Hyundai’s flagship SUV has always tried to mix genuine luxury with family friendliness. The 2025 Hyundai Palisade lifts that brief a little higher in Australia by keeping the lavish cabin, adding subtle tech tweaks and crucially holding the line on entry pricing. With seating for seven or eight and a choice of a smooth petrol V6 or a torquey turbo-diesel, the Palisade keeps its place on the shortlist of best SUVs for families. You will not spot big styling changes this year, yet the broad grille and vertical LED running lights still make a confident first impression. Inside, twin 12.3-inch screens and quilted leather trims remind you that Hyundai can do premium when it wants.
Pros and Cons
Pros: cavernous interior; refined ride quality; long equipment list even in base Elite grade; five-star ANCAP rating; diesel’s real-world economy
Cons: wide body needs extra care in city car parks; thirsty petrol V6; no hybrid in Australia (yet); price now nudges $80,000 in top Calligraphy Black Ink trim
How Much Does It Cost?
Pricing starts at $66,800 before on-roads for the Palisade Elite V6 and tops out at $81,719 for the Calligraphy Black Ink AWD diesel. The modest $1,500-$1,731 hike over last year is mostly confined to the flagship variants, so most buyers pay the same as in 2024.
Features and Benefits
Even the entry Elite packs 20-inch alloys, tri-zone climate, a 12-speaker Infinity sound system, wired CarPlay/Android Auto, wireless charging and hands-free tailgate. Move to Calligraphy and you gain dual sunroofs, Nappa leather, a head-up display and Hyundai’s clever Blind-Spot View Monitor that projects a live camera feed into the instrument cluster. Second-row captain’s chairs (optional) turn family road trips into business-class cruising.
Safety
Every 2025 Hyundai Palisade wears a five-star ANCAP score earned in 2022, backed by AEB with junction assist, lane-centering, adaptive cruise with stop-go, rear cross-traffic assist and Safe Exit Assist for fidgety kids. Calligraphy’s surround-view camera and rear auto-braking add another layer of parking confidence.
Running Costs
Hyundai covers the Palisade with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty and lifetime capped-price servicing. Diesel owners can pre-pay five services for $2,445; petrol buyers pay $2,295, both over 60 months or 75,000 km. Claimed combined fuel use sits at 7.3 L/100 km for the AWD diesel and 10.7 L/100 km for the FWD V6, the latter thirstier than most rivals.
Comparison To Its Competitors
Against a Toyota Kluger Hybrid or Mazda CX-90 diesel, the Palisade lacks an electrified option but undercuts the Mazda on price and still matches the Toyota for warranty length. Compared with its platform cousin, the Kia Sorento, the Palisade offers more third-row space and a classier cabin, though the Sorento’s smaller footprint is handier in town. If you need ute-based toughness, an Isuzu MU-X tows more but rides with less polish.
2025 Hyundai Palisade: Engine Specs, Trim-by-Trim Comparison, and The Smartest Choice
Conclusion
The 2025 Hyundai Palisade does not rewrite the rulebook, yet its blend of lounge-like comfort, family-focused practicality and generous standard kit keeps it firmly in the conversation for “best SUVs for families.” If you cover long regional kilometres, the diesel remains a peach; if you mostly commute, wait and see whether Hyundai brings the mooted hybrid for 2026. Either way, the current Palisade proves that mainstream badges can deliver near-luxury swagger without the premium-brand tax.
Rating: 8.3/10
The 2025 Hyundai Palisade scores highly for interior quality, safety tech and ride comfort, loses a little ground for thirsty petrol economy and parking-bay bulk, yet remains a polished, family-friendly large SUV that feels worth the price of admission.
