Introduced for the 2020 model year, the Hyundai Palisade has been around for a few years, and apparently Hyundai has decided it’s about time for an update. And based on these spy photos, it’s a mild update, but one with some potentially interesting changes.

Because of the comprehensive camouflage, much of this Palisade prototype is hidden, but there are gaps in the front fascia that reveal updates. The grille has been significantly changed to feature solid pieces throughout similar to the grilles on the Tucson and Santa Cruz. The upper daytime running light units have also been tweaked, with some of the housing reflecting the grille changes.

With these similarities to the Tucson and Santa Cruz, it’s possible the Palisade may get some other styling cues from them. The daytime running lights may be integrated closer to the grille, whereas the grille stands apart from the other parts of the fascia on the current model. Furthermore, parts of the grille may now illuminate, a trick those smaller Hyundais feature.

What little we can see of the rest of the Palisade looks very much like the current model, from the door trim to the rear taillights. Even the tailpipe is carryover. That’s not surprising, since it would be early for a fully new Palisade.

As this is probably a very light refresh, we wouldn’t be surprised if this updated Palisade appears sometime this year as a 2023 model. It will probably continue to use a naturally aspirated V6 and eight-speed automatic transmission like the current. And considering how much we like the current Palisade (one of us especially), that’s not a bad thing.

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Source: www.autoblog.com