After putting the finishing touches on its sales-seeking crossover expansion, Hyundai realized something already well-known by domestic truck makers — if you offer a new trim above your loftiest level of luxury, plenty of people are liable to buy it. Assuming the basic bones of the vehicle are competent enough, of course.
After looking at early sales, it seems the Palisade has earned Hyundai plenty of sales, and perhaps more importantly, plenty of first-time buyers.
Time to crank up the lux!
Were the wonderful Jonathan Pryce here, he’d welcome you to the incredible new Palisade Calligraphy, a new range-topping trim for 2021. Adding nothing to the powertrain but lots to the cabin, the Calligraphy aims to pamper. To make the driver feel special. To boost this crossover’s margins.
Retailing for $47,750 before destination, the Calligraphy tops the previously top-flight Limited AWD by a modest $925. Hyundai hasn’t gone nuts here. For the extra price, buyers receive the usual 3.8-liter V6 and eight-speed automatic, standard all-wheel drive (now with snow mode, AWD lock, and downhill descent control), and a host of trim-specific niceties: a mildly revamped grille and front and rear fascias, trim-specific 20-inch wheels, “premium” tail light accent lighting and center high-mounted stop light, classy puddle lamps, quilted leather door panels, microfiber suede headliner, and a perforated leather steering wheel.
Clearly, Hyundai wants you to touch things and feel the luxury. If it existed on the Limited trim or belonged to the Premium Package, you’re liable to find it in the Palisade Calligraphy.
Hyundai noted that nearly half of Palisade customers had never before considered the brand, with a full 60 percent of buyers entering the Palisade from another brand. This, plus the fact that upper trims proved strongly popular in the Palisade’s first year of sales, means the addition of a new trim will likely help the model’s conquest efforts.
If the Palisade tempted you but couldn’t entirely scratch your premium itch, the Calligraphy lands in U.S. dealers this month.
[Images: Hyundai]
If these are reliable (at least through the first three years or so of ownership) they are gonna really help H/K become a force in the market. I have to believe the owner demographic is a solid notch up from their sedan buyers.
Wonder what brands their conquest sales are coming from?
Those wheels are spectacular. I really wish the Telluride had Palisades interior, it seems so much nicer. The Hyundai Is just too weird looking for my taste.
The employees over at Lincoln that aren’t jumping out of windows right now, are hastily scrubbing up their resumes and hitting LinkedIn to find that high school buddy of theirs that now works at Hyundai.
You forgot about the quilted leather is on the back of the front seats as well.
Quilted Leather is the Button Tuffed Velour of our time.
Long live Brougham!
I prefer red velour or blue velvet. It is more progressive material.
Hyundai needs to grow a pair right now. They need to create a new model with a more sloped back window, limo seating second row, kill the third row, throw in every tech bauble and the highest end audio system they can come up with, and declare it to be the H8X Gran Coupe.
Stick it on the lot for $109,000.
Remember, Hyundai, you miss 100% of the shots you never take.
Nobody dropping six figures on a car is going anywhere near a Hyundai dealership. Their is a reason they pick up and drop off a Genesis for work…because they wouldn’t sell any otherwise. Those buyers aren’t hanging out at the auto dealer equivalent of the Wal Mart return line while they get their oil changed.