Today we look at the all-new 2026 Hyundai Palisade, a 3-row SUV that has been one of the hottest sellers on the market since it debuted in 2019. In fact, Palisade had its best sales year ever in 2024, topping 110,000 sales. In typical Hyundai fashion, they completely re-did their flagship SUV instead of sitting around waiting for sales to slow down. I’ve said many times on the Car Pro Show, I've never seen a vehicle come out of the gate so hot and remain that way for years. The changes to 2026 are sure to propel it well past what they sold last year.
This is the top-of-the-line Calligraphy model, but there are a total of five different trim levels available for this new year: The SE starts at just over $40,000 with destination, and you go up to the SEL, the Limited, the off-road capable XRT Pro, and finally this one, the Calligraphy. The 2026 model Palisade is 2.5” longer and the wheelbase grew by 2.7” which gives it more interior space.
Performance
Under the sculpted hood, the 3.8-liter V6 is gone, but unlike most automakers, Hyundai did not opt for a 4-cylinder turbo setup. Instead, there is new naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6 putting out 287-horses and 260 pound-feet of torque. The new motor is coupled with an 8-speed automatic transmission with shift paddles, and all Calligraphy models come with HTRAC all-wheel drive. This version is rated to tow 5,000 pounds. Perhaps the most exciting news is we’ll have a hybrid version of this beauty later in 2025. It looks like the Hyundai folks took a page out of the Toyota playbook and made the hybrid more fuel-efficient and it has more horsepower. That is a winning combination in my book all day long.
Exterior
This second-generation SUV is visually beautiful, especially in this Creamy White exterior color. The new grill is larger, it has stacked turn signals in frost white on the outside, and LED lights all around, including a light bar that runs completely across the grill.
Down low are active shutters to help keep things cool. The lines on this one are bold, and as you round the bend to the rear, you get a real Range Rover vibe. 21” alloy wheels are beautiful, there is an overly large rear spoiler, and hooray, Hyundai hid the rear wiper underneath it.
Overall, the new Palisade Calligraphy is a stunner to look at.
Interior
Open the door to the Palisade and you’ll see beautifully contoured Nappa leather seats and gorgeous door panels with elegant Harmon Kardon speaker covers.
The seats look inviting: they are heated and cooled, power adjusting on both sides, the driver gets a massage if he or she chooses, but both front seats have a relaxation feature that is also power.
The seats tilt back and footrests, like a recliner, come out to elevate your feet and legs. This is a great feature for passengers on trips, or for a driver who needs to pull over to rest their eyes.
As you enter the cabin, you see a large, curved screen that runs from the left side of the dash continuously to just past center dash. In reality, it is two 12.3” screens that appear as one. In front of the driver is the gauge cluster that displays speed, fuel level, trip and odometer readings, navigation directions, safety alerts, driver-assist status, and—when the hybrid model comes—energy flow, battery level, and regenerative braking information.
Also, to aid with blind spots, hit the left blinker and the speedometer turns into a left-side blind spot camera, the right blinker will activate a right-side camera that replaces the tachometer. There is also a terrific head-up display that has speed limit sign recognition.
The other half of the big screen handles the infotainment system. The touchscreen controls navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 14-speaker Bose audio system, voice recognition, over-the-air updates, multiple USB-C ports, and seamless integration with vehicle settings, camera views, Bluetooth, SiriusXM, and a Wi-Fi Hotspot. There is also real-time weather, sports, and more.
Also, this is super cool: an integrated dash cam uses the vehicle’s built-in front and rear cameras to record high-resolution video (2,980 × 1,440 pixels at 30 fps) while driving or when motion or impacts are detected in parking mode. It can be activated manually through the infotainment screen or set for continuous recording, with event-based clips automatically saved when the system detects sudden braking, collisions, or movement around the vehicle. Footage is stored on an internal drive and can be reviewed on the center display or exported via a MicroSD card slot in the glovebox for backup or sharing.
Palisade’s center console has a floating design with open storage beneath, a wireless charging pad, USB ports, cup holders, and a UV-C sanitizing compartment, all positioned for comfort and easy access. The sanitizing compartment uses ultraviolet light to help disinfect small personal items like phones, keys, and wallets while you drive. You’d expect this on a $100,000 SUV, but this and the dash cam were both extremely pleasant surprises!
Higher up, you’ll find real knobs for volume and tuning, shortcut buttons to the touchscreen, air conditioning controls, heated and cooled seat buttons, a button for the heated steering wheel, a button for the Auto Hold brake system, and drive mode switches between eco, normal, sport, and my drive. Attached to the steering wheel on the right is a stalk control for starting the Palisade and turning it off, then you twist it for reverse and drive. This takes a little getting used to, but you get the hang of it really quickly. There are also 3 USB-C ports, two of which are 100-watt capable for ultra-fast charging!
