There’s no shortage of soft-roaders on the market these days. From subcompact to full-size, SUVs with nothing more than mainly cosmetic add-ons that look the part (sort of) but don’t really bring much to the table in terms of actual off-road chops. I drove one of Hyundai’s earlier XRT efforts, the Santa Fe XRT, a few years ago and came away unconvinced by the off-road image it was trying to sell. It offered enough most families would need off the pavement, but that was about it. The new Palisade XRT Pro feels like Hyundai has finally put some meaningful hardware behind the badge.
XRT Finally Means More Than Looks
The mid-size Palisade is Hyundai’s first model to get the XRT Pro treatment, going beyond the usual black trim and burlier looks. And rightfully so. It sits higher at 8.4 inches, up an inch over base Palisade models, riding on 18-inch wheels wrapped in 255/60R18 all-terrain tires. There’s also a model-exclusive rear electronic limited-slip differential, HTRAC all-wheel drive, and new Mud, Sand, and Snow terrain modes.
“The initial XRT idea mostly looked adventurous. The Palisade XRT Pro actually brings some of the hardware to back it up.”
Sure, this three-row family hauler doesn’t transform into a proper rock crawler, but it gives the Palisade considerably more credibility off the grid. Approach, departure, and breakover angles improve to 20.5, 22.4, and 18.3 degrees, respectively, while the bright red recovery hooks, front and rear, are functional rather than just decorative. Hyundai also adds Downhill Brake Control and a forward ground-view camera, along with displays for pitch, roll, elevation, and compass heading.
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On our short off-road run, the course wasn’t extreme enough to find the XRT Pro’s limits, but that was almost beside the point. The Palisade handled the loose surfaces, uneven terrain, and changes in elevation with relative ease. For something this large and family-focused, it felt comfortable getting dirty rather than like a street SUV being asked to do something outside its comfort zone.
Still a Palisade First
That matters because Hyundai hasn’t tried to turn the XRT Pro into something it isn’t. Under the hood is the Palisade’s naturally aspirated 3.5-litre V6, producing 287 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque through an eight-speed automatic. It’s a straightforward fit for an SUV that still puts refinement and everyday usability ahead of driving thrills, much like we found with the new Palisade Hybrid. XRT Pro comes standard with HTRAC all-wheel drive, a factory-installed tow hitch, and a 5,000-pound maximum towing capacity.
More importantly, the SUV remains a family-focused, daily driver first. The XRT Pro keeps the Palisade’s three-row layout and adds heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, Bose audio, ambient lighting, a 115-volt outlet, and a power moonroof. The off-road upgrades don’t come at the expense of the things that make a Palisade useful in the first place. That’s probably the best way to look at XRT Pro. This isn’t Hyundai chasing Jeeps up rock faces or trying to turn the Palisade into a hardcore trail rig. It’s for families who tow, camp, deal with snow, head down rough cottage roads, or occasionally find themselves somewhere a regular crossover starts to feel a little out of place.
The initial XRT idea mostly looked adventurous. The Palisade XRT Pro actually brings some of the hardware to back it up. An evolution, if you will. For a big three-row SUV that still has daily school runs and monthly Costco jaunts, that feels like the right level of serious.
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