Hyundai turned the page on their lineup when they launched the three-row Palisade crossover utility 4 years ago. Still the same Hyundai value we loved, but with more luxury, and more room for growing families. Now for their next big hit, it looks like Hyundai is working on their night moves.

If you’ve been following the auto industry, you’ve probably noticed a darkness setting in. No, we’re not talking about EV mandates, we’re talking about the increasing number of manufacturers invoking darkness or using some reference to the color black to create special editions of their vehicles or note their highest trim level. Well, that’s what we have here with the 2024 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy Night Edition, a way to take the range-topping Calligraphy trim to an even higher level of exclusivity.

Available in either Abyss Black or this Hyper White, the Night Edition applies a dark chrome treatment to the grille, rear bumper, and door moldings. There’s also glossy black trim for both the front and rear fascias, as well as the roof rails, while door handles are now body color. Finishing it off are 20-inch “black liquid” wheels and unique finishes for all logos including the HTRAC badge that signifies all-wheel drive, which is standard here in the Calligraphy Night Edition, optional on most lesser Palisades.

All-wheel drives get additional Snow and Tow driving modes, as well as the ability to lock in a 50/50 torque split. All Palisades share the same V6 engine, a naturally aspirated 3.8-liter unit which produces 291 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. Nothing changes there, but it’s more than enough to move this big utility down the road with ease and pull 5,000 lbs. of trailer, aided by the standard eight-speed automatic transmission. In addition to steering wheel mounted paddle shifters, minimal buttons for controlling the transmission share space on a rising center console which also houses the touch sensitive climate controls. On top of the dash sits a 12.3-inch touchscreen with navigation standard on all Palisades. A separate 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster resides in front of the driver on Limited trim and above.

As for the rest of the interior, Night Editions adds a unique blackout theme with some added dark aluminum trim and devilish 630 watts of Harmon Kardon premium audio. There are also some exclusive premium micro-suede materials on the seats, though most of our staff felt they didn’t seem quite as luxurious as the Nappa leather seats in the regular Calligraphy. Second row captain’s chairs here of course, plus a power folding third row that holds three Palisades come as both seven or right seaters with up to 16 cupholders! There’s also adequate room for adults in that third row, though seating comfort drastically improves moving forward. Cargo capacity remains a strong point for the Palisade, with 18.0 cubic-feet available behind the third row, 45.8 behind the second, and a max of 86.4 with all seatbacks folded.

At Mason Dixon Dragway, the Night Edition delivered a moderate dose of power, enough to battle a little wheel spin off the line leading to a steady jog to 60 of 7.6 seconds; about a half second slower than the last Palisade we tested. Gear changes happened smoothly, causing minor power flow pauses throughout the quarter-mile, completed in 15.8 seconds at a respectable 90 mph.

This big unibody bruiser is suspended with MacPherson struts up front and a multi-link independent setup in back. They provided a surprisingly nimble platform for shuffling through our handling course. There was a reasonable amount of feedback through the steering wheel, helping us stay on top of the slight understeer that we encountered. There was very soft pedal action in our panic braking runs, along with a reasonable amount of nosedive, but 102-foot stops from 60 rate great!

All Palisades come with a healthy complement of active safety features like Lane Keeping Assist and Highway Driving Assist, while Calligraphies add a more advanced Parking Collision Avoidance Assist system. With all-wheel drive, Government Fuel Economy Ratings are 19 City, 24 Highway, and 21 Combined.

Even with the Night Edition establishing a new high mark, it’s still priced less than many large three-row utilities at $55,245. That’s $3,500 over the standard Calligraphy, and about $17,000 more than the base SE Palisade.

So, when it comes to this 2024 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy Night Edition, there’s no need to be afraid of the dark. The only thing lurking in the shadows here is more tremendous value, something that Hyundai has been bringing to light for years and years.