The Palisade is extremely comfortable for the second and third-row passengers. The second-row captain chairs are heated and cooled, and they are power to slide forward and back, and they also recline. Calligraphy models feature a full panel of second-row climate controls, mounted on the headliner putting comfort right at passengers’ fingertips. The air conditioning vents are also in the ceiling, there are manual sunshades on both side windows, and USB-C 100-watt ports built into the front seats to serve the second row passengers. Trust me, nobody will mind riding back there.
That extra length for 2026 really shines in the 3rd row with a ton of legroom. You get back there easily by hitting a button on the second row seats, and the third row bench will comfortably fit three adults. This seat is also power and slides forward and back, and it reclines as well. Visibility from the third row is good, not claustrophobic like many SUVs, and there are two more 100-watt USB-C ports back there.
Utility
As you go to the rear cargo area, Hyundai says it has the fastest rear liftgate in the industry going up or down in five seconds.
The Palisade goes from kid-hauling shuttle to road-trip hauler with 19 cubic-feet behind row three, 46 with the 3rd row seat down, and up to a whopping 86.7 cubic-feet when the second row folds flat, all with handy power controls available from the rear area.
The power buttons in the far back will also slide the 3rd row forward and backward, and there is a good bit of storage under the load floor for storing valuables or equipment.
Standard Features
The Calligraphy comes standard with a ton of features including: the dual 12.3-inch digital display (instrument cluster plus touchscreen), Nappa leather seating with four-way lumbar, side-bolster width adjustment, extendable leg cushion on both sides, massage for the driver, heated and ventilated power-adjustable seats (including “max-relax” second-row), power-adjustable third row, ambient lighting, dual-pane electric sunroof, head-up display, surround-view monitor, in-car intercom, Digital Key 2.0, built-in dual-camera dash cam, the UVC sanitizing compartment, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, power-adjustable suspension modes with self-leveling rear, trailer hitch, remote start, remote start, digital camera rearview mirror, Bose premium audio, and the fast-charge USBC ports in all three rows.
Safety
On the safety front, the 2026 Hyundai Palisade comes standard with a comprehensive safety package—including 10 airbags, seatbelt pretensioners across all three rows, surround-view camera, safe-exit warning, forward collision-avoidance with pedestrian and cyclist detection, highway driving assist, adaptive cruise control with navigation-based slowdown, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot collision-avoidance, reverse parking collision-avoidance, and a rear occupant alert system.
It also comes with Smart Park Assist that allows you to move the Palisade forward or backward from outside the vehicle using the Smart Key—and it automatically stops or steers around detected obstacles. This is great for getting out of tight parking spots, plus it is fun to watch others faces when you back the SUV out with nobody inside.
One note about the remote start from the key fob or your cell phone: With every other vehicle I’ve been in, when you activate the remote start, when you get in, you have to push the vehicle start button. Hyundai thought of everything. When you get in the vehicle with the key fob and sit, everything comes on. No need to hit the start button.
Ride and Drive
The Palisade rides and drives as well as it looks, and I was amazed at the quietness Hyundai achieved inside the vehicle. It delivers a smooth and refined ride with light, precise steering, a comfortable suspension tuned for stability, and a focus on serene cruising rather than sporty performance.
Acceleration is good, especially in Sport Mode, and you even get a little exhaust rumble. Fuel economy is rated at 18 City and 24 on the highway and it’s doing every bit of that, maybe even a little better.
MSRP and MPG
Since the first Palisade I ever reviewed over five years ago, I said it was $5,000 underpriced. With the way SUVs have gone up since then, the Palisade is now closer to $10,000 under what some others are that don’t have near as many features. Total MSRP is $58,300 and it comes with a 10-year/100,000 mile warranty.
Verdict
Kudos to Hyundai, they took a great SUV, made it even better, priced it right, and with the Calligraphy Edition, they achieved amazing luxury at a bargain price. Hopefully, we’ll get the hybrid version soon because I think that one is the real game changer!
2026 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy
- What I liked most: Interior luxury, amazing value, quiet interior, terrific exterior looks!
- What I would change: Couldn’t find anything I didn’t like.
- MSRP: Base price $56,050, as equipped $58,300.
- Official Color: Creamy White.
- Fuel Economy: Rated at 18 in town/24 highway/20 overall
- Odometer reading when tested: 900 miles.
- Weight: 4,872 curb weight pounds. 6,327 GVWR per the door label.
- Spare Tire: Compact temporary spare.
- Length-Width-Height: 199.2” long/78” wide/69.5” high.
- Fuel Tank Capacity: 19 gallons with the filler on the driver’s side.
- Towing Capacity: 5,000 pounds.
- 2025 Palisade Calligraphy in a few words: Hyundai took an already great SUV, and in what seemed impossible, made it even better AND held the price down! BRAVO!
- Final Assembly Location: Ulsan, Korea.
- Manufacturers website: www.HyundaiUSA.com
- Warranty: 5-year/60,000 bumper-to-bumper and 10-year/100,000 mile power train warranty with roadside assistance.
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