When the Hyundai Palisade burst onto the scene a few years ago, the brand new flagship SUV became an instant smash.

With upscale and comfortable seating for up to 8 passengers, the Palisade is one of the vehicles leading the resurgence of Hyundai in the tough SUV battleground. Ironically, one of its top competitors is a corporate cousin, the Kia Telluride, along with the Honda Pilot, Ford Explorer and Toyota Highlander.

But everything must change to stay relevant, so a refresh to the Palisade’s design inside and out has arrived for 2023. There’s also a new stylish and rugged trim level (XRT) added for 2023, improved tech setup, and safety upgrades.

I recently tested a 2023 Hyundai Palisade, and I’m back with a full report on how it measures up against today’s best SUVs.

In the U.S., the vehicle trend in recent years has been “bigger is better”. Sedans are disappearing every year, and large SUVs appear to be growing on trees.

Even companies that had traditionally were not focused on the larger SUV category are now dipping their toes in the water. Once such company is Hyundai, which debuted its 2020 Hyundai Palisade three-row SUV during 2019.

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The Palisade is the largest SUV ever offered by Hyundai, jumping to the top of their lineup above the Santa Fe, Kona and Tucson. And it’s an impressive debut, to say the least.

A corporate cousin to the Kia Telluride (another impressive debut for the 2020 model year in this segment), the Palisade offers an attractive design, both on the exterior and the roomy interior setup.