The 2026 Hyundai Palisade is one of the most interesting looking vehicles of 2026. In an era where everything was beginning to look a bit bland, an OEM finally showed up and presented us with something both daring and oddly nostalgic.
But looks can be deceiving. Can the 2026 Palisade live up to the hype, or is it just a case of form over function? Is it an ideal family car? Can you take it on a trek up a mountain? I recently spent a week behind the wheel of one, and here’s what I discovered.
The Palisade’s performance isn’t going to set the world alight
Powering the Palisade is a hefty 3.5 liter V6, which should give you a lot of optimism. However, performance was a little lackluster. It went from 0-60 in just under nine seconds, which is definitely sluggish for a modern vehicle. Even one of this size. It’s also one of the thirstiest things I’ve ever sat in on a short trip. Hyundai claims 16 mpg in the city, with 22 mpg on the highway bringing the average up to 19. Around town, there were times I was getting as little as 12 mpg.
In terms of handling and suspension, the Hyundai fares a lot better. It’s comfortable, handles rough road well, and despite its size it’s very easy to put this SUV where you want it to be. Which made the very long highway trip I took it on remarkably pleasant.
There’s a suggestion of off-roading capability
The actual trim I tested was the Palisade XRT PRO AWD. Which, if you haven’t guessed, is the “all-terrain” one. It even comes with all-terrain tires, which may explain the fuel economy discrepancy.
Anyway, as I’ve mentioned in previous pieces the off-roading in upstate New York is shockingly bad considering the landscape. So I couldn’t properly test or grade the Palisade’s actual abilities off the beaten path. I did blast it through some very bad rain though and it did fine.
Looking at the build, it has tow-loops fitted to the front and back so it’s very easy to pull someone out of a ditch should you have some rope handy. Looking at the specs though, I wouldn’t recommend taking a Palisade to MOAB. The 287 ft-lb. of torque the engine produces could be considered wanting. Similarly, the limited slip diff is brilliant for what 99% of drivers will put this through, but not something I’d recommend for serious off-roading. This isn’t a stick to beat Hyundai with, if you live down a dirt road this will serve you well. The vast majority of SUV “off-road” trims are of the same standard. There are levels to off-roading, and they’re all in the basement.
We have to talk about how it looks
I was actually there when the covers came off the new Hyundai Palisade at the 2025 New York Auto Show. Love at first sight is a bit strong, but it appeared so distinctive that I absolutely knew I’d have to test one out at some point.
So it does stand out. There’s an added bit of blockiness that harks back to the station wagons and SUVs of the 1980s a little while the lights give it a kind of futuristic feel. If you went back to 1984 when people still had belief, and optimism, and jobs, this is what people probably thought vehicles would look like in 2026. Visually, it’s a little look at how the present should have been.
The pleasantries continue inside. It also has a slightly retro-futuristic feel with physical media and HVAC buttons. Though somehow Hyundai avoided the temptation to let you control your media through a sort of steampunk 8-Track. In terms of interior quality, Hyundai punches well above its weight here. You wouldn’t guess the shockingly mid-range price tag while you’re sitting in there. You also get three very practical rows, and plenty of space. Which makes it ideal if you have a family or a lot of friends.
There’s all of the comforts you’d expect
Another thing making the Palisade a premium choice these days is the amount of tech on board. Plenty of sensors, a 360 camera, heated and vented seats. It has the technology to match the interior quality for the most part.
The only thing that it trails behind in is self-driving tech. Highway Assist, as I believe it’s called, is perfectly adequate adaptive cruise control with lane keeping included. On a longer trip, you can enable it and it will do the majority of the driving for you. But that’s in the “mid-tier” these days.
It’s not on par with Tesla, GM, or Ford. This isn’t a dealbreaker for most people, and many people don’t like using these systems at all. But if there’s a technical weak point against what are arguably close peers (A Ford Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, GMC Acadia, Chevy Suburban) then self driving is where the gulf lies. With that being said, the top trim on a Palisade is cheaper than the entry-level options of some of those vehicles I’ve just mentioned. And “handsfree” cruise control probably isn’t worth an extra $20,000.
This is the best large SUV you can get for less than $60,000
Having driven basically every SUV on the market, I feel comfortable saying that the Palisade is arguably the best SUV a normal person can get for less than $60,000. It’s extremely comfortable, looks great, it’s outstandingly practical, and it’s cheap to maintain. The only downside is fuel economy, but if you want to save on gas a far less thirsty hybrid is available.
You can get one for a lot less than $60,000 too, with the basic version starting at a shade under $40,000. But honestly, the price is so reasonable you may as well work your way up the trims, make sure you get the full suite of tech, and spend your time in a vehicle with a nice, luxury, interior.
For a multi-car household, this is also the rock you should build your garage on. It handles all of the boring, practical, stuff exceptionally which gives you a lot of play room when it comes to a second or third car. So buy a 2026 Palisade, it gives you a great excuse to finally get a Ford Mustang guilt-free.
