To the surprise of many auto critics, the 2020 Hyundai Palisade shook up Hyundai’s closest rival by topping the Kia Telluride. The automaker’s new midsize SUV accelerated to the top of its class, stacking up awards and turning heads away from some of the segment’s most sought after models. Hyundai refuses to back off the pressure as 2021 Palisade begins to roll out. To add insult to injury, as it were, Hyundai is introducing a hyper-luxurious trim package to the Palisade series labeled Calligraphy, which promises a whole lot more than just fancy writing.

The 2020 Hyundai Palisade is a big hit

The 2021 Palisade is building upon the momentum of a solid 2020 rollout. Hyundai shook things up by producing a midsize SUV with an abundance of cool technology, ample seating space for up to 8, and a comfortable ride enhanced by a touch of luxury. The Palisade surpassed most of its midsize SUV competitors with safety and reliability ratings that upset the grading curve for the class.

An iF Design Award winner for 2019, the 2020 Palisade stacked up some impressive awards as the U.S. News No. 2 pick for three-row SUVs. Autotrader named the Palisade the Best SUV of 2020 with Cars.com following suit, and Kelley Blue Book named it as their top pick among family cars. The 2020 Hyundai Palisade also received an IIHS Top Safety Pick to round out its accolades, making the model an obvious hit.

Innovations added in 2021

Motivated by the success of the 2020 Palisade, Hyundai continues to pressure competitors by adding several innovations to the 2021 Palisade. Because they started off big, most of the new features are relatively minor, including wireless smartphone integration, LED headlights, and HD radio becoming standard.

Pre-wiring for trailers moves from a four-wire to seven-wire configuration, and SEL models will include a sunroom and interior LED lighting. The most pressure placed on Palisade’s competitors is the inclusion of the new Calligraphy trim model.

What the Calligraphy trim option adds to the Palisade

MotorTrend gives an extensive rundown of the added luxury the Palisade’s Calligraphy trim level adds to an already fancy Limited package. The Calligraphy package starts out on a unique set of 20-inch alloy wheels and an exclusive triangle pattern grille. Special exterior garnishing also includes a new rear lighting signature, which sports an ultra-wide LED center high-mount stop light as well as exclusive puddle lamps for the doors.

Looking under the hood, potential Calligraphy owners will discover a 3.8-liter V6 with 291 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque. Calligraphy will come with standard all-wheel drive, unique to the trim level.

What buyers discover inside the Calligraphy is what sets it apart from standard and advanced Palisade trim levels as well as the rest of the competition in its class. Interior upgrades found in the Calligraphy include quilted-leather door panels, a microfiber suede headliner, a perforated leather steering wheel, and a fancy cargo sill protection plate more common on luxury brands than mainstream three-row SUVs. 

These features enhance features like Nappa leather upholstery, heated and ventilated seats, a 10.25-inch touchscreen with navigation, 12.3-inch fully digital instrument cluster, and Hyundai’s Drive Guidance package already standard on the Limited trim level.

The hyper-luxurious 2021 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy promises to thrill

Having established the Hyundai Palisade as a class leader in 2020, the Korean automaker is turning to luxury in order to outclass their competition in the midsize SUV segment. For these fancy – just like the writing style – embellishments, you will have to drop an extra $15,000 over the base price to purchase the hyper-luxurious 2021 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy, but its level of comfort and luxury promises to thrill.