The 2025 Hyundai Palisade: A Guide for Oklahoma City Families
The modern Oklahoma family is always on the move. One weekend might involve packing up for a day of discovery at the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden or exploring the hands-on exhibits at Science Museum Oklahoma. The next could be a trip to Norman for a Sooners game, followed by a quiet week of commuting, school runs, and errands throughout Midwest City and Edmond. To navigate this diverse lifestyle, you need a vehicle that is more than just transportation; you need a versatile, capable, and comfortable command center for your family's adventures.
The 2025 Hyundai Palisade is engineered to be that command center. As Hyundai's flagship three-row SUV, it delivers an exceptional combination of robust power, expansive utility, and sophisticated features designed to meet the demands of life in the OKC metro area. This guide is designed to be your definitive resource for the 2025 Palisade, exploring each of its seven distinct trims in detail to help you discover the ideal model for your family's unique journey.
The Heart of Every Palisade: V6 Power and a Refined Ride
A key decision Hyundai made with the 2025 Palisade is to equip every single trim level with the same powerful and refined powertrain. This strategic choice ensures that no matter which Palisade you select—from the accessible SE to the Calligraphy Night—you receive the same confident performance. This approach shifts the focus of your decision from worrying about adequate power to choosing the collection of features and style that best suits your family's lifestyle.
Under the hood of every 2025 Palisade lies a robust 3.8-liter Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) V6 engine, producing a commanding 291 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. For Oklahoma drivers, these numbers translate into real-world capability. It means having the power to merge confidently onto a bustling I-35 during rush hour, the strength to pass slower traffic on the Turner Turnpike with ease, and the muscle to tow a trailer or boat weighing up to 5,000 pounds to destinations like Lake Hefner or Lake Stanley Draper.
This potent engine is paired with a smooth and responsive 8-speed automatic transmission featuring SHIFTRONIC manual shift mode, giving you precise control when you want it. While Front-Wheel Drive (FWD) is standard on most trims, the available HTRAC All-Wheel Drive (AWD) system is an invaluable asset for navigating Oklahoma's weather. It provides enhanced traction and stability not just in rare icy conditions, but more importantly, during the heavy spring thunderstorms and on the slick, wet roads that follow, ensuring a safer journey for your family through communities like Bethany and Yukon.
Complementing the powertrain is a suspension system engineered for comfort and composure. A MacPherson strut front suspension and an independent multi-link rear suspension work in harmony to absorb road imperfections, smoothing out older city streets while maintaining a stable and serene ride on long highway excursions.
2025 Hyundai Palisade Trims
The 2025 Hyundai Palisade lineup carefully curated with a specific combination of features, offers seven distinct trims, each technology, and style. This allows every family to find a model that feels tailor-made for their priorities and budget.
Palisade SE
The Palisade SE is the best choice for families who require maximum space, uncompromising safety, and essential modern technology. It serves as the perfect foundation, equipped with an impressive suite of standard features that demonstrate exceptional value.
A standout feature of the SE is its standard 8-passenger seating configuration, which includes a versatile second-row bench seat.This makes it the ideal vehicle for growing families in Moore, managing the neighborhood carpool to school, or transporting a youth sports team to a game at the Midwest City Multi-Athletic Complex.
Inside, the SE defies expectations for a starting trim. The dashboard is anchored by a large 12.3-inch color touchscreen display, complete with onboard navigation, which is standard across all trims. This system includes seamless integration with Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™, ensuring your maps, music, and messages are always within easy reach. Furthermore, a standard Wi-Fi hotspot keeps the entire family connected on the go, turning the Palisade into a mobile hub of entertainment and productivity during trips.
Most importantly, Hyundai makes its core safety technology standard. Every SE model includes the Hyundai SmartSense suite, featuring Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with Pedestrian Detection, Blind-Spot Collision Warning, Lane Keeping Assist, and Navigation-based Smart Cruise Control with Stop & Go. This commitment ensures that every family has a formidable layer of protection, providing crucial peace of mind while navigating busy corridors like the Northwest Expressway or I-44.
Palisade SEL: Elevated Comfort and Everyday Convenience
The Palisade SEL builds upon the SE's strong foundation by adding a significant layer of comfort, premium materials, and thoughtful conveniences that enhance the daily driving experience. It's the perfect step up for families who appreciate a touch of refinement in their everyday vehicle.
The interior is immediately elevated with H-Tex® trimmed seating surfaces, which offer a premium look and feel while being more durable and easier to clean than cloth—a major advantage for families with young children. Comfort is further enhanced with an 8-way power-adjustable driver's seat and heated front seats. The SEL comes standard with 7-passenger seating featuring second-row captain's chairs, providing a more spacious and accessible pathway to the third row, though an 8-passenger configuration is available as an option.
The SEL introduces several key convenience technologies. Wireless device charging declutters the center console, while the hands-free smart liftgate opens automatically when you stand behind the vehicle with the key fob—an invaluable feature when your hands are full after a shopping trip in Edmond. The SEL also debuts the Hyundai Digital Key 2, which allows you to use your compatible smartphone or smartwatch to unlock, start, and drive the vehicle. This technology is perfect for an active lifestyle; you can go for a run or bike ride at Arcadia Lake without needing to carry a bulky key fob.
