The best used three-row SUV you can buy for the price of a new Honda Civic

A new compact sedan may seem like the safe, predictable choice, but the used market tells a different story. For the same money, shoppers can step into a far larger, more capable vehicle, one designed to haul families, luggage, and weekend gear without breaking a sweat. It’s a reminder that depreciation can work heavily in your favor if you know where to look.

Among three-row SUVs, one model stands out for delivering premium comfort and real-world practicality at a price that undercuts even today’s popular entry-level cars. It offers the space modern buyers need, from expansive seating to generous cargo room, along with a refined ride that feels far more upscale than its used-market pricing suggests.

Factor in strong reliability scores, a long list of standard tech, and a cabin that still looks and feels contemporary, and it becomes clear why this SUV is one of the smartest value plays of 2025. For shoppers comparing new-car budgets to used-car opportunities, few deals stretch your money further.

In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various manufacturer websites and other authoritative sources, including the EPA, J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, and Edmunds.

You can get yourself a 2022 Hyundai Palisade for well under $30,000

Buying a new car is becoming more and more expensive, especially if you need something big enough for the whole family. New three-row midsize SUVs can often cost you well over $40,000, which is no small amount of money. However, if you’re willing to buy something slightly used, you can make your budget go a lot further. For the price of a new family sedan, you can instead get a three-year-old Hyundai Palisade, which comes with plenty of room and a ton of features.

2022 Hyundai Palisade trims and pricing

The Hyundai Palisade has generally been considered to be one of the best value for money three-row SUVs on the market. The 2022 model may not feature the futuristic styling of the most recent iteration, but it still has plenty of style and comes with a bevy of standard features. A new Honda Civic starts at $24,595 and goes up to $32,295. Instead of spending that on a small sedan, you can instead get this lightly used family hauler.

It’s really hard to pick a bad trim here, with all four options offering pretty excellent value for money. While the SEL would have been our choice of trim when new, the Limited and Calligraphy trims have depreciated quite a lot, to the point where they are really hard to resist. Back in 2022, a new Calligraphy would have set you pack around $48,585, meaning that it is now nearly $20,000 cheaper than it originally was. This trim comes impressively well-equipped, with materials and features that would normally be reserved for SUVs with luxury badges, including nappa leather upholstery, heated and ventilated seats, and a Harman/Kardon sound system.

Reliability and maintenance

• Limited warranty: Five years or 60,000 miles
• Powertrain warranty: Ten years or 100,000 miles
• Complimentary maintenance: Three years or 36,000 miles
• Reliability score: 84/100

Hyundai has one of the most comprehensive warranty packages of any automaker out there right now, and the warranties are transferable. This is fantastic news if you’re buying one used, as you should still have a balance of both the bumper-to-bumper and powertrain coverage. On top of this, the three years of complimentary maintenance that Hyundai offers, which is also class-leading by the way, means that you can rest easy knowing the used Palisade you buy has been maintained properly by Hyundai service centers.

There is tons of room inside the Palisade for passengers in all three rows

If you’re looking for something that will comfortably carry the whole family, a three-row SUV is a must. In this regard, the 2022 Palisade is one of the most family-friendly SUVs out there. Not only does it come with a ton of space for both passengers and cargo, but it also comes loaded with tech and comfort features that make the cabin a really fantastic place to be. As mentioned above, if you opt for the top trims, you get an experience that comes pretty close to what is offered by some legacy luxury brands.

Interior dimensions and comfort features

In terms of interior space, the 2022 Palisade is one of the most practical cars you can buy. It comes with room for up to eight in SE and SEL trims, with the second-row captain’s chairs in the Limited and Calligraphy models reducing capacity down to seven but making the back seats much more comfortable. Passengers in the first two rows are treated to a ton of legroom, where even the tallest of people will feel like they have space to stretch out. The third row is larger than what is offered in some of the Palisade’s rivals, but it is still best left for the kids. Cargo space is reasonable, with up to 45.8 cubic feet available when you stow the third row of seats.

While maybe not as snazzy as the current model, the 2022 Hyundai Palisade features a well-designed cabin that is loaded with pretty premium materials for the money that you pay. It also comes well-equipped. Some really nice features are also available if you climb the trim ladder a little, with dual-zone automatic climate control, leather upholstery, and heated and ventilated front seats and heated second row seats available on some models.

Infotainment and technology

On the SE and the SEL trims, you get a pretty decent eight-inch infotainment screen, which sits atop the dashboard sharing a bezel with the gauges. Limited and Calligraphy trims instead get a 10.3-inch unit. Both systems respond well to inputs, and are fairly easy to navigate, but the latter offers much crisper graphics. Models with the larger screen come standard with SiriusXM and built-in navigation. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across the board, with some models allowing for wireless connection.

Hyundai has also included a number of physical buttons and dials throughout the cabin, which is a big positive in our eyes. Your Palisade can also come with up to seven USB-C ports throughout the cabin, depending on which trim you opt for, as well as a wireless smartphone charging pad. The standard sound system in the 2022 Palisade is reasonable enough, but the Limited and Calligraphy trims get a pretty fantastic 12-speaker Harman/Kardon unit instead.

Hyundai offers plenty of power and reasonable levels of efficiency in the 2022 Palisade

Three-row mid-size SUVs are a bit of a balancing act. With them being so large and so heavy, you want an engine with enough power to get you going without too much effort. At the same time, you don’t want something that is going to guzzle gas. Hyundai’s Palisade may not be the most efficient vehicle in its class, but it does a pretty good job at achieving both of these goals. On top of this, its ride quality is a class above, meaning that the whole family can feel like they’re cruising in comfort.

2022 Hyundai Palisade performance specs

Every 2022 Palisade comes equipped with the same naturally aspirated V-6 engine under the hood. It delivers more than enough grunt to get you up to highway speeds with some urgency when necessary. Standard on every model is a pretty unobtrusive automatic transmission that shifts pretty smoothly. This powerplant pairs with either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, though we’d suggest looking for a model with the latter.

Every Palisade also comes with a trailer pre-wiring and sway control as well as a pretty sturdy transmission cooler. A dealer can pretty quickly install a trailer hitch if one isn’t installed already, allowing you to tow up to 5,000 pounds.

Hyundai may not offer the most engaging driving experience in the Palisade, but that’s because they go all in on comfort. The ride quality here is exceptional, with the SUV able to eat up any bumps or imperfections in the road without any complaints. There is also quite a bit of sound insulation throughout the cabin, including acoustic laminated glass, meaning road noise is kept out of the cabin.

Fuel economy

By today’s standards, with the increasing number of hybrids on the market, the 2022 Palisades’ efficiency is pretty poor. However, compared to many of its other non-hybrid rivals, the Hyundai does pretty reasonably.

Traditionally, the Palisade has always been a gas-only model. But those seeking better efficiency will be pleased to know that the upcoming 2026 model year will be offered with an efficient hybrid powertrain.