SUV raises safety performance

Hyundai’s Palisade 2023 facelift models have received an improved five-star safety rating from Ancap Safety following two key upgrades from previous models.

The top rating has been awarded to all petrol and diesel Palisade models manufactured from May 2022 and available for purchase here from August 2022. 

Palisade models built prior to this hold a four-star rating due to performance limitations in the adult occupant protection area where it rated 79 per cent, and only scoring 63 per cent for safety assist.

Respective threshold scores of 80 per cent and 70 per cent are required to achieve five stars.

Ancap has tested the updated 2023 facelift models and found improved performance in adult occupant protection, now at 84 per cent, and safety assist, now at 83 per cent.

Original Palisade models were also not fitted with a centre airbag and offered a less sophisticated autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system. 

However, the new vehicles are fitted as standard with a centre airbag – providing front seat occupants with an improved level of head protection in side impact crashes – and feature improved AEB performance across all car-to-car AEB test scenarios.

Other improvements include the fitting of a speed-limit information system, where the vehicle can identify the local speed limit and allow the driver to set the speed accordingly, and multi-collision braking, which limits vehicle movement after an initial crash.

Carla Hoorweg, Ancap’s CEO, says: “It’s great to see Hyundai introduce these safety-related upgrades which now elevate the facelifted Palisade to five stars, and we encourage all vehicle brands to continually look for opportunities to improve the safety specification of models as part of their model facelifts.”