Palisade’s Aus price gives Santa Fe a knock

The Palisade, Hyundai’s new super-large SUV, could present a big deal here if pricing reflects the Australia market strategy.

FAVOURABLE positioning against the just-landed Hyundai Santa Fe could seem a potential for that model’s big brother, the Palisade.

That’s on assumption stickers announced in the only other right-hand-drive market have been a guidance for the NZ distributor.

Hyundai New Zealand has confirmed intent to have the Palisade on sale here next month, but has yet to provision local specifications and prices for what will be the fifth SUV in its line-up and the first to offer eight seats.

It did not respond to a request to offer clarity on where it could stand, but conjecture has been fuelled by announcement of the car’s pricing in Australia.

If transferred here, our neighbour’s strategy would conceivably give the larger model a good start – but perhaps at expense of the Santa Fe, with which it shares a platform, a diesel drivetrain and even a common assembly line in South Korea. 

Across the water, Palisade will sell for the equivalent of $NZ63,850 in entry form and $NZ79,800 in a flagship trim, those recommended retails precluding on-road costs.  

If carried into NZ, that strategy would see a base Palisade siting $50 below the cheapest Santa Fe, but would also leave the top Palisade siting almost $20k beneath the most expensive Santa Fe here, the Limited.

 Australia has decided on an eight-seater entry model, simply called Palisade, and a range-topping version it calls Highlander, available with either seven or eight seats, both in front-drive petrol V6 and four-wheel-drive 2.2-litre turbodiesel.

 New Zealand and Australia are presently the only right-hand-drive markets for the car, which was originally expected to only be sold in North America, so conceivably that’s the full menu for us as well.

It became available for NZ consideration, with sign-off for sale confirmed in June, after Hyundai’s distributor in Australia successfully petitioned Seoul head office to start a right-hand-drive build programme.

Hyundai NZ has previously indicated thought that it sees good potential for Palisade, but has made clear it will not deliver it in as many formats as the Santa Fe. And don’t expect to see the Highlander badge – Toyota NZ obviously already has right to that name for its own SUV. It’ll be a Palisade Limited here, to maintain continuity with Hyundai NZ badging protocols. 

The big selling Palisade has previously been identified as the 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel four-wheel-drive. That’s been the top choice for Santa Fe, too. Palisade takes it the virtually identical tune, power output drops by 1kW in Palisade, to 147kW, but torque is identical at 440Nm.

Palisade’s alternate V6 is a 3.8-litre, creating 217kW and 355Nm, whereas Santa Fe runs a 3.5 good for 200kW/331Nm. They all run the same eight-speed automatic transmissions. Only the Santa Fe’s entry petrol, a 2.5-litre, is not in the larger setting.

Hyundai says the Palisade’s V6 uses 10.7 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres, which is just 0.2L.100km worse that the Santa Fe’s claimed optimal. The diesel’s economy suffers in the Palisade – Hyundai cites 7.3L/100km for the larger unit, against 6.1L/100km in a Santa Fe.

The exterior is to Hyundai’s current design language, but reminds of larger American SUVs, according to Australian website CarAdvice.

The entry car runs on 18-inch wheels, the high-end car on 20-inch wheels for the Highlander, together with bi-LED headlights and tail-lights.

Inside, buyers get a choice of black leather with metallic-look trim and a knit headliner in the Palisade, while the high-end model gets burgundy or beige Nappa leather with beech wood-look trim and a suede headliner.

A 10.25-inch infotainment screen featuring satellite navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability, and multi-connection Bluetooth, which runs through a 12-speaker Infinity premium audio system, is a common fixture.

Due to the expansive cabin, the Palisade also offers 'Driver Talk', which allows the driver to speak to second- and third-row occupants through the car's audio system. The system also has a 'Quiet Mode' which mutes the rear speakers, and sets the front speakers to a low maximum volume.

Front occupants get wireless smartphone charging in the centre console, while second-row passengers have access to USB ports.

As well as three ISOFIX child seat restraints, the Palisade also features four top tether child seat anchor points in the seven-seat Highlander, and five anchor points in eight-seat configuration (all variants). The second-row of seats features one-touch folding to help with third-row loading.

Front occupants get to enjoy heated and ventilated power seats, while the driver gains a 7.0-inch LCD digital instrument cluster. The 10.25-inch, all-digital instrument cluster offered in overseas markets doesn’t feature in right-hand-drive, but a head-up display goes into the flagship.

On the Highlander, a blind-spot view monitor shows a live feed of the Palisade's left and right blind-spot zones within the instrument cluster when the indicator is engaged, as well as a surround view monitor with guidance provides a 360-degree birds-eye view when parking.

A dual-panel power sunroof and hands-free power tailgate are also standard on the more expensive model.

Hyundai's SmartSense safety suite comes standard, featuring blind-spot collision-avoidance assist, high beam assist, rear cross-traffic collision-avoidance assist, driver attention warning with leaving vehicle departure alert, lane-keep assist, lane following assist, safe exit assist (top model only), rear occupant alert, autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist recognition, and adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go.

Aston builds a booze bus

DBX by Bowmore is fuelled by the maker’s association with the well-known maker of single malt whiskey.

