You’re looking at the Palisade. Good choice. It’s the new kid on the block that actually earned its 10Best Award. The first time, mind you. That doesn’t happen by accident. But standing on the dealership lot, staring at two powertrains and an endless menu of trim levels? Exhausting. You don’t have all day.
So we cut to the chase. Buy the Blue SEL Premium.
Why this one?
Forget the V-6. It feels sluggish. The hybrid is quicker, sip fewer gallons at the pump, and costs barely more—just a couple of grand over the gas equivalent. The hybrid is the actual star here, the one making our list. Not the gas version. Keep that in mind.
Now, onto trims. We’re ignoring the base SEL. The Blue SEL Premium? That’s the sweet spot. You pay $49,122. Yes, thousands. But listen. You get the heated steering wheel. Your front passenger gets power adjustments, ventilation. Heat and cooling for the second row? Rare at this price. You’re also looking at a 360-degree cam system. Side parking sensors join the front and rear ones. Auto-braking in reverse? Standard now. A sunroof pops open too.
For what? More convenience. Less friction.
What’s missing? Not much
The only choice you truly make on this trim? The second-row layout. Bench seat. Three across. Or captain’s chairs. Two separate seats. It doesn’t cost extra to switch. But here’s the catch: choose the bench and you lose row-two ventilation. You also drop from eight passengers to seven.
Want all-wheel drive? Step up. Literally. Move to the standard SEL Premium. It starts at $51,140. The “Blue” moniker implies front-wheel drive only. That’s fine if you live where snow is a memory. But if you need grip? The SEL Premium gives you the same equipment, minus the eco-badge.
Is luxury worth the markup? Sometimes. Not today.
Leave the luxury behind
The Limited and Calligraphy trims exist. They demand attention. Both include all-wheel drive and second-row captains chairs. Mandatory. You lose choice. The Limited upgrades wheels to 20 inches. Faux leather becomes real stuff. Driver massage. A premium audio system. A factory hitch—lower trims don’t offer this. A panoramic roof instead of the smaller one below. Third row features more adjustments. Power folding, reclining.
Then Calligraphy hits. Twenty-one-inch wheels. Head-up display. Remote parking assist. Built-in dashcams for front and rear. Advance collision features.
Sounds cool? It does. Does it need to? You’ll spend significantly more for tweaks. Leather is nice. Real or synthetic—who cares? The comfort gap shrinks quickly once you settle into the SEL Premium.
The Palisade Hybrid handles the hard parts of family haulage without forcing you into luxury-tax territory. You save thousands. You still look sharp. And honestly? That might be the most efficient feature of all.
What happens next? You drive it home.
