2026 Hyundai Palisade: Driven, Tested, Rated

• The gas-only Palisade gets a lower score than the top-rated Hybrid.
• Sluggish acceleration and below-average fuel economy hold it back.
• Nevertheless, it's our top-rated non-hybrid in its segment. 

The 2026 Hyundai Palisade can be our top-rated three-row SUV ... just not this one. The gold medal goes to the Palisade Hybrid, which we gave an overall score of 8.3 out of 10. The gas-only model covered here doesn't achieve those heights due to its worse acceleration and much worse fuel economy, but in every other way, the Palisade boasts the same score sheet of exceptional marks. 

It's also important to note that the Palisade was completely redesigned for 2026, with the hybrid being chief among its many updates and improvements. The new Palisade is also more luxurious and comfortable, its technology has been upgraded, and cabin storage has been improved. Those observations and more were gleaned during multiple weeks of real-world testing, plus instrumented testing at our private test track. To learn more, keep on reading below. 

Overall score: 7.7/10

This score puts the 2026 Hyundai Palisade (non-hybrid) in third place on our list of the best three-row midsize SUVs. The Palisade Hybrid is our top-rated in the segment (8.3/10) and the Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid is second (7.8/10). This does make the Palisade our top-rated non-hybrid three-row midsize SUV, however. It tops the gas-only Grand Highlander and Ford Explorer. 

For this rating, the Palisade was driven, tested and rated by automotive expert Cameron Rogers.

How does the Hyundai Palisade drive?

Driving score: 7.1/10

The Palisade could benefit from more power. At the Edmunds test track, our loaded Calligraphy trim test vehicle needed a sluggish 8.8 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph (the Hybrid does the same sprint 1.5 seconds quicker). That makes the Palisade one of the slowest three-row SUVs on the market. The transmission is also slow to downshift, so expect to wait for something to happen when you mash the gas. On the upside, the Palisade has a super-comfortable ride. No matter the road surface, the Palisade sort of glides over it all without transmitting harshness to the cabin.

The Palisade's large windows help ensure excellent visibility all around. The rearview camera and available 360-degree camera system have high-resolution displays and don't lag or stutter. The Palisade offers nearly every advanced driver aid, and most of them worked well in our testing. The exception was the lane-centering feature, which allowed the vehicle to bounce excessively between the lane markers rather than keeping a steady line.

How comfortable is the Hyundai Palisade?

Comfort score: 8.4/10

The front seats are comfortable and have a lot of adjustments. There's also a lot of headroom and legroom up front, but the low-mounted steering wheel makes it hard for tall drivers to enter and exit gracefully.

You'll also like the Palisade if you frequently take along rear passengers. There's enough room for even tall passengers to be comfortable. It's also good for parents with small children. The safety seat LATCH anchors are easily accessible, and lots of vertical headroom means it's pretty easy to install a car seat without hitting your head. You can easily fit a rear-facing seat without encroaching on the front passenger's space. The Palisade is also available with power-adjustable third-row seats, so you can recline and even slide the seats back for maximum comfort (or forward for extra cargo space).

The interior is cleverly designed. The climate control panel is an intuitive mixture of physical knobs and digital buttons, and the system itself keeps the cabin cool on a hot day. The Palisade is also supremely quiet; you'll hardly ever notice the hum of the engine on the highway.

How’s the Palisade’s tech?

In-cabin tech score: 9.7/10

You access most of the Palisade's controls by using the touchscreen. The interface is easy to understand and has a logical menu structure that won't cause you to break out the owner's manual. Everything is thoughtfully laid out, and the large screen means the virtual buttons aren't crowded.

The Palisade also has wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and our test Palisade had seven USB ports spread throughout the cabin, along with a wireless charging pad up front. The luxe Calligraphy trim also comes with front and rear dash cams, which would be impressive even for a luxury SUV.

How are the storage and cargo space?

Storage & cargo score: 7.2/10

We don't know what kind of bizarre TARDIS magic is at work here, but the Palisade's cargo space is just OK considering how big it is overall. Cargo volumes of 19.1 cubes behind the third row to 86.7 cubes behind the first row are slightly better than the Toyota Highlander but well below the capacities of the VW Atlas and Grand Highlander. But the usefulness of the available power-operated second and third rows is undeniably useful.

Interior storage is excellent. The large front storage area can accommodate tall items and still keep a reasonable amount of gear out of sight. The underarm storage bin is also pretty big. The door pockets aren't gigantic but will hold a few knick-knacks.

Is the Palisade a good value?

Value score: 9.5/10

The 2026 Palisade sets the bar for interior design and materials. Hyundai spared no expense, giving the new version a cabin replete with soft-touch materials, aluminum, textiles and leather. Get the saddle brown interior if you can — the gorgeous detailing gets a little lost in black.

All this comes at a cost, however. The Palisade is one of the priciest three-row SUVs on the market. But you get a lot of standard features that are optional in entry-level competitors, while the range-topping Calligraphy is loaded with gear you won't find in non-luxury rivals. Hyundai also continues to offer the best warranty in the business: five years/60,000 miles basic and 10 years/100,000 miles for the powertrain.

How’s the fuel economy?

MPG score: 3/10

The 2026 Hyundai Palisade with all-wheel drive carries an EPA estimate of 20 mpg combined. This is similar to what you'll get from a (current-generation) Kia Telluride or Honda Pilot, though the Mazda CX-90 offers a relatively more enticing 25 mpg combined (along with more power). If you want something much less thirsty, consider buying the Palisade Hybrid as it returns an EPA-estimated 34 mpg or 31 mpg combined, depending on the wheels you get. For comparison's sake, its MPG score is 7/10, which is a big reason why it scores so much higher overall. 

Is the Palisade special?

X factor score: 10/10

While the new Palisade's looks might not be for everyone, we give Hyundai credit for making something that stands out from the crowd. The Palisade's interior is also exceptional. We think this is a very impressive vehicle that will win you over with its style and practicality. There's even an off-road X-Pro model unavailable with the Hybrid, should your aspiration for adventure exceed the cutthroat Costco parking lot.