The Hyundai Palisade is available in several trim levels, and the SEL and Limited are two of the most popular. But what's the difference between the Palisade SEL and Limited? We've done the research to bring you the answer!
The Palisade SEL is an upgraded version of the base SE trim level, with added features like heated front seats and a power sunroof, among others.
The Limited, however, is a luxury trim level like the Calligraphy. Because of this, the Limited offers many high-end features. Here are just a few:
- Heads-Up Display
- Two Sun Roofs
- 12-Speaker Surround Sound
- Blind Spot and Surround View Monitors
- First- and Second-Row Seat Heating and Cooling
- Nappa Leather Seats
In this article, we'll take a closer look at both of these trim levels as well as the other options for the Palisade. We'll also discuss whether the Palisade Limited is worth the upgrade and how the Palisade compares with the Telluride. Read on to learn all about it!
Key Features of the Palisade SEL and Limited
We've seen some of the differences between the Palisade SEL and Limited, but let's take a deeper dive into both of these trim levels to see what differentiates them.
Hyundai Palisade SEL
The Hyundai Palisade SEL offers a number of upgrades on the SE base trim without requiring a huge investment. While the 2022 Palisade SE has an MSRP of $33,600, the SEL starts at $35,950.
While this difference of $2,350 is nothing to sneeze at, it's not the large increase you see when moving into luxury territory with the Limited and Calligraphy. With the extra cost, you'll find a lot of extra features in the SEL that are absent in the SE.
Here are some of the main features found in the SEL:
- Power tilt-and-slide sunroof
- Roof side rails
- Safe Exit Assist
- Leather-wrapped steering wheel
- 8-way power driver's seat
- Heated front seats
- Machine-faced wheels
- Satin-chrome handles
- 7-passenger seating with captain's chairs in the second row
- 8-passenger seating option with bench seat second row
- Proximity key and push-button start
- Dual-zone temperature control
- HomeLink system that connects your vehicle with smart home devices
On top of all of these great features, the SEL is the only trim level that has two packages available: the Convenience Package and the Premium Package.
SEL Convenience Package
The Convenience Package for the SEL costs $2,400 but adds a lot of excellent features.
With the convenience package, you'll get features that help with driving and function, such as a hands-free liftgate, front parking distance alarm, ultrasonic rear occupant alert, LED taillights, and a 7-inch instrument cluster with high resolution.
You'll also find great convenience features, including the rear side window shades, a 115-volt AC power outlet, third-row USB ports, and wireless device charging.
The 20-inch alloy wheels will also give your exterior a higher-end feel.
SEL Premium Package
To get the premium package, you have to first select the convenience package and then add another $3,200. However, the great features this adds is makes this package deserving of its premium monicker.
This package adds a lot of great features in terms of seating, including leather seating, driver's seat memory, 8-way power passenger seat, heated second-row seats, and power-folding and reclining for the third-row seats.
You'll also find some premium features like the 10.25-inch touchscreen, navigation system, premium dashboard and armrests, heated steering wheel, car intercom, highway driving assist, and Sirius XM.
Hyundai Palisade Limited
It's clear that the SEL offers a lot of upgrades to the standard SE, especially when outfitted with the available packages. The Limited, however, takes the Palisade into luxury territory.
It does this at a cost, though. The MSRP for the Limited starts at $45,840, making it $12,260 more than the SE and nearly $10,000 more than the SEL.
We've already covered several of the Limited's features above, but there are more to add to that list. Some of these enhance the appearance of the Limited, like the body-color wheel arches, bumper, door handles, and power mirrors.
What's the best Hyundai Palisade trim?
The best trim level for your Palisade will, ultimately, depend on what it is you're looking for. However, of all the trim levels, the Palisade SEL offers the best bang for your buck.
The cost of upgrading to the SEL from the SE is relatively minimal and the number of features included is impressive, especially if you add the premium package.
An SEL outfitted with the premium package and AWD will still cost less than the Limited with the FWD drivetrain. Although you'll miss out on some of the most high-end features, you'll have a premium SUV with AWD and more cash left in your pocket.
That's why the SEL has been chosen by both Car and Driver and Motor Biscuit as their preferred trim level for the Palisade.
Is the Hyundai Palisade Limited worth it?
We've seen that the Limited trim level elevates the Palisade to a luxury vehicle, but is it worth the expense?
As we saw before, a supped-up SEL can get you a lot of great features and AWD while still costing less than the Limited. However, for some drivers, luxury is the name of the game.
If you are looking for a luxury trim, you may find that you prefer the Calligraphy over the Limited. While more expensive than the Limited, it only comes out to $1,450 more. This difference is minimal for a luxury SUV and gets you all the best features.
This includes a lot of Calligraphy-exclusive exterior flourishes, such as the grille, 20-inch alloy wheels, front and rear fascia, and door finishes.
The quilted leather found on the seats in the Limited is also brought to the door panels. You'll also get the microfiber suede headliner and a perforated leather steering wheel.
The lighting also stands out on the Calligraphy, with its wide LED CHMSL, puddle lights, premium taillamp accent lighting, and premium cargo sill plate.
You can get an in-depth tour of the 2022 Palisade Calligraphy in the video below:
Is the Hyundai Palisade better than the Kia Telluride?
The Hyundai Palisade and the Kia Telluride frequently get compared, and it's easy to see why. Both are high-quality mid-size SUVs in a similar price range. But which is better?
There's not a clear better choice between the two, but they do differ in some important ways.
The Telluride is generally a bit more affordable than the Palisade. We've seen that the Palisade's base trim starts at an MSRP of $33,600, but the Telluride starts at $33,090.
This difference isn't huge, and it starts to dwindle if you opt for AWD. While it costs an extra $2,000 to upgrade the Telluride, you can get AWD on the Palisade for just $1,750 more.
However, it may be the case that the Telluride saves you money in the long run as well. J. D. Power gave the 2022 Telluride a score of 85 for quality and reliability, but a score of just 80 for the 2022 Palisade.
However, the Palisade also outperforms the Telluride in certain areas. One of these is safety.
While both vehicles have excellent safety ratings by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), only the Palisade received their coveted Top Safety Pick+ for 2022.
While these differences do exist, they are fairly minimal. At the end of the day, both the Telluride and the Palisade are excellent choices if you're in the market for a mid-size SUV.
The best way to decide is to give them both a test drive and see which one feels right for you.
Final Thoughts
The Hyundai Palisade comes in a variety of trim levels, but now you know more about each of them.
In particular, we've seen the differences between the SEL and the Limited. However, we've also learned more about the SE and the Calligraphy so that you can see which is best for you.
We've also learned a little bit more about how the Hyundai Palisade compares with its Kia counterpart, the Telluride.
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