Hyundai knew it. We knew it too: The three-row Santa Fe XL was never going to cut it as Hyundai’s biggest SUV; it was too small, too compromised, but it was an effective stopgap until the brand’s true Highlander/Explorer competitor arrived. That vehicle finally arrived in November in the form of the Hyundai Palisade, and we’ve now arrived in its home country of South Korea to get a turn wheeling an early-production Korean-market example of this crucial product.

If you missed the LA Auto Show debut, here are the crucial details: The three-row Palisade seats seven or eight, depending upon configuration, and is both longer (by 3 inches) and wider (by 3.6 inches) than the aforementioned Hyundai Santa Fe XL. That puts the Palisade right in line with the current Honda Pilot in length and width, while the Ford Explorer and Nissan Pathfinder are both a bit longer. Crucially for interior space, however, the Palisade ties with the Pathfinder for longest wheelbase at 114.2 inches. No surprise, then, that the Hyundai tops its competition for second-row legroom and is bested only by the Explorer and Pilot in third-row legroom.

All North American Palisades will be powered by a 3.8-liter V6 coupled to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Front-drive and AWD are offered at all trim levels, and the V6 operates on what’s known as the Atkinson cycle -- that generally means better fuel economy at the expense of low-end torque. With 291 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque, the Palisade’s V6 is in line with competitive non-turbocharged engines, but it does like to rev -- those peaks are at 6,000 and 5,000 rpm, respectively.

There’s a ton of tech in the Palisade, per current expectations, though highlights include an available blind-spot camera on both sides of the vehicle. Similar to Honda LaneWatch, it displays a camera view along the bodyside, displayed in the instrument cluster, whenever the turn signal is activated. There’s also an available in-car intercom that lets the driver communicate more easily with second and third-row passengers – a feature we’ve found fairly useless in other models, though Hyundai ups the ante with a “rear sleep mode” that mutes the driver’s audio in the back rows, something we could see being useful. The navigation system works with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and seven USB outlets ensure everyone can charge up.

Standard safety gear is extensive and includes all the collision avoidance assists you could hope to find in the segment. The standard Smart Cruise Control with Stop and Go is also a nice feature that allows hands-free low-speed operation in traffic jam situations.

This is the Palisade's 2.2-liter turbodiesel; it's a great match for this big utility, but we won't get it in the States

The Execution

I had several hours of seat time in a fully loaded Korean-market Hyundai Palisade – meaning a 2.2-liter turbodiesel four instead of a 3.8-liter V6 -- in environments spanning gridlocked Seoul traffic, winding backroads, forested trails and even a soft sand beach. In each (with the possible exception of the beach), the Palisade performed flawlessly, impressing from the first few minutes behind the wheel. Keeping in mind this is a big three-row utility we’re discussing (vs, say, a Porsche 911), it’s one of those rare vehicles that simply feels right at every input, delivering exactly what you expect – linear steering with good weight, a firm brake pedal that allows modulation, plus snappy acceleration with unnoticeable transmission shifts from the diesel/eight-speed combo.

Since the Palisade’s raison d’etre revolves around its interior – transporting multiple people and their stuff in reasonable comfort – Hyundai spent a lot of time thinking through what the proverbial active-lifestyle family wants in an SUV. USB outlets and air vents abound, and a one-button mechanism permits good access to the third row. That rear row isn’t a penalty box even for my 6-foot-plus frame, either, and the second row is nearly limo-like. Nor does the Palisade forget the driver: Excellent sight lines (despite a fairly large C-pillar) and a dash design that does a good job balancing hard buttons and digital menu content makes this – again – an easy machine with which to grow accustomed. I had a chance to use Hyundai’s low-speed hands-free driving tech during the aforementioned Seoul traffic jam and was able to simply let the Palisade do the driving for 20 minutes while my co-driver and I discussed the interior design.

The 2020 Hyundai Palisade 3-row SUV will be on sale in the U.S. in summer 2019

The lingering question mark involves the Palisade’s powertrain. We weren’t afforded any opportunity to drive a U.S.-spec gas V6 model, nor were there any V6-powered Palisades on hand. Looking at the numbers, our V6 will deliver about 90 horsepower more than the Korean market diesels, but 63 fewer foot-pounds of torque. More significantly, as mentioned earlier the peak power doesn’t arrive until 6,000 rpm, and peak torque of 262 lb-ft at 5,000 rpm; the diesels we drove were putting out their 325 lb-ft of torque by 1,750 rpm, which is what made for the satisfying pull from a stoplight and the nice low-end grunt during light off-roading and sand sprints. Though careful transmission gearing will help, the eventual Palisade V6 will have to work a lot harder to move this big ute, and it’s safe to expect a lot of shifting from the eight-speed automatic too.

The Verdict

Hyundai almost certainly has a winner on its hands here. The Palisade looks good and is unique enough to stand out in a crowded segment, and its interior could compete with anything in its price category for best-in-class. As long as Hyundai gets the gasoline powertrain right for North America – a significant caveat – you can expect to start seeing plenty of Palisades around your local suburban strip mall beginning next summer.

Vehicle Model Information

ON SALE: Summer 2019

BASE PRICE: $32,000 (est.)

POWERTRAIN: 3.8-liter V6, 8-speed automatic, FWD/AWD

OUTPUT: 291 hp, 262 lb-ft torque

FUEL ECONOMY: TBD

PROS: Smooth, well-executed, good-looking people mover in a size perfect for families

CONS: Performance/economy with U.S.-spec engine still unknown

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