After struggling for years to manufacture an efficient SUV that was widely embraced, Hyundai accomplished that goal when it unveiled the three-row Palisade in 2020.
The new crossover SUV received immediate praise and that trend continues. Unwilling to rest on its laurels after five years of impressive sales, the 2026 Hyundai Palisade arrives fully redesigned, building on the success of its previous iteration. New this year is a hybrid version of the Palisade.
Even though the Palisade is large, it’s still considered a midsize SUV that seats seven or eight passengers. It delivers lots of value, comfort and capability. Unlike most Hyundai vehicles, the Palisade is a bit pricier than much of the competition, starting at roughly $39,500. However, many of its standard features are optional in entry-level competitors.
The Palisade has no glaring weaknesses. It’s visually appealing, a roomy hauler that delivers a smooth ride, and offers Hyundai’s industry-leading warranty. Sales are a good example of its popularity, ranging between 101,000 to 110,000 over the past three years.
It often gets compared to the Kia Telluride for good reason. The SUVs are built on the same platform and share engines and core mechanics. But the Telluride features rugged styling, while the Palisade is more family-friendly. Oddly, there is no 2026 Telluride, but Kia will introduce the fully redesigned 2027 model in early 2026.
Performance is one of the few areas where the Palisade receives criticism. Its lone engine is a 3.5-liter, V6 that generates 287 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. It’s paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and goes 0-60 in 7.0 seconds. Fuel economy is mediocre at 19-25 mpg.
Although the Palisade displays just adequate performance, we were more impressed with its driving acumen. It doesn’t feel balky like some large SUVs. In fact, it drives like a smaller one that can maneuver through challenging city traffic and has no issues squeezing into tight parking spots. It has an elegant drive quality that’s reminiscent of some luxury SUVs.
Standard driver safety features include forward collision avoidance, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot collision warning, rear-cross traffic collision avoidance, smart cruise control, safe exit assist, parking collision avoidance, highway driving assist, remote parking assist, and forward attention warning.
AT A GLANCE – 2026 HYUNDAI PALISADE
- Performance: 3.5-liter, V6, 287 horsepower
- Mileage estimate: 19-25 mpg
- Price estimate: $39,500 to $58,800
- Warranty: 5 years/60,000 miles; drivetrain: 10 years/100,000 miles; roadside assistance: 5 years/unlimited; corrosion: 7 years/unlimited
The Palisade cabin uses upscale materials and has lots of features that one doesn’t expect from a non-luxury SUV. An example is the intercom system (driver talk) that allows the driver to easily speak with rear passengers through the speakers, a handy way of communicating on long trips.
There’s a standard 12.3-inch touchscreen that handles many of the controls, but there’s also handy physical knobs and digital buttons. What we didn’t care for was the awkward location of the unconventional shifter and start buttons that are too close to the steering wheel.
Leg and head room are good for even taller passengers in the first two rows. The third row can accommodate adults adequately, although it’s no place to be on a sizable trip. Cargo space is adequate at 19.1 cube feet behind the third row, but expands to a maximum of 86.7 cubes when the two rear rows are folded to the floor.
There’s plenty of reasons to heap praise on the 2026 Hyundai Palisade. It delivers an excellent ride, has an extremely comfortable interior that can handle eight passengers, and possesses the overall qualities that are typically reserved for a luxury SUV.
Weidel on Wheels is featured regularly on www.tahoeskiworld.com. Auto writer Jeffrey Weidel can be reached at skiweidel@gmail.com. Follow him on BlueSky @jeffweidel.bsky.social