Palisade XRT
For the Oklahoma family that thrives on adventure, the Palisade XRT offers a distinctively rugged and stylish package. This trim is designed for those who frequently pack up their gear for a weekend of camping at Lake Thunderbird State Park, hiking in the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, or exploring the state's many natural wonders.
The XRT's bold personality is defined by its exclusive exterior enhancements. It rides on aggressive 20-inch XRT-exclusive alloy wheels and features a dark-finish front grille, unique front and rear lower bumpers, and rugged lower door garnish. Standard black roof cross rails are not just for looks; they are ready to be fitted with a cargo box, bike rack, or kayak carrier for a day on the Oklahoma River.
While its focus is on style, the XRT also adds functional upgrades. A conventional power sunroof brings more light into the cabin, and the inclusion of the Surround View Monitor (SVM) provides a 360-degree bird's-eye view around the vehicle. The SVM is incredibly useful for navigating tight campsites with confidence or for perfectly aligning a trailer hitch before a weekend getaway.
Palisade SEL Premium: A Touch of Sophistication and Tech
The Palisade SEL Premium serves as a bridge to the line-up's most luxurious offerings, blending the practical features of the SEL with advanced technology typically reserved for top-tier models. It represents a sweet spot for buyers who prioritize cutting-edge tech and elevated comfort.
The driver's experience is transformed by the introduction of a stunning 12.3-inch fully digital instrument cluster, which is configurable to display a wide range of vehicle and navigation information with brilliant clarity. This trim also adds the Blind-Spot View Monitor (BVM), a remarkable safety innovation. When a turn signal is activated, a live video feed of the corresponding blind spot appears directly in the digital cluster, providing an extra layer of awareness and confidence when changing lanes on I-40 or I-240.
Comfort is enhanced for year-round enjoyment, a necessity in Oklahoma's climate of extremes. The SEL Premium adds ventilated front seats for relief during hot summer days at Frontier City, as well as heated second-row seats to keep passengers cozy on chilly winter evenings.
Palisade Limited: The Pinnacle of Accessible Luxury
The Palisade Limited is where the vehicle transcends its class, offering a true luxury experience with an array of premium materials, advanced technologies, and sophisticated comforts.
The cabin is appointed with rich, leather-trimmed seats, creating an immediate sense of opulence. The driver is treated to a 10-inch color Head-up Display (HUD), which projects vital information like speed, navigation turns, and safety alerts directly onto the windshield in the driver's line of sight, minimizing distractions. The auditory experience is elevated by a Harman Kardon® premium audio system with 12 speakers and QuantumLogic® Surround, turning any commute into an immersive concert.
Safety and convenience are taken to the next level with Highway Driving Assist II (HDA2). This advanced system builds on the standard adaptive cruise control by adding a lane-change assistance function, further reducing driver fatigue on long journeys. Passengers throughout the cabin enjoy enhanced comfort, thanks to a wide dual-panel sunroof, heated and ventilated second-row seats, and even heated, power-folding third-row seats.
Palisade Calligraphy: Uncompromising Elegance and Innovation
Positioned at the very top of the range, the Palisade Calligraphy represents the ultimate expression of Hyundai's design, luxury, and technological prowess. It is crafted for the discerning buyer who desires the absolute best.
The interior is a showcase of exquisite materials, featuring premium Nappa leather seating surfaces, a sophisticated microfiber suede headliner, and quilted leather door panels. The driver's comfort is paramount, addressed by an innovative Ergo-motion seat. This system uses internal air cells to provide subtle postural adjustments and light stretching during long drives, actively combating fatigue on a trip to Dallas or Tulsa.
The Calligraphy introduces exclusive "wow" features, including Remote Smart Parking Assist (RSPA). This remarkable technology allows the driver to stand outside the vehicle and use the smart key to remotely guide the Palisade into or out of a tight parking space—a perfect solution for crowded lots in Bricktown or at Penn Square Mall. It also includes Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist-Reverse, which can automatically apply the brakes if a potential collision is detected while backing up. The exterior is distinguished by exclusive 20-inch alloy wheels, a premium satin chrome grille, and body-color wheel arches.
Palisade Calligraphy Night: Bold, Blacked-Out Sophistication
For those who want to make a powerful and stylish statement, the Palisade Calligraphy Night takes all the luxury and innovation of the Calligraphy trim and wraps it in a stunning, monochromatic design.
This edition is defined by its dark, exclusive details. It features 20-inch black liquid wheels, a dark chrome front grille and rear bumper trim, black roof rails, and dark premium seating surfaces with microfiber suede inserts. The result is an aggressive yet elegant aesthetic that commands attention, whether pulling up to a fine dining restaurant or arriving for a performance at the Civic Center Music Hall. To complete its top-tier status, the Calligraphy Night comes standard with HTRAC All-Wheel Drive, ensuring its all-weather capability matches its breathtaking style.