What is it? Now that Hyundai and Genesis are — wink wink — completely separate companies, Hyundai needed a new flagship. This is it: The Palisade, an eight-passenger SUV.

Why is it important? Well, Hyundai’s marketing mavens tossed around the flagship designation so much here in Los Angeles that you’d swear they were introducing a boat rather than a three-row SUV. To their point, however, the Palisade is enormously well equipped with a power-operated rear seat, a one-touch middle row and exceptionally roomy throughout.

2020 Hyundai Palisade Derek McNaughton , Driving

2020 Hyundai Palisade Derek McNaughton , Driving

2020 Hyundai Palisade Derek McNaughton , Driving

2020 Hyundai Palisade Derek McNaughton , Driving

2020 Hyundai Palisade Derek McNaughton , Driving

2020 Hyundai Palisade Derek McNaughton , Driving

2020 Hyundai Palisade Derek McNaughton , Driving

2020 Hyundai Palisade Derek McNaughton , Driving

The interior is also chock-a-block with high-techery, including Android Auto and Apple CarPlay available, as well a wireless charging pad and something called Clari-Fi — it rebuilds audio details lost in digitally-compressed music — adds to the audio system’s, err, clarity. The Palisade also boasts no less than seven USB ports, just in case you need your SUV to double as a mobile server. Oh, and by the way, it’s powered by an Atkinson-cycle version of Hyundai’s 3.8-litre V6 married to Hyundai’s HTRAC all-wheel-drive system that features a new “Snow” mode.

When is it coming? June 2019

Should you buy it? Well, do you need seven USB ports? How about 16 cupholders? Well then, Hyundai has a flagship SUV for you. Seriously, though, the Palisade is a practical SUV from the ascendant South Korean automaker with a ton of hedonistic accouterments. I guess that qualifies it as a flagship.