Tested: 2026 Hyundai Palisade Is So Close to Perfection

• The Hyundai Palisade is redesigned for 2026.
• A new, smaller V6 makes nearly the same power, but a hefty weight increase introduces sluggish acceleration.
• The Palisade is otherwise close to perfect.

Adding heaviness

Most of the new Palisade's testing results remain in line with what we achieved in the previous model. Its 60-0 mph panic braking distance of 125 feet is nearly the same as the old version, and close to on par for the segment (123.8 feet average). The skidpad result — which measures grip levels and is related to handling — remains steady at 0.83 g. This figure is slightly better than the class average of 0.82 g.

We're also impressed by the engine's output. Even though it's smaller than before, the V6 produces almost the exact same amount of power and torque. But there's a big downside between generations. Like me, the Palisade seems to have stuffed itself with KBBQ since the last time we saw it, with a weight gain of 411 pounds. That's a big reason the 0-60 mph sprint time falls from a relatively competitive 7.6 seconds to a lethargic 8.8 seconds. For reference, that's slower than a Ford Transit cargo van and a Volkswagen Jetta. A Prius would absolutely dust this thing in a stoplight drag race — an all-too-common occurrence in the eternal battle for pink slips between UberX and UberXL drivers.

Vehicle test editor Reese Counts' dispatch from our test track: "Weak sauce. The Palisade was more than a full second slower than before, and it felt tired and taxed the whole way down the acceleration straight. The automatic is pretty smooth but not particularly snappy. The quickest run was done in Sport mode with stability control disabled, but it was only marginally quicker than the 'hop in the car and mash the throttle' run. All-wheel drive means there's no wheelspin or anything. Just smooth but lackluster acceleration."

While a pedal-to-the-floor acceleration number is unlikely to be a primary consideration for purchasing a three-row SUV, Reese's note about real-world performance is worth calling out. The Palisade is now the slowest vehicle in its class, which means you'll have a harder time getting up to speed when you're on a highway on-ramp or pulling away from a stoplight. And naturally, it'll feel even slower than that once you add passengers and cargo.

Although we don't love the Palisade's standard engine, there is a silver lining to its powertrain story: Unlike the first-gen model, the new Palisade will offer a hybrid, and the electric motor is paired to a gutsy turbocharged four-cylinder. Starting in November, buyers can spec a Palisade Hybrid with 329 horsepower and 339 lb-ft of torque. It will undoubtedly be even heavier — expect a Calligraphy Hybrid to blow past the 2.5-ton mark — but the extra low-end torque will likely be the solution we crave.

Pricey but worth it

Another thing that jumps out on the Palisade table above is the as-tested price. A fully loaded Palisade will now set you back more than $58,000, making it one of the more expensive options in this class. It's a bold move for an automaker that, not long ago, offered some of the most price-conscious options in every vehicle segment. But Hyundai still means value; the Palisade has luxury features that are either rare or nonexistent in other three-row midsize SUVs. Our team was wowed by the interior design (our test vehicle's saddle brown interior was particularly eye-catching) as well as the little touches that show Hyundai thought about how the vehicle would be used. Power-adjustable seats all around mean that even third-row passengers can slide and recline their chairs. A control panel in the cargo area allows you to fold that third row at the touch of a button, and it can move the second-row seats forward if necessary. The second row slides and pivots forward to grant access to the third row, even if you have a child seat in one of the captain's chairs. And you can control seat heating and ventilation all from the touchscreen — a boon for drivers who want to ferry their passengers as comfortably as possible.

The Palisade isn't the budget option it once was, but for the sheer amount of stuff, there isn't a competitor that comes close to offering the Palisade's breadth of creature comforts. The hybrid will cost even more, but it will likely bring the Palisade even closer to perfection.