Hyundai Palisade (LX3) review: eight real seats for less than a Highlander
3.9/5MotorsSouq Editorial Team
If eight genuinely usable seats and Highlander-beating cabin technology at a lower price matter more to you than Toyota's resale reputation, the Palisade is the smarter buy. The naturally aspirated V6 is thirsty by class standards, which matters in a car that will spend most of its life in Bahrain's stop-start city traffic rather than on the open highway. Buy the higher trim for the extra safety suite — Palisade buyers rarely regret spending up on this car.
Pros
- Genuinely usable third row for adults on short trips
- More cabin technology than the Highlander at a lower price
- Eight-seat capacity across most trims
- Confident, distinctive American-market styling
- More standard safety equipment than rivals in this price bracket
Cons
- Naturally aspirated V6 is thirsty for the class
- Resale value trails the Highlander in this market
- Nearly 2.1-tonne kerb weight blunts agility in tight car parks
- No hybrid or turbo option offered on GCC-spec cars
- Third row still tight for adults on the full causeway run
The Palisade's boxy, upright grille and vertical light signature were designed to read as a premium American-market SUV rather than a scaled-up Tucson, and inside the cabin follows through with a dual-screen dashboard and materials that genuinely compete with a Highlander a segment above its price.
The 3.8-litre naturally aspirated V6 makes a healthy 295 hp through a conventional eight-speed automatic, and it needs every bit of that power to move a nearly 2.1-tonne SUV with eight people aboard. Fuel consumption in real-world Bahrain driving sits in the double digits per 100 km, which is the honest cost of the size and the lack of a turbo or hybrid assist.
Genuinely usable third row
Unlike many three-row crossovers where the last row is a legal fiction for children only, the Palisade's third row has real headroom and legroom for adults on short trips, and the second row slides far enough forward to make third-row access genuinely easy rather than a climbing exercise.
Highlander and Telluride comparison
Against the Highlander, the Palisade wins clearly on interior technology, third-row space and price. Against its own Telluride sibling — not officially sold in Bahrain but present as a grey import — the styling and badge draw a different buyer entirely. The honest downside remains resale: Toyota's reputation still commands a premium the Palisade cannot match new-for-new.
For a Bahrain family that needs eight real seats more than it needs a Toyota badge, the Palisade is one of the strongest value arguments in the segment. Budget for the fuel bill and accept a softer resale curve, and the rest of the ownership experience holds up well.