Hyundai has consolidated on its popularity in Nigeria by launching into the nation’s auto market its world acclaimed, first 8-seater, family SUV (Sports Utility Vehicle), Hyundai Palisade.
To ensure its suitability for the nation’s road conditions and tropical environment, Stallion Motors, Nigeria’s representative of Hyundai, has commenced local manufacturing of the iconic car at its VON Assembly plant situated in Gbagada, Lagos.
In a recent media chat, Sales Head for the brand, Mr. Gaurav Vashisht, said his company was encouraged to make the car available to auto loving Nigerians, because itcomes with all existing attributes and even more positive additions that endear Hyundai brand to Nigerians.
“We are proud to serve Nigerian auto lovers with Palisade, which is locally manufactured and typically modified to best suite the climatic and road conditions of Nigeria,” Vashisht explained, adding, “And responses we are getting have been tremendous.”
For those with a sense of adventure and who want to explore for themselves, palisade, which its maker rightly describes as the ultimate get-away vehicle, comes with a choice of two trims -SE and SEL , bold design, innovative smart safety features as well as class-leading spaciousness.
Styling
Whether going on holiday or family outing, Palisade is one car that a typical Nigerian family would be proud to cruise in, as it continues the Hyundai tradition of automotive splendour.
Reflecting the premium values of a flagship SUV, Palisade’s bold lines are a statement of pure elegance.
Equipped with separated composite LED headlights and vertical, unique rear lights, the SUV, when viewed from the side, exhibits a powerful long hood design.
Comfort and Space
Palisade is no doubt versatile. Its horizontal layout creates a spacious, pleasant feeling while the bridge-type console is a class above the rest. Its three rows of family seats spoil eight occupants with excellent and comfortable room for heads, legs and shoulders, crowning all with large luggage space.
Equipment
Palisade is equipped with an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment display with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and Bluetooth connectivity as standard.
Palisade SEL trim could be acquired with an optional 10.3-inch display rendered with sharp resolution, all of which are standard with the Limited edition, offering navigation and SiriusXM satellite radio.
The second row features a one-touch button to move the seat forward for easy access to the third row.
Safety
Family occupants of a Palisade have every reason to ride with peace of mind as the car comes with 6 airbags and a range of smart safety features that are unprecedented in its segment. Therefore, the driver and passengers, including children are well protected. While the driver and front passenger get a pair of front airbags plus a pair of side airbags to protect the thorax and pelvic areas, left and right curtain airbags offer head protection for all cabin occupants.
Born with Hyundai Smart sense, Palisade parades Blind Spot Collision Warning (BCW)., using a radar sensor in the rear bumper to warn the driver of the approaching vehicles in the blind spot area.
Equipped with first in class Safe Exit Assist (SEA), Palisade is intelligent enough to be able to sense vehicles approaching from the rear and keeps the child lock engaged, thus preventing passengers from getting out. And once the vehicles have passed, a simple push of a button unlocks the door for a safe exit.
Like a pudding with its safety menu, Hyundai also consolidates Palisade’s safety assurance with what is known as Surround View Monitor (SVM), a multi-camera system, which provides a 360-degree view around the vehicle to assist the driver in parking .
No wonder, already Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, United States, has named palisade a Top Safety Pick+.
Power &Performance
The new palisade is powered by a 3.8 –litre, V6 Gasoline Engine, with a pulling power of 291 horses (291 hp) and 262 lb-ft of torque, mated to 8-speed shift-by-wire automatic transmission, which can be manually shifted with steering-wheel-mounted paddles. Front-wheel drive is standard, while all-wheel drive is optional on all trim levels.
According to a European test-driver, who tested an all-wheel-drive SEL trim, the car delivered adequate test results, and able to hit almost 100 km/hour in less than 7 seconds.
“It purrs under full throttle and is pretty smooth all the time,” he wrote, “It won’t goad you into lawlessness, but neither will it disturb your morning introspection.”
Interestingly, said to be slightly quicker than its Nigerian competitor, Kia Telluride, in a comparative test, Palisade was also rated above Mazda CX-9 and 2020 Ford Explorer
Last Words
Palisade, like most of its siblings has started a harvest of recognitions and awards since launched. Most recent was its recognition as one of Best new cars for 2020, courtesy of Auto Trader magazine.
According to the medium, Hyundai Palisade was selected for “striking the perfect balance between an affordable volume car and a premium luxury car,” applauding its maker for “stepping up its game big time, emerging as a modern automaker delivering style, features, and value, all in one attractive package..”
Stallion Group’s GM, Marketing, Ms. Arpita Roy Luthra, who acknowledged Nigerians’ passion and preference for a large SUV, assured that Palisade, a feature packaged large family car, is just a perfect choice for Nigerian families
And talking about combination of quality ride, all-round safety, equipment, exquisiteness, complemented with intelligence, Hyundai fits perfectly within that description. No wonder, over the years, Hyundai has successfully established itself as the largest selling new car brand in Nigeria.
