Hyundai's Palisade has emerged as a dominant force in South Korea's SUV market, leading the way for the SUV's mass adoption.

According to data from Kaizyu Data Research Institute, the Hyundai Palisade, which was first launched in December 2018, has sold a total of 280,299 units in the domestic market as of November. Despite being classified as a large SUV, it has maintained a high level of consumer popularity, selling an average of 46,717 units annually.

Hyundai, the New Palisade

When analyzing the consumer usage of the Palisade, 241,082 units were registered for personal use, accounting for 86.0% of the total. In contrast, rentals accounted for only 14.0% with 39,159 units. Individuals accounted for 79.9% with 224,058 units, while corporations and businesses made up the remaining 20.1% with 56,241 units.

In terms of gender and age, men accounted for 83.4% of registrations with 186,906 units, while women accounted for 16.6% with 37,152 units. By age group, individuals in their 40s registered the highest number of vehicles at 75,745, accounting for 33.8%. This was followed by those in their 50s (26.3%), 30s (20.8%), 60s (13.4%), 70s (2.9%), and 20s (2.8%).

For reference, among Hyundai's passenger car models during the same period, the Grandeur was the most popular with 592,466 units registered, followed by the Avante (399,882 units), Sonata (373,241 units), and Santa Fe (344,271 units).

Hyundai, the All-New Palisade

In the SUV segment during the same period, the Kia Sorento took the lead with 448,768 units registered, followed by the Hyundai Santa Fe (344,271 units), Palisade (280,299 units), Kia Sportage (279,222 units), and Seltos (270,564 units).

Specifically, the Palisade's 3.8-liter gasoline model sold 72,252 units, accounting for 37.6%, while the 2.2-liter diesel accounted for 62.4% with 120,005 units. However, in the case of the partially redesigned New Palisade, the 3.8-liter gasoline model accounted for 55.6% with 42,882 units, and the 2.2-liter diesel accounted for 44.4% with 39,107 units, marking a reversal. This decline in diesel sales is attributed to consumer perceptions of diesel vehicles as being environmentally unfriendly.

Meanwhile, the newly launched Hyundai Palisade is available in 7-seater and 9-seater models, excluding diesel engines. It comes in two lineups: a 2.5-liter turbo gasoline engine and a 2.5-liter turbo hybrid. The recent pre-orders have surpassed 33,500 units in just one day, indicating an explosive response.