Hyundai Motor Company’s revamped version of Palisade, its flagship three-row sport utility vehicle, received 33,567 preorders on its launch day in South Korea, sources said Wednesday.
Rolled out on Friday, the Palisade SUV received the third-largest number of launch day orders among vehicles released by Hyundai Motor Group. It follows Hyundai Motor Company's Ioniq 6 SUV with 37,446 units in 2022 and Kia's 4th generation Carnival SUV with 36,455 units last year. This figure surpasses the preorders of the first-generation Palisade SUV in 2018 by more than 1.5 times.
The first full-change Palisade in six years added a hybrid variant and a nine-seater option for the first time. Riding on the growing appetite for vehicles with internal combustion and electric motors, 70 percent of the orders were for the hybrid versions, according to sources. Among buyers, 40 percent chose the nine-seater –-the first of that trim introduced by the Korean automaker -- while 60 percent opted for the ultra-premium Calligraphy model.
“Consumers are showing huge interest in the newly added trims,” said a Hyundai Motor Company official. The Palisade hybrid boasts a lower cost of maintenance, including better fuel economy, compared to the gasoline version, though it is 6 million won ($3,400) more expensive, the official noted.
The company stressed that the All-New Palisade is the first in Hyundai Motor’s fleet to have adopted the next-generation hybrid system, the 2.5 Turbo Hybrid, reflecting the rising demand for hybrid vehicles. The Palisade 2.5 Turbo Hybrid is expected to offer a high level of performance for an SUV with a combined motor output of 334 horsepower and impressive efficiency, enabling a driving range of over 1,000 kilometers on a single tank of gas.
In addition, the SUV applied “stay mode,” which optimizes battery charge levels to maximize electricity usage upon arrival at the destination, for the first time for its hybrid vehicle. This allows drivers to enjoy air conditioning, infotainment and other features even when the vehicle is stationary and the engine is off, similar to an electric vehicle.
Available in 12 trims, from the 2.5 Turbo Gasoline to the 2.5 Turbo Hybrid, with options including Exclusive, Prestige and Calligraphy models and seven or nine seats, prices start at 43.8 million won ($30,000). Hyundai Motor Company will begin delivering the 2.5 turbo gasoline model next month. The Palisade hybrid will be handed over to buyers by mid-2025 after receiving the low-carbon certification from the Environment Ministry.
hyejin2@heraldcorp.com
