Hyundai Palisade Hybrid Calligraphy Black Ink Edition Arrives From $59,280

Hyundai has added a new range-topping trim to the Palisade Hybrid lineup for 2027. The Calligraphy Black Ink edition starts at $59,280 for front-wheel drive and $61,280 for all-wheel drive, both figures including a $1,600 destination fee, and it reaches dealers this month.

The new trim sits above the standard Calligraphy Hybrid and replaces its silver-finished trim pieces with a black theme that runs through the exterior and cabin. Buyers pick from three exterior colors: Abyss Black Pearl, Ecotronic Gray Pearl, and Creamy White Pearl, each paired with the same blacked-out details.

A Blacked-Out Face and Flanks

At the front, the Palisade’s “H” logo turns black, joined by gloss-black trim on the upper windshield surround and black accents on the grille. The lower grille gets a dark-tinted chrome finish, and the front bumper and lower skid cover switch to a satin-black metal look. Hyundai also blacks out the active air flap behind the grille, the component that opens and closes to manage airflow and cooling.

Down the sides, gloss-black trim covers the upper window surround, roof rails, and D-pillar. The alloy wheels come finished in gloss black, and the lower door trim picks up the same satin-black metal treatment as the front bumper. At the rear, the “H” badge and tailgate lettering turn black, and dark chrome mixes with satin-black metal across the upper and lower bumper trim.

Blacked-out special editions have become one of the more reliable ways for automakers to add a premium trim without engineering a new model. Toyota runs Midnight and Nightshade editions across several models, Nissan sells its own Midnight Edition package, and GMC pairs Denali trims with an AT4 Black option. Hyundai’s Black Ink treatment for the Palisade follows the same formula: swap chrome and silver accents for gloss or satin black, charge more, and skip a full redesign.

The Cabin Trades Silver for Black

Inside, Black Ink takes the areas that wear silver trim on a standard Calligraphy model and finishes them in black instead. That covers the steering wheel accents, window switches, door handles, speaker grilles, instrument panel moldings, air vents, HVAC controls, and center console bezels. Hyundai pairs the darker cabin with the same executive-level equipment already standard on Calligraphy trims.

Black Ink comes exclusively with Hyundai’s 2.5-liter turbocharged hybrid powertrain, the same engine fitted to other Calligraphy Hybrid models. That engine produces 329 horsepower and 339 lb-ft of torque through a six-speed automatic transmission, a step up from the 287 horsepower and 260 lb-ft the standard 3.5-liter V6 Palisade makes. The hybrid also tows up to 4,000 pounds and returns EPA ratings as high as 33 mpg city, 35 highway, and 34 combined, figures the V6 model can’t match. Buyers don’t get a performance upgrade specific to Black Ink. The changes on this trim are entirely cosmetic, aimed at drivers who want the top-spec Palisade to stand apart from every other one on the road while keeping the hybrid’s fuel economy and towing numbers.

Where Black Ink Sits in a Crowded Segment

The Palisade is Hyundai’s three-row flagship SUV, and Hybrid versions have become one of the range’s fastest-growing options, pairing seven- or eight-passenger seating with better fuel economy than the standard V6 offers. It competes against three-row SUVs including the Kia Telluride, Toyota Grand Highlander, and Honda Pilot, all of which now sell their own blacked-out or off-road-styled trims for buyers who want a distinct look without stepping up to a luxury badge.

Olabisi Boyle, senior vice president of product planning and mobility strategy at Hyundai Motor North America, described the new trim as part of Palisade’s broader position in the lineup. “Palisade has become a flagship for customers who want family utility without giving up a premium experience. Black Ink sharpens that promise. It adds more edge, more presence, and more distinction to a vehicle that already delivers the comfort, craftsmanship, and everyday ease that buyers value most,” Boyle said. “For our customers, luxury is not about excess. It is about driving something that feels worth the payment every month and every time you walk up to it. Black Ink is that idea at its sharpest.”

What It Costs to Get One

At $59,280 to start, the Calligraphy Black Ink commands a real premium over lower Palisade Hybrid trims, which start well under $50,000. Buyers who want all-wheel drive pay $61,280. Hyundai has not announced a production cap or limited run for the trim, so availability should track normal Palisade Hybrid production rather than a special-edition allocation. Dealers begin taking delivery this month, meaning shoppers who want the blacked-out look can order or find one on lots through the summer.

For buyers cross-shopping the segment, the Black Ink edition puts the Palisade Hybrid within range of loaded versions of the Kia Telluride and Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Max, both of which offer their own top-spec trims with driver assistance packages and premium interior materials. Hyundai’s bet is that the visual distinction of an all-black trim, combined with the Palisade’s existing reputation for cabin space and standard equipment, gives Black Ink an edge over rivals that reserve their darkest trims for gas-only models. Whether that premium holds up against resale data and long-term ownership costs won’t become clear until the trim has been on the road for a full model year.