DRINK drive sensitives are potentially never higher than at this time of the year, so perhaps announcement of an Aston Martin that earns ‘limited edition’ status through a tie-up with a high-end whiskey is bound to raise … well, eyebrows as much as any cheer. 

Aston has explained the impetus for the Bowmore Edition of its DBX sports utility all about capturing the essence of two luxury British brands. 

Bowmore is a known single malt whiskey distillery, sited in Islay, Scotland.

This version of the $330,000 DBX, Aston’s first SUV and considered vital to its maker, was created by the in-house bespoke service, Q by Aston Martin, and only 18 will be made. 

Although Bowmore Edition models are globally available, part of the buy-in is that an owner achieves delivery during a private lifestyle experience at the distillery.

“Aston Martin DBX has provided the perfect canvas for the highest level of Q by Aston Martin customisation,” Aston Martin boss Marek Reichman is quoted in an overnight release.

“The Aston Martin and Bowmore brands share the same vision of creating timeless beauty and a lasting legacy, loyal to their heritage but also embracing new methods and this is reflected in the DBX Bowmore edition.”

A car fuelled by whiskey isn’t to be taken literally – the DBX’s V8 drop of choice is s high octane petrol – but there are plenty of cues.

For instance, Bowmore-branded strips from the copper whiskey stills are inlayed into the side strakes and Bowmore Tweed accents the interior.

Inside, there are polished copper cup holders, while the sill plaques are made from recycled copper from the Bowmore still.

There’s also hand-laid copper foil detailing on the gloss black centre console trim inlay, and each car features a selection of specially designed Q by Aston Martin accessories such as the Bowmore tweed picnic blanket and leather holdall.

One of the bespoke paint colours is called Bowmore Blue, while the other is Xenon Grey.

“We cannot wait to welcome each of the owners of this beautiful car to our distillery on Islay and show them all that Bowmore and our island home have to offer,” says Francois Bazini, global managing director of Scotch at Beam Suntory, owners of Bowmore.

“Although we make entirely different products, our shared values and passion are very much aligned so you can expect more exciting announcements in the future.”

Customer deliveries are planned to take place in the final quarter of next year.

Kia SUV line hits full house with Stonic

Kia’s smallest crossover has been confirmed and has a sharp starter price.

EXPECTATION a sub-Seltos sports utility, the Stonic, will join the Kia line-up here has finally been confirmed.

The brand’s New Zealand distributor has at last opened up on plans to have the car on sale from $21,990 from the start of 2021, though dealers will have demonstrators from next month.

The base price buys the car with a 1.4-litre engine and six-speed automatic in a LX entry trim, with similar fit-out to a Rio LX – which is on the same platform - and is being cited as an introductory offer, so could well be relatively short-term.

Stonic is also set to provision a 1.0-litre petrol unit that trades off losing capacity by picking up a mild hybrid enhancement. Augmentation of a 48volt integrated belt-driven starter generator and a small lithium-ion battery requires marriage to a seven speed dual clutch transmission.

Local market outputs for the powerplants has not been shared, however the cited output for the 1.0-litre in the United Kingdom, where Stonic has represented for some time, is 88kW and 200Nm. The DCT is Kia’s bespoke iMT ‘box which uses ‘drive-by-wire’ to electronically manage the clutch operation. 

There’s no indication how much the 1.0-litre will cost, when that price will be announced or even when this derivative will come. Kia NZ’s public relations’ spokesman says the initial shipment is purely comprised of 1.4s. 

Stonic’s availability to New Zealand has occurred to time with a mid-life facelift. The potential of it coming here was covered by MotoringNZ.com on August 10. (https://www.motoringnz.com/news/2020/8/10/stonic-sizing-up-for-nz)  

The car’s aim in its existing markets has been to conquer customers who remain stubbornly loyal to European volume brands. 

Kia identified the subcompact SUV/crossover segment as a niche market that had become Europe's fastest-growing sector, accounting for seven percent of the total SUV and crossover market and also displaying the lowest brand loyalty, with customers open to change and with no tradition or history.

Design has been the main purchasing driver in the sector, Kia says, and effort has been made to make this model stand out. Hence, for instance, why it has the highest customisation options of any Kia with 20 two-tone body colour combinations in nine body colours and five roof colours. 

Although Kia calls the Stonic an SUV, it lacks four-wheel-drive. And hasn’t suffered for it. Uptake of four-wheel-drive models was less than 10 percent in the subcompact market three years ago and it has since fallen further.

The NZ specification has not been shared, but it could be fulsome. Safety credentials for the Rio now include autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring and automatic high beams and wipers.

Todd McDonald, Kia Motors’ NZ’s managing director, has yet to share volume expectations, however comment provided today exudes confidence, with his thought that the car meets up to the promise of his brand’s ‘power to surprise’ marketing slogan.

 “Stonic is a vehicle that is going to surprise a lot of people – not just because of our special introductory price. It really does bring fresh excitement to the crossover experience.”

The car’s local provision means every SUV that Kia builds is not availed here and, Mr McDonald contends, means that Kia now offers one of the strongest vehicle line-ups nationally. 

And if you’re wondering about the etymology of the name? According to Kia it’s a name is a portmanteau of ‘speedy’ and ‘tonic.’ The first apparently refers to the car’s small size and agility. Meanwhile, the tonic is referenced here is the first or primary note in a diatonic musical scale, not the stuff that works with gin.