Whether you have a 5th wheel camper, a pair of jet skis, or a trailer for your motorcycle, when you buy a new SUV, it is important to know about tow hitches, tongue weight, and towing capacity. We've thoroughly researched these options for the 2021 Hyundai Palisade. Here's an in-depth look at the capabilities of the new Palisade for towing all your vacation fun!
All four trim levels on the 2021 Hyundai Palisade are delivered standard with a trailer prep package which includes a transmission oil cooler, a seven-pin trailer wiring system, and trailer sway control. You can add a towing package with the hitch to all the trims, even the top-of-the-line Palisade Calligraphy.
Being able to tow a trailer while carrying passengers is one of the best parts of having an SUV. But what is important in a towing package? In this article, we will discuss the features of the trailer prep and towing packages. This will include some information on towing specs.
Hyundai Palisade Towing Package Options
The 2021 Hyundai Palisade comes in four trims: SE, SEL, Limited, and the top-of-line Calligraphy. All come designed to add the tow package so that you can pull your trailer. The Palisade comes in seven- or eight-passenger versions depending on whether you choose the second-row captain's chairs.
Hyundai Palisade Towing Specs
The 2021 Palisade has a direct injection 3.8 L V6 engine with eight-speed automatic transmission. Whether in Front Wheel Drive (FWD) or All Wheel Drive (AWD), this engine provides the power for pulling any Class III trailer. The towing specs are:
- 291 horsepower
- 262 lb-ft of torque
- 5,000 lbs towing with powered trailer brakes
- 1,650 lbs towing without powered trailer brakes
- 350 lbs of tongue weight
Hyundai Tow Package Vs. Trailer Prep Package
Hyundai uses two terms that are often merged in online forums: Tow Package and Trailer Prep Package. The Tow Package includes the visible parts of the towing equipment on the vehicle, especially the hitch itself, and how the wires for the trailer's lights attach. The Trailer Prep Package is the internal improvements to the SUV for pulling a trailer.
In the online vehicle forums, contributors often merge these two packages together as they explore which are factory installed and aftermarket add-ons. The Hyundai Palisade's Prep Package means that it is both designed and constructed so that you can pull a trailer. You will still need to add the Tow Package to get the receiver and tow hitch ball. The receiver and tow hitch ball are an option on all Palisades.
Trailer Prep Package Upgraded Suspension and Chassis
The 2021 Hyundai Palisade is designed with a strong frame for towing. The upgraded suspension means the SUV's frame carries some of the trailer weight. In other SUVs, this might be an after-market addition to the frame for pulling trailers.
A designed chassis for towing includes stronger rear springs, robust shocks, and rear brakes. By designing the chassis to pull a trailer, the Palisade then carries much of the trailer weight. A good chassis connection to the hitch will keep the trailer horizontal. The SUV is carrying much of the weight of the trailer and its cargo. A horizontal trailer will give smooth pulling and provide fewer vibrations to the SUV and its passengers.
How Do You Know If Your Vehicle Has A Tow Package?
When you are at the dealer, the Tow Package and/or Trailer Prep Package is offered either on the window sticker or listed in the vehicle's brochure. You can also ask the dealer who can look this up if they do not know off the top of their head.
The best way to learn what your vehicle has is using the VIN number with a used vehicle. A VIN decoder allows you to look up the history of the vehicle before you. Or, to be sure you get the exact history, take the VIN to the Hyundai dealer, and they will give you the history of the vehicle and the original specs that were factory installed on the SUV.
Does The Hyundai Palisade Come With A Trailer Hitch?
When buying a new 2021 Hyundai Palisade to pull a trailer or 5th wheel, order one with the Tow Package factory installed. The trailer hitch is not included standard on any other Palisade trims. The Tow Package includes the Class III receiver with the tow hitch ball mounted to it. The Hyundai Palisade can pull up to 5,000 lbs.
The Tow Package will come with the tow harness for connecting the trailer brake lights and turn signals if your trailer has this capability. The tow harness is supposed to be a seven-pin connector. The pins are wires that go to the trailer tail lights and the powered brakes your trailer may have for pulling heavier loads.
Do All 2021 Hyundai Palisades Have 7-Pin Hitch Connectors?
Some early 2021 Palisades came with four-pin wiring instead of the seven-pin that is supposed to be standard. The seven-pin wiring is crucial for pulling a heavier trailer as you will need electronic trailer brakes for heavier boats or 5th-wheels. Hyundai told dealers that there was a design lag getting the seven-pin connectors ready for the vehicles. Hopefully, this has been ironed out when you go to buy your Palisade.
Make sure you talk with your dealer and put in writing what type of wiring you are expecting. This way, if the Palisade comes with a four-pin, the dealer will be updating it when the seven-pin wiring package comes from Hyundai.
What Is The Towing Capacity Of The Palisade?
With 291 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque, the Hyundai Palisade can pull up to 5,000 lbs. In many countries, it is illegal to pull such heavy loads without powered trailer brakes. In the United States, the requirement for the Hyundai Palisade is that anything above 1,650 lbs requires powered brakes. Anything below 1,650 lbs does not require powered brakes.
Can A Hyundai Palisade Tow A Boat?
The Hyundai Palisade has a robust engine that can pull a boat with either the FWD or AWD. The trailer sway controls and stronger chassis with well-designed rear brakes make pulling a boat easy for the Palisade.
Can a Hyundai Palisade Tow a 5th Wheel?
The Hyundai Palisade cannot pull a 5th wheel trailer. A 5th wheel trailer can only be towed by a pickup truck with the appropriate setup in the bed. Be sure to check that your pickup truck has the appropriate equipment and capability to do so.
What Standard Features Help with Towing?
The 2021 Hyundai Palisade comes standard with lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, standard adaptive cruise control, and trailer sway control. The lane-departure and lane-keeping features are computerized monitors that ensure the Palisade with its trailer stay even within the lane, which helps avoid the need for sudden steering, which can be difficult and dangerous when pulling a trailer.
The adaptive cruise control is wired so that the SUV's computer knows when the trailer is plugged into the rear so that the engine will accelerator or decelerate safely with the trailer and its cargo attached. The computer also controls the trailer sway control, which monitors the sway in the trailer and adjusts the SUV's power and brakes to smooth out the trailer's ride.
Which is better FWD or AWD for Pulling a Trailer?
The 2021 Hyundai Palisade comes standard with FWD, but the upgrade to The HTRAC (Hyundai TRACtion) All-Wheel Drive (AWD) system will give the Palisade better trailer pulling capabilities. The eight-speed automatic transmission comes with a heavy transmission oil cooler included, which will help the engine remain cool even when pulling heavy loads.
The HTRAC AWD system was created in 2014 for the Hyundai Genesis brand vehicles. This drive system has been added across all three Hyundai Motor Company family brands: Genesis, Hyundai, and Kia.
Summing It All Up
The 2021 Hyundai Palisade is designed to pull a trailer with a strong chassis, with trailer wiring included and trailer sway control standard. The Palisade SE, SEL, and Limited come with FWD, but all can be upgraded to AWD, which comes standard on the Calligraphy. It is easy to order the Towing Package on any Palisade trim, so you are ready for all your trailer pulling needs.