News

Purchased a Hyundai Palisade: Buying experience & initial impression

6th April 2024, 15:40 by Utkarsh Chaudhary

Some other cars that we considered include the Tesla Model Y, Land Rover Discovery, Volvo XC90, Audi Q7, Kia Telluride and Toyota Grand Highlander.

BHPian nikhilarni recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I would like to start this ownership thread by being thankful and grateful to the Almighty and count my blessings for the chance and opportunity to experience and own some of my dream machines.

Dad's cardinal rule: No touching the car until I got a proper license after turning 18. He refused to teach me in his car. Said I had to go to a driving school. Period! No points for guessing, for my 18th birthday, I asked to be enrolled in a driving school. Being licensed to drive, I was allowed to drive short distances under his supervision. Back then, we lived on Mira Road (a suburb in Mumbai) and my driving boundaries were from home till a point just before hitting the Mira-Bhayander highway.

My dad upgraded his car to a Santro LS in 2001. Still in Engineering, I wasn't really allowed to take the car on my own. It had to be with dad around. No exceptions to that rule. A trip that I vividly recall was an impromptu drive to Mahabaleshwar with dad around Dec 2006. I called it a little sojourn with dad.

At a beach near Shrivardhan

Scenic western ghats as a backdrop in Lonavala.

Bought my first car in June of 2011, a blue Hyundai i20 Magna (Diesel). Six fwd gears, Climate control AC, MID, a peppy 1.4L diesel made for good economy with decent power. What else could I ask for? It was my daily drive and for the many fun road trips in and around Bombay. I found this book - "The Outlook: Guide to 52 Weekend Road Trips from Bombay". As newly weds, a new car - we had to tick off as many places as possible from the travel guide book After moving to Pune in early 2013, Lonavala plans were made at the drop of a hat! My i20 continues to serve us faithfully, doing duty with my dad in B'lore.

Taking delivery of our first car.

Got an opportunity to go onsite in 2016. The go-to car for new "transplants" is a Honda or Toyota. I went the Honda route and got a 2016 Accord EX with the Honda Sensing. Coming from an i20 to the Accord - What a thrill factor it was. The dual screens, the adaptive cruise control, big roomy cabin blah blah blah! I had the Accord for about four and a half years clocking about 48xxx miles. Most of our initial road trips were done on the Accord. A nice sedate sedan dutifully crunched the miles, returning amazing mileage with barely any maintenance costs.

At Mt Washington, NH during Fall.

Having fun in the snow.

Sometime around Feb 2019, we got a used 2011 VW Golf, because my wife wanted a compact car to start with. She wasn't comfortable with driving the Accord. Used it like a beater for about 6 months till I got the dreaded Check Engine light. Listed it on Craigslist and was sold the very next day.

Fun little toy, it was.

Had that 3-year itch to get something else having sold the VW Golf. I was keen on a Certified Pre-owned X3, but every specimen I saw just left me disappointed. I felt the tech levels in my 2016 Accord were better than those in the X3. A chance visit to a Benz showroom, and we found this little unicorn that had just come in. It was a 2017 GLC300, loaded to the gills with Ventilated seats, HUD, Pano sunroof, heated steering, Burmester sound system, extendable under thigh support etc. with only 8000 miles on it. I couldn't let it go. Driving the GLC changed my perspective of the Germans. The seats were plush. Ultra quiet cabin. After all, it's a 3 pointed star. I could clearly differentiate between the Accord's 180-hp engine and the 250-hp GLCs.

Clean, elegant and butter-smooth!

Then come 2021, and the car of my Dreams enters our life aka the BMW M340i. This was hoots to drive, and my first ownership thread on this forum as well. Adieu Accord, Hallo Blauer Pfeil. It was mine for about 16 months clocking about 15xxx miles, before parting ways.

Stuff of Dreams!

Circa 2024, with life coming a full circle and starting the next phase as parents to twins, we needed something bigger, especially with visiting family and stuff. Funny, I mention about life coming a full circle, with my first car being a Hyundai i20 (diesel) way back in 2011.

The twin stroller took up the entire trunk space (in the GLC300) leaving barely anything for groceries or the baby bags. The infant car seats meant, no one else could sit in the rear. Priorities switched, time to wear the practical hat and let the brains rule. We had to get something bigger than the GLC300.

I've broken out the thread into:

In typical Team-BHP style, first the likes and quirks, followed by the saga

Likes

Styling. I personally love the floating roof effect.
S P A C E ... Loads of space.
Usable third row. Albeit with a compromised trunk space. But this is more of a city tourer if used as a 3-row SUV.
Very comfortable driver's seat with massage function and under thigh support (available on the Calligraphy trim).
Heated and Ventilated Front and second row seats, Third row has heated seats.
Love the Digital IRVM (on the Calligraphy trim).
Electrically controlled third row seats.
Ample cubby holes and USB C ports.
Captain seats in the second row making it easier for the third row to get in and a little extra leg room.
Good quality switches.
Clear and bright HUD.
Smart Park* (there is a catch to this, will detail it out).
Plush interiors, soft touch leather-wrapped dashboard, Leather seats and suede headliners make for a very inviting cabin. Giving off a premium feel.
Commanding driving position.
Good all-round visibility.
High-resolution cameras with 360-degree views
20" tires make for a comfortable ride.
Range Rover-esq rims on the Calligraphy trim. I love them.
Intuitive App.

Quirks

Being the flagship product, and at this price point, I feel there are a few misses, that should have been optional / standard on the higher trim levels.
Wireless Android Auto / Carplay. Even the cheaper Kona has wireless.
Power Foldable mirrors (should have been standard on higher trims).
Power adjustable steering (should have been standard on higher trims).
Extendable under thigh support should have been standard for the passenger seats as well (make it available on the higher trim levels).
Panoramic sunroof. It's cousin, the Telluride comes with one.
No cabin lights for the third row or trunk lighting.
Single USB port that controls either a wired Airplay or USB (for media).
Auto high beams have to be turned on each time the car is started. No "Leave on & forget" switch.
The HK system is Blah!
Lane follow-assist has to be turned on each time the car is turned on. Not linked with the ACC. It should have been always "ON" with an option to turn it Off.
Road / tyre noise is on the higher side. (The GLC has spoilt me. It set the bar very high. Maybe I am being a little unfair here).
It's strictly a Point A to Point B family hauler.

Continue reading nikhilarni's buying experience and initial impression for BHPian comments, insights and more information.

View Forum Discussion