping seven trim levels offered — SE, SEL, XRT, SEL Premium, Limited, Calligraphy and Calligraphy Night Edition — the first five of which are fitted with standard front-wheel-drive systems (all-wheel drive is optional) with the top two Calligraphy models getting four powered wheels as standard kit. All models are equipped with a 3.8-liter normally aspirated V-6 (291 horsepower and 262 foot-pounds torque) and an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Base pricing starts at $37,200 for FWD-equipped SE-trimmed models (AWD adds $2,000 to that) and rises to $54,000 for all-the-way samples swathed in Calligraphy Night Edition finery. Even in its most basic SE form, the Palisade is well equipped. Standard appointments include automatic high beams, keyless entry and ignition with proximity sensing, second-row climate controls, auto-dimming rearview mirror, a 4.2-inch infotainment interface, three USB ports, eight-passenger seating, 18-inch alloy wheels and more.
Regardless of trim level, all Palisades are equipped with an array of safety-sensing technology, including lane-keeping assist, blind-spot warning, forward-collision mitigation, smart cruise control, parking sensors and so forth.
We spent a week piloting a penultimate version of the Palisade dressed in Calligraphy trim. The $52,600 base MSRP included a laundry list of standard equipment, including a set of 20-inch alloy wheels, a pair of 12.3-inch displays for the digital gauge cluster and interactive infotainment system, three rows of heated seating, ventilated front seats and second-row captain’s chairs, Harman Kardon premium audio, napa leather upholstery, a heated steering wheel and side-view mirrors, a 115-volt power outlet, a wireless phone-charging pad and lots more.
Factoring in $470 for a Hyper White paint job (Is there a vehicle sold anymore without a “paint charge”?), $215 for carpeted floor mats and $1,415 for delivery, and the grand total rose to a tidy $54,700.
That’s a fair amount of money for a non-premium-brand family hauler. As mentioned earlier, though, our Palisade delivered the sort of hushed, comfortable and utterly competent performance that outshone in some cases those of higher-spec manufacturers. The supple and softly tuned suspension soaked up and dismissed potholes and pavement cracks with little more than a muffled “thud.” An overall relaxed driving experience is amplified by the smooth-spinning and reasonably powerful six-cylinder. Acceleration is more than adequate with 60 mph arriving in roughly 7.5 seconds. The EPA-estimated 21 mpg in combined driving is pretty good for a largish sport-ute/crossover.
Roomy and well organized, the Palisade’s innards have adult-friendly accommodations in all three rows of seats. Those up front are presented with a efficient and attractive layout of gauges and controls, from the large and highly legible digital gauge cluster and infotainment interface to the tidy arrangement of climate and traction controls. We’re still agnostic regarding the console-mounted push-button shifter, though, which saves console space but isn’t as handy as the steering-column-mounted toggle shifter found in other Hyundai vehicles.
The 18-square-foot rear cargo hold swells to a useful 86.4 cubic feet with the seats folded. Properly equipped, the Palisade is rated to tow up to 5,000 pounds.
2025 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy
Vehicle type: Full-size, seven-passenger all-wheel-drive crossover.
Engine and transmission: 3.8-liter V-6 (291 horsepower and 262 foot-pounds torque), eight-speed automatic.
Base/as-tested prices: $52,600/$54,700.
EPA estimates: 19 mpg city, 24 mpg highway, 21 mpg combined.
The good: Quiet and comfortable ride quality; adult-proportioned accommodations in all three rows of seating; roomy cargo area; 5,000-pound towing capacity; loads of standard equipment; decently powerful and fuel-efficient six-cylinder engine; handsomely styled both inside and out; near premium-level driving experience in upper trim levels.
The bad: Unnecessary push-button shifter; top-of-the-line samples tickle the premium-level price horizon.
Bottom line: The Palisade delivers a lusher driving experience than many upmarket competitors.
