The impact and history of Detroit cars, Motor City
Below are some facts about Detroit’s automotive industry.
- The 2026 Hyundai Palisade XRT Pro AWD brings off-road trim to the car manufacturer’s flagship SUV models.
- The journalist got behind the wheel of the XRT Pro at an off-road vehicle park north of Detroit.
The hilly area of Hollyoaks Offroad Vehicle Park in Oakland County, northern Michigan, has welcomed many Jeep Wranglers and Ford Broncos over the years, but recently several Hyundai Palliard hosts have also performed.
The journalists had the opportunity to try out the 2026 Hyundai Palisade XRT Pro All Wheel Drive Trim in the park, about a 50-minute drive north of Detroit.
Off-roading may come to mind when considering Hyundai, but the XRT Pro looks bigger, but even if a three-row SUV is called a medium-sized crossover, it puts it in the range possible – it’s not your choice for more extreme trails.
On a recent sunny Wednesday, the Detroit Free Press Reporter, part of the USA Today Network, climbed behind the wheels of the cast-iron brown XRT pro, spinning up and down the lesser hills. There was a gentleman (they were) to make sure the disaster was avoided for the ride, and another outlet journalist who would get their own chance later on the drive.
Before hitting the trail, we sometimes feel a bit uncomfortable, as we sometimes seem to remember hearing the word “packer,” but we weren’t really worried about climbing some particularly steep spots with no vision at the bottom. The forward ground view display option certainly helps, but it wasn’t very dependent on the display.
We avoided the toughest parts of the park, but initially managed more than multiple. The skid plate – installed only for this demonstration – probably helped, but the 8.4-inch ground clearance didn’t cut us well in most cases. The ride was comfortable and the vehicle never seemed to struggle, but the speed was definitely kept on the low side.
Some of the notable features include: Mud, Sand and Snow Terrain Mode (Sand Mode was recommended for drive), Downhill Brake Control, Electronic Rear Limited Slip Differential, Pitch and Roll Display, Compass and Elevation, Front and Rear Recovery Hooks. It is powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine with an 8-speed automatic transmission, and promises to offer 287 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque.
The sticker price for the particular model I drove was $51,110, including carpet floor mats and “inland cargo and handling.” Fuel economy is a total of 19 miles per gallon (16 cities and 22 highways), slightly worse than cutting-edge calligraphy trim (20 mpg total).
Eric D. Lawrence is a senior car culture reporter for the Detroit Free Press. If you have any tips or suggestions, please contact elawrence@freepress.com. Become a subscriber. Send a letter to the editor at freep.com/letters.
