2026 Hyundai Palisade Hybrid consumer reviews

It’s boxier and clearly more “SUV” in profile, taking measured inspiration from Hyundai’s upright, truckish Santa Fe while still retaining a soft-edge appearance more in line with the competitive field. It’s all cohesive in person, and the Calligraphy looks just evolved enough to attract existing Palisade owners and cross-shoppers alike. The biggest news of this updated Palisade is the long-awaited addition of a hybrid drivetrain, but you’ll have to wait for our on-hands take on that later in 2025. Hyundai’s kicking things off with the standard mass-market powertrain, a new naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V-6 shared with the Kia Carnival minivan and a number of Hyundai and Kia models abroad — so, new for the Palisade but not the market, and not really an upgrade over the outgoing 3.8-liter V-6. What Engine Does the 2026 Hyundai Palisade Have? The 3.5-liter’s 287 horsepower and 260 pounds-feet of torque trail the old engine by a speck, down 4 hp and 2 pounds-feet, respectively. All of this is routed through an eight-speed automatic transmission and your choice of either front- or all-wheel drive, with a standard (and unchanged) tow rating of 5,000 pounds. Outside the latter, these are not strong figures, especially since I found the prior Palisade’s poky performance to be one of its biggest flaws. Hyundai’s established turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder family trails the updated Palisade’s V-6 at 277 hp, but its 311 pounds-feet means turbo Santa Fes are more comfortable and at ease hauling a full house than the larger Palisade. The question of whether this four-cylinder would fit isn’t even up for debate: The 2.5T serves as the core gas-powered portion of the new Palisade Hybrid. How Does the 2026 Hyundai Palisade Drive? Dynamically, it’s a similar story — but the ending is markedly different. Compared to the first gen, the new Palisade feels heavy and drives “larger” than the modest 2.7-inch wheelbase stretch and 2.5-inch overall gain in length can account for. Driver inputs are muted, with a marshmallowy brake feel, soupy steering and pillowy ride making for a driving experience notably softer than the more neutral feel of the last Palisade. That’s not a bad thing. Outside of the engine’s peaky power delivery, the 2026 Palisade carries an air of distinct refinement and comfort that makes it one of the more isolating and generally comfortable SUVs in the class. This is especially true in the luxe Calligraphy trim, where interior appointments could almost pass for something wearing the Genesis badge. Quilted Nappa leather, microsuede trim, thoughtfully textured plastics, damped controls and convincing faux-wood trim compose an environment that’s easily one of the best among rivals and punches significantly above what some might expect from the brand. Is the 2026 Hyundai Palisade Well Equipped? The tech and features are great, too. You’ll find twin 12.3-inch screens for the driver display and infotainment functions along with standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and wireless device charging on every trim save the base SE. Six 100-watt USB-C chargeports pepper the cabin with two in each row, along with available heated and ventilated seating surfaces for the first two rows and three-mode heated seats for the third row maintaining toasty bums. The third row was particularly impressive, with my, ah, full-framed 5-foot-11 self plenty comfortable behind an adjusted second-row seat. Compared to other third rows best left for kids or emergency use, I’d not be too upset if the ride to dinner stretched beyond the half-hour mark, especially with access to my own air-conditioning vents, heated seats and USB-C port.