In a move none too surprising, Hyundai New Zealand has announced that it will soon be adding the Palisade to its pumped up SUV line-up.
The Palisade is more than just another SUV. It's also the largest Hyundai made to date, available as either a seven-seater or eight-seater overseas.
The larger-than-life model will sit alongside the likes of the Mazda CX-9 and Audi Q7 in terms of dimensions. It perhaps matches closest on the tape measure with the Toyota Land Cruiser 200 Series. The pair are similar in length and wheelbase dimensions (4950mm and 2850mm for the Land Cruiser, 4980mm and 2900mm for the Palisade), and there's just five milimetres separating them in width (1975mm vs 1970mm).
The key difference between the two of course is that the Palisade is a unibody SUV whereas the Land Cruiser is built on a ladder chassis.
To put that size into perspective, the current Hyundai Santa Fe measures in at 4770mm in length, 2765mm in wheelbase, and 1890mm in width.
Up until this point, the Palisade has been reserved for left-hand drive markets ... namely America and South Korea. But, now right-hand driver variants are on their way to New Zealand, Australia, and beyond. Overseas the model has been lauded for setting a new premium benchmark within the Hyundai line-up (not including the Genesis off-shoot).
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“We’re excited to be able to offer Kiwis the all-new Palisade just in time for summer. It is the ultimate family vehicle for practical, comfortable daily use and venturing further afield for a family roadie,” says Hyunai New Zealand General Manager Andy Sinclair.
“Palisade complements our existing SUV model range, it will sit above the Santa Fe in the line-up, providing Kiwis more choice when it comes to buying a vehicle to meet their lifestyle needs.”
Some of the Palisade's features have been included, including the 10-inch touchscreen, wireless charging, ventilated seats in the second row, and 16 gosh diddly cup holders. But, engines, pricing, and expected availability have yet to be formally announced for the Kiwi market.
A host of other potential options and tech toys haven't yet been confirmed, either; including the inclusion of an eighth seat and the push-to-talk intercom that the driver can use to talk to those in the third row.
Over the ditch, where they also recently confirmed the Palisade, it's been announced that buyers will have the choice of a 3.8-litre V6 making 213kW/355Nm or a 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel making 147kW/440Nm (each hooked to an eight-speed automatic). The former will be available exclusively in front-wheel drive, with the latter exclusively four-wheel drive.
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