Launched: 2023 Hyundai Palisade LX2 PE – 2.2L Diesel & 3.8L Petrol, From RM369K

Hyundai Sime Darby Motor (HSDM) has unveiled the 2023 Hyundai Palisade LX2 facelift today, featuring four variants with two powertrain options. This refreshed three-row SUV made its global debut back in April 2022, while debuting in the neighbouring Indonesian market later in Aug of the same year.

The Product Enhancement (PE) treatment sees the Palisade LX2 being donned with a slew of design changes, both inside and out, as well as the addition of tech bits and amenities.

Starting off with its design, the 2023 Palisade PE boasts a brand-new front fascia, now with less bright chrome finish. Gone is the old chrome front grille, replaced with a sleeker, more modern-looking cascading grille, finished in dark chrome. The lower part of the reworked front bumper also ditched the old chrome finishing, opting for a darker metal finish instead.

Flanking the big front grille is a pair of LED headlights with High-beam Assist (HBA), with the DRL light strip now being moved outward. The front signal lights retain their original position, sitting just above the headlamp. The de-chroming work continues on the Palisade’s rear part, as it now sports a new rear bumper design, with the faux diffuser also finished in dark metal hue. For the taillights, the diesel models sport an LED and halogen combo, while the petrol variants don the full-LED taillights instead.

All of the facelifted Palisade variants ride on a set of multi-spoke 20-inch alloy wheels with two-tone finish.

Just like its preceding model debuted in Dec 2021, the 2023 Palisade PE comes in four different variants with two choice of powertrains, namely the 2.2-litre 4-cyl CRDi turbodiesel and 3.8-litre Lambda II nat-asp V6 petrol. With both engines paired with the same 8-speed automatic gearbox, the turbodiesel mill is capable of delivering 197 HP and 440 NM, while the V6 petrol engine outputs 291 HP and 355 NM.

These power outputs grant the Palisade with a 0 to 100 KM/H sprint finish in 7.8 seconds for the 3.8-litre V6 petrol model, and a slower 10.2 seconds for the 2.2-litre turbodiesel.

While the 3.8-litre V6 petrol model only comes with a front-wheel-drive (FWD) system, the 2.2-litre turbodiesel Palisade is primed with Hyundai’s proprietary HTRAC all-wheel-drive (AWD) system, thus making it a more capable option between the two.

The HTRAC AWD system grants the diesel-powered Palisade with four driving modes – Comfort, Eco, Sport, and Smart, as well as three terrain modes – Snow, Mud, and Sand. All these modes are switchable via the Drive/Terrain Mode control mounted at the central console, just beneath the climate controls.

Both models each come with two trim levels, those being the eight-seater Executive variant, and the range-topping seven-seater Luxury variant. The eight-seater Executive variant comes with a standard 3-seater bench for its second row seat, while the seven-seater Luxury variant sports two individual seats with armrests on its second row.

Aside from the different seating layout, the top-spec Luxury variant also comes with ventilated and heated seat functions for both the front seats and the second row seats. Meanwhile, the lower-spec Executive variant only offers ventilated and heated seats for the front seats, while the second row seats only come with heated functions.

The biggest interior change for the facelifted Palisade, however, takes place at its front dash, where it is now being crowned with a bigger 12.3-inch infotainment display. Both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity are available via USB connection, not wirelessly. Fortunately, there’s a wireless charging pad hidden inside the central console compartment, besides the two cup holders and charging ports. 

Speaking of charging ports, the Palisade is laden with it, with six USB-C ports scattered around the cabin – two for each seating row.

Drivers will get a newly-designed steering wheel finished in leather, with few easy-access controls embossed on it. Adding some luxury touches to the Palisade’s cabin is the inclusion of the ambient LED lighting, with the lights colour switchable via the infotainment display. Topping off the tech amenities is the head-up display (HUD) that projects essential driving information onto the windshield, thus minimising driver distraction.

The 2023 Palisade PE is offered in six exterior hues, those being Creamy White Pearl, Shimmering Silver Metallic, Gaia Brown Pearl, Abyss Black Pearl, Moonlight Blue Pear, as well as Graphite Gray Metallic. Customers can match the exterior colour with three interior finish options, namely the Black Monotone Leather and Cloth, Burgundy Nappa Leather with Cloth, as well as the Warm Grey Nappa Leather with Layered Wood veneer.

As Hyundai’s flagship SUV, the facelifted Palisade now comes with a full-swing of Hyundai Smart Sense advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) for all variants. This includes features like Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Stop and Go, Blind-spot Collision-Avoidance Assist (BCA), Rear Cross Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (RCCA), Lane Keep Assist (LKA), Lane Following Assist (LFA), Forward Collision Avoidance Assist (FCA), Leading Vehicle Departure Alert (LVDA), Safe Exit Alert (SEA), and many more.

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade LX2 PE commands a price tag starting from RM368,888 for the 8-seater Executive 2.2L Diesel model, and RM378,888 for the Executive 3.8L Petrol model. Meanwhile, the up-specced, 7-seater models are priced RM389,888 for the Luxury 2.2L Diesel variant, while the Luxury 3.8L Petrol variant tops-off the list with RM399,888. 

All prices are inclusive of a standard 24-month or 50,000 KM vehicle warranty. Customers can opt for the extended warranty package priced at RM11,000 for the petrol variant and RM12,000 for the diesel variant, which grants them a longer 60-month or 300,000 KM vehicle warranty, as well as a 3-year free service.

Folks, what are your thoughts on the facelifted Palisade flagship SUV? Is this royal-approved SUV too posh for your liking? As always, don't forget to leave your thoughts in the comments down